ASTM E2484-06

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Designation: E 2484 – 06
Standard Specification for
High-Rise Building External Evacuation Controlled Descent
Devices
This standard is issued under the fixed designation E 2484; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (e) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1. Scope E 2265 Terminology forAnchors and Fasteners in Concrete
and Masonry
1.1 This specification covers the requirements, perfor-
2.2 ANSI Standards:
mance, design, marking instructions, test methods and ancil-
ANSI Z359.1 Fall Arrest System Components
lary components of High-Rise Building External Evacuation
ANSI/AWS D, 14.4 Specification for Welded Joints in
Controlled Descent Device (CDD) systems for emergency
machinery and Equipment
escape of persons who cannot use the standard exit facilities in
2.3 ASCE Standard:
high-rise buildings, defines requirements for their installation,
ASCE 1-05 Minimum Design Loads for Buildings and
periodic maintenance when installed and instructions for their
Other Structures
use.
2.4 ASME Standard:
1.2 This specification does not apply to personal escape
ASME A120 Safety Requirements for Powered Platforms
parachutes, rope, chain ladders or rappelling devices.
for Building Maintenance
1.3 This specification does not apply to ancillary compo-
2.5 International Standards:
nents used with and included in CDD systems, harnesses,
CSA-Z259.10 Full Body Harness, M90
connecting hardware, signage, special evacuation openings,
CSA-Z259.2.3-99 Descent Control Devices
personal protection equipment or devices and other compo-
EN 292-1:1991 Basic Design Concepts and general Prin-
nents used on CDD systems which may be installed, purchased
ciples of Design for Safety Machinery
or used in accordance with the requirements specified herein.
EN 362 Connectors and Attachment Hardware
1.4 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as the
EN 1497 Rescue Equipment-Rescue Harness
standard.
EN 1498 Rescue Equipment Class B-Rescue Harness
1.5 This standard does not purport to address all of the
EN 1891 Personal Protective Equipment
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the
PrEN 341:2002 Personal Protective Equipment for Protec-
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-
tion Against Falls from Height
priate safety and health practices and determine the applica-
2.6 ISO Standards:
bility of regulatory limitations prior to use.
ISO 9002 Quality Management and Manufacturing Quality
2. Referenced Documents
Assurance
ISO 10333-5 Connectors and Attachment Hardware
2.1 ASTM Standards:
2.7 NEMA Standard:
B117 Practice for Operating Salt Spray (Fog) Apparatus
NEMA 250 Enclosures for Electrical Equipment
E 488 Test Methods for Strength of Anchors in Concrete
and Masonry Elements
E 631 Terminology of Building Constructions
E 894 Test Method for Anchorage of Permanent Metal
Available fromAmerican National Standards Institute (ANSI), 25 W. 43rd St.,
Railing Systems and Rails for Buildings
4th Floor, New York, NY 10036, http://www.ansi.org.
E 1512 Test Methods for Testing Bond Performance of Available fromAmerican Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), 1801Alexander
Bell Dr., Reston, VA 20191, http://www.asce.org.
Bonded Anchors
Available from American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), ASME
International Headquarters, Three Park Ave., New York, NY 10016-5990, http://
www.asme.org.
1 6
This specification is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee E06 on Available from Canadian Standards Association (CSA), 5060 Spectrum Way,
Performance of Buildings and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee E06.77 Mississauga, ON L4W 5N6, Canada, http://www.csa.ca.
on High Rise Building External Evacuation Devices. Available from European Committee for Standardization (CEN), 36 rue de
Current edition approved Dec. 1, 2006. Published December 2006. Stassart, B-1050, Brussels, Belgium, http://www.cenorm.be.
2 8
For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or Available from International Organization for Standardization (ISO), 1 rue de
contact ASTM Customer Service at service@astm.org. For Annual Book of ASTM Varembé, Case postale 56, CH-1211, Geneva 20, Switzerland, http://www.iso.ch.
Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on Available from National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA), 1300
the ASTM website. N. 17th St., Suite 1752, Rosslyn, VA 22209, http://www.nema.org.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959, United States.
E2484–06
2.8 NFPA Standard: 3.2.8 rescue line—a flexible cable or rope that is used to
NFPA 130 Appendix B 2.1.1 and B 2.1.2 support individuals during descent.
2.9 OSHA Document:
3.2.8.1 anchored rescue line—a rescue line that is anchored
OSHA Safety and Health Bulletin, SHIB 02-24-
at the descent initiation location and is dispensed from or
2004 Suspension Trauma/Orthostatic Intolerance
passes through a descending CDD.
2.10 UL Standard:
3.2.8.2 descending rescue line—a rescue line that is dis-
UL1523 ControlledDescentDevicesforMarineUse,9,15,
pensed from or passes through a CDD that is anchored at the
16, 17 and 18
descent initiation location.
3.2.9 descent rail or track—load bearing assemblies on
3. Terminology
which CDDs are mounted, inserted or attached and secured.
3.1 See Terminology E 631 for definitions of general con-
Descent rails and tracks are components of CDD systems that
cepts related to building construction.
arepre-installedontheoutsideofbuildingsandjoinedtogether
3.2 Definitions of Terms Specific to This Standard:
in sections on which specially designed CDDs are supported
3.2.1 high-rise buildings—any building that is 35 m, or
during controlled descent.
more in height.
3.2.10 special evacuation opening—a pre-installed special
NOTE 1—CDD systems specified by this standard may be used from
ormodifiedwindowordoorthatcanbeopenedtoallowaccess
any floor or the roof of a high-rise building.
to the outside of a building during an emergency.
3.2.2 controlled descent device, (CDD) system—a system
3.2.11 rated load—the weight of the person or persons
that lowers one or two people per descent, at a controlled rate
being rescued including items worn or carried. The weights of
of descent, with each person wearing a rescue harness, on the
system component parts that descend are not included in the
outside of a building, from an upper level to the ground or
rated load.
other safe location.
3.2.11.1 minimum rated load—the lightest weight of a
3.2.2.1 controlled descent device (CDD)—a device that is
person, including items worn or carried that must result in a
an integral part of all CDD systems, which controls the rate of
controlled descent, within the required rate of descent limits.
descent.
3.2.11.2 maximum rated load—the heaviest weight of the
3.2.2.2 automatic controlled descent device—a CDD that
person or persons, being rescued, including items worn or
provides automatic control of the rate of descent without any
carried that must result in a controlled descent, within the
action required of the user.
required rate of descent limits.
3.2.2.3 automatic controlled descent device, with manual
3.2.12 anchorage—the physical weight bearing attachment
override—aCDDthatprovidesautomaticcontroloftherateof
of a CDD, rescue line or any part of a CDD system, to a
descent with a manual override capability which gives the user
building including the attachment of rails or tracks.
the ability to slow or stop the descent.
3.2.13 maximum rated height—the highest elevation from
3.2.3 forcelimiter—amechanismthatlimitstheforceonthe
which a specific CDD may be used.
user, rescue line, rail or track and all in line, load bearing CDD
3.2.14 total descent energy—The total descent energy W,
system components and parts to a specific value during
expressed in Joules is the energy that must be dissipated by a
deceleration.
CDD during use. It is equal to the product of the descent load
3.2.4 one time rescue CDD—a CDD system or CDD that is
(m) multiplied by the acceleration of gravity, (g) times the
capable of only one rescue descent.
height of the descent, (h) times the number of cycles, (n);
3.2.5 repetitive rescue CDD—aCDDsystemorCDDthatis
W 5 m 3 g 3 h 3 n
capable of being returned to the site of descent initiation and
3.2.14.1 Discussion—Total descent energy manifests as
used repetitively.
heatenergythatmustbedissipatedbyCDDsystemsduringuse
3.2.6 multiple rescue CDD system—a CDD system capable
and is a critical parameter that must be accounted for in the
of multiple rescues using multiple, one time rescue CDDs and
thermal design of each system according to its Class and its
a descent rail or track.
maximum rated height.
3.2.7 rescue harness—an adjustable human body holding
device or harness assembly, which supports the pelvis and the 3.2.15 static load—the specified steady state load, ex-
torso. pressed in Kilo Newton that must be supported by the CDD,
3.2.7.1 separate rescue harness—a rescue harness is a rescueline,rail,track,connector,connectionhardware,mounts
separate component of the CDD system that connects to a and anchors.
rescue line or the CDD.
3.2.16 dynamic load—the dynamic load that results from
3.2.7.2 integral rescue harness—a rescue harness is an
free-fall, expressed in Kilo Newton that must be supported by
integral part of a descending CDD system.
the CDD, rescue line, rail, track, connector, connection hard-
ware, mounts and anchors.
3.2.17 free fall—uncontrolled descent.
Available from National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), 1 Batterymarch
Park, Quincy, MA 02169-7471, http://www.nfpa.org.
3.2.18 suspended trauma syndrome—a sometimes fatal
Available from Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), 200
condition caused by blood pooling when the legs are kept
Constitution Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20210, http://www.osha.gov.
motionless in the vertical downward position during the period
Available from Underwriters Laboratories (UL), 333 Pfingsten Rd., North-
brook, IL 60062-2096, http://www.ul.com. of suspension in some types of harnesses.
E2484–06
3.2.19 re-certification—the process by which the manufac- 5.4 Classification by Type—Each CDD system and its
turer or their representative repairs or refurbishes CDD sys- CDDs shall be designed for use with rescue lines, with descent
tems, and approves them for additional use. railsorwithdescenttracks.TypedesignatesCDDsystemswith
3.2.20 hazard and safety assessment—the process, involv- automatic descent control, automatic descent control with
ing hazard and safety evaluation, to determine that the safety
manual override capability and whether force limiters are or
and health hazards associated with the installation and use of a are not employed.
CDD system are acceptable.
5.4.1 Type I—Automatic descent control CDD system.
5.4.2 Type II—Automatic descent control CDD system,
4. Significance and Use
which employ a force limiter.
4.1 Purpose—This standard defines the design, materials,
5.4.3 Type III—Automatic descent control CDD system,
physical properties, operation and testing requirements for
with manual override capability.
CDD systems, for use as a last resort for the external
5.4.4 Type IV—Automatic descent control CDD system,
evacuation of people from high-rise buildings.
with manual override capability that employs a force limiter.
4.2 Test Requirements—The test requirements contained in
5.5 Classification by Grade—Classification by grade iden-
Section 16 are for the purpose of design verification and
tifies CDD systems, CDDs, and component parts of CDD
certification, that CDD Systems comply with the requirements
systems that are stored or installed inside or outside of
of this standard. Each manufacturer, in concert with the testing
buildings.
authority shall develop detailed test plans and procedures,
5.5.1 Grade 1—A CDD system designed for storage or
based on the requirements of Section 16.
installation outside of a building.
4.3 Test and Inspection Documentation—All tests and in-
spections shall be fully documented and retained by the testing
5.5.2 Grade 2—A CDD system designed for storage or
authority and the manufacturer.
installation inside of a building.
4.4 Installation, Instruction and Periodic Maintenance—
5.5.3 Grade 3—A CDD system designed for the storage or
This standard also defines requirements for the installation,
installation of some components or parts of the system on the
instruction of those intending to use the CDDs and periodic
insideandsomestoredorinstalledontheoutsideofabuilding.
maintenance of installed CDD systems.
5.6 Classification by Class—Classification by class defines
4.5 Hazard and Risk Analysis—The standard also includes
CDD systems with anchored CDDs and descending rescue
requirements for hazard and risk analysis.
lines, anchored rescue lines with descending CDDs, repetitive
or one-time rescue descent CDDs, one person or two person
5. CDD Classification
rescuecapability,CDDsthatareusedonrailsortracks,andthe
5.1 Type designates automatic control or automatic control
maximum rated load.
with manual override capability and indicates whether or not a
NOTE 3—Classes I and J CDD systems shall be limited to the rated
force limiter is employed.
height of 35 m, reference sections 8.7.9 and 8.7.10.
5.2 Grade designates storage or permanent mounting of the
CDD System or its components on the inside or outside of a
6. Ordering Information
building.
6.1 CDD systems may be purchased by individual apart-
5.3 Class designates CDD Systems with one time rescue,
ment or high-rise Condo dwellers and families, high-rise
repetitive rescue or multiple rescue capability, with the maxi-
building business tenants; for their employees and high-rise
mum rated load capability for one person or for two people per
building owners or others requiring a last resort means of
descent.
evacuation.These systems may be ordered byType, Grade and
NOTE 2—The maximum rated height of a given CDD is a function of
Class, based on the requirements of the purchaser. The selec-
the specific Class of the CDD system, its total descent energy dissipation
tion of CDD systems may be based on any combination of
capability and the length of the rescue line, etc. The manufacturer shall
Type, Grade and Class, in order to achieve the required
define the maximum rated height for each of their specific CDD systems
in compliance with the requirements of sections 8.7 through 8.7.10. capability.
TABLE 1 CDD Systems by Cl
...