SignWorks stands behind its work so when we learned that there was an adhesion issue causing the evacuation maps to separate from their decorative backers, we scheduled and installer to go to the building and reinstall the 20 maps that had failed. We had learned about the problem just before the pandemic hit so the project had been on hold for almost a year.
This project has been especially time consuming and required four separate site visits with very specific inputs from the local fire department because of concerns about several locked doors that could not be used as part of the egress path. Because some of the doors at the building require a key to enter, it was important to validate that each egress path was assigned through a door that was not locked. The fact that the building takes up an entire city block should tell you a lot about the scope and size of the project requiring a total of sixty-two 14” by 14” map for a building with three separate addresses.
You should also know that City of Oakland Fire Inspectors have lots of latitude when interpreting the guidelines and that maps were added to the project even where the elevator lobby and stairs were within 5 feet of each other.
Hopefully, we can now call the project complete given that we added VHB tape and silicon to re-secure the maps to the backers. The mazelike building design means everything takes a little longer to complete, so reinstalling the failed maps took some time.
SignWorks does quite a bit of work when it comes to evacuation map signs in both Oakland and San Francisco. Our Cadillac Hotel project was approved at the desk review level and fabrication of the 185 floor and room evacuation maps will begin once the field review is complete. We also working on an SRO project in San Francisco that requires nine 16” by 20” floor evacuation maps and 29 room/apartment evacuation maps, complete with non-glare acrylic lens. Our site surveys and review of plan documents where the maps are needed and we map out where things like the extinguishers, alarm pull stations, etc. should go.
We hope that when (and if) your building requires fire safety signs and/or evacuation maps that you will give us a call at (510) 357-2000. We can provide the technical expertise and guidance you need in complying with local guidelines. Please visit our website to peruse some of our fire safety and evacuation map project photos and blog posts.
