Klaxon Sounders Watch Over 30 St Mary Axe

The latest evacuation sounder from Klaxon Signals is ensuring that visitors to the top of London's 30 St Mary Axe can enjoy unobstructed views of the capital without compromising their safety.

E-Z-Exits now watch over the diners on Level 39, while others protect those drinking in the bar on Level 40.

Should an emergency situation arise, these sounders would emit a stream of broadband, multi-frequency sound which would quickly guide occupants to the nearest exit.

Rob Harrison, an architect at Foster and Partners, reveals that the unique nature of the tower's top two floors presented a specific problem when it came to specifying evacuation sounders.

"We had to be able to identify the escape routes through the use of auditory means, in addition to conventional signage, in a visually-sensitive space." Foster and Partners worked with Arup Fire to come up with a way of satisfying these requirements.

Arup's Anthony Ferguson, Fire Engineer for the project, explains that they were looking for a method that would not interrupt the 360-degree view out of the bar.

"We considered various sorts of signs that popped up when needed, or liquid crystal displays that would remain transparent until needed.

Klaxon's acoustic system was chosen in the end because it was truly invisible." The technology behind E-Z-Exit was developed by Sound Alert, a company whose innovative products are based on research carried out by Professor Deborah Withington and a team of scientists at Leeds University.

Arup Fire was introduced to the E-Z-Exit when it attended a seminar given by Sound Alert, and it then recommended the technology to Foster and Partners.

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