Safety and Evacuation Concepts

A safety concept structures the responsibilities of the event organizer and documents the required risk assessment. It is particularly relevant for large-scale events, inner-city street festivals, and multi-purpose venues where the Assembly Venue Ordinance does not apply.

A safety concept defines the framework conditions of an event, including premises, visitor numbers, audience assessment, potential hazards, and more. Risks such as fire, accidents, and severe weather are evaluated, and appropriate procedures and responsibilities are established.

Dynamic Evacuation Simulation

• Optimization of escape routes and exits in assembly venues or outdoor areas
• Evacuation verification for existing buildings
• Preparation of evacuation reports
• Determination of realistic evacuation times for complex buildings or events
• Verification for individual events

Planning and Ensuring Smooth Evacuations

• Evacuation and clearance concepts
• CFAST evacuation simulations
• Evacuation and escape plans
• Conducting evacuation drills

Evacuation simulations allow reliable predictions regarding safe evacuation processes, including orderly clearance procedures and the potential for panic among visitors.

The Fire Dynamics Simulator (FDS) from Kiwa Wijnveld enables the analysis of complex buildings—such as office blocks or arenas—by simulating spatial conditions and human behavior in hazardous situations with an accuracy of at least 80%. Using this engineering approach, factors such as corridor dimensions or the number of exits can be optimized for maximum safety in worst-case scenarios.

Through computer-based simulations of possible scenarios—such as a fire in surrounding buildings during an inner-city event and the associated firefighting operations requiring targeted evacuations or relocation of event areas—evacuation durations, congestion development, and travel times along escape routes can be determined. Based on the results, such as waiting times, conclusions can be drawn regarding discharge capacities and any necessary additional measures.

Evacuation calculations and clearance concepts are particularly required when legal requirements for escape routes cannot be fully met, when more than 500 people are present in a building, when there is a high occupant density (more than 2 persons per m²), or when extended congestion is expected.

Services

• Creation of 3D simulation models
• CFD-based real fire simulations
• Optimization of individual building solutions in terms of safety and cost-efficiency
• Preparation of expert reports and case-specific verifications
• Assessment of fire protection infrastructure
• Determination of thermal impacts on structural components
• Design and optimization of smoke and heat exhaust systems (SHEVS / NRWG)