In brief
Most garment workshops in Yıldırım operate in single-stair, multi-storey buildings not designed as factories. The Regulation on the Fire Protection of Buildings accepts a single escape stair in manufacturing premises only if five conditions are all met; for buildings with designs approved before 2007, it recognises second exit options such as windows, connections to a neighbouring building and external stairs. Keeping fabric stock away from the stairs, leaving doors unlocked and a joint evacuation plan with the other workplaces in the building are the measures that deliver results fastest.
Where does the escape problem in Yıldırım come from?
Yıldırım Municipality's strategic plan describes a large part of the district's production as baby and children's clothing around Vişne Caddesi and the Vişne Trade Centre, and weaving businesses in Duaçınarı. Since there is no organised industrial zone (OIZ) in the district, this production takes place largely on the floors of residential and commercial buildings, in business blocks and in basements; every garment workshop inherits its escape route problem from the structure of these buildings.
Most of these buildings were not designed as manufacturing premises. As a result, the escape problem usually comes down to three issues:
- A single stair: All workers on the upper floors depend on the same narrow stair; if the stair fills with smoke, there is no other way out.
- Fabric load: Rolls of fabric, cutting waste, shoulder pads and packaging stock both increase the fire load and narrow landings and corridors.
- Locked doors and bars: Doors locked for fear of theft and windows with iron bars close off routes that could serve as a second exit.
Outerwear manufacturing (14.21.01) is in the less hazardous class for OHS purposes, but this class says nothing about the fire risk of the building. In the fire hazard classification of the Regulation on the Fire Protection of Buildings, sewing and weaving workshops are in the "medium hazard" group. We described how we organise our services in the district on our Yıldırım OSGB page.
When is a single-stair building sufficient for a workshop?
Art. 52 of the Regulation on the Fire Protection of Buildings (BYKHY) requires at least two independent escape stairs in factories, manufacturing premises, shops and warehouses. A single escape stair is accepted as sufficient only if the conditions below are all met together. For "existing buildings" whose designs were approved before 19.12.2007, Art. 159 repeats the same five conditions; only for escape distance is Annex 14 applied.
| BYKHY condition | Question to ask in the workshop |
|---|---|
| Building height less than 21.50 m | How many storeys does the building have, and at what height is the floor of the highest occupied storey? |
| Fewer than 50 occupants on a floor | During busy order periods, what is the maximum number of people working on the floor? |
| Escape distance within the limits in the table | What is the actual walking distance from the furthest machine on the floor to the stair door? |
| Non-combustible products used in construction | Were suspended ceilings, partitions and claddings later made with combustible materials? |
| No highly flammable or ignitable substances in manufacturing and storage | Is there any stain remover, solvent, spray adhesive or heavy fibre build-up? |
The number of occupants is calculated by dividing the floor area by the occupant load factor in Annex 5/A (10 m² per person for factory production areas, 5 m² per person for workshops); the project designer and the fire brigade decide which row applies. Even if the calculation comes out below 50, the case for a single stair is weakened if the actual number of workers on site exceeds this. The most common situation is a floor becoming crowded with extra machines and temporary workers during order periods.
Second escape route options in existing buildings
The tenth part of the regulation, on existing buildings, accepts as a second escape route some solutions that would not be accepted in new buildings. These options show the routes that can be applied in old buildings in Yıldırım:
- Passage from a window to an escape stair (Art. 146/3-a): If the number of occupants on the floor does not exceed 50 and the building does not exceed 30.50 m, a window is accepted whose sill is at most 80 cm above the floor, whose opening part is at least 70/140 cm, with a step built in front of it and the passage formed with materials resistant to fire for at least 30 minutes.
- First-floor window (Art. 146/2): If the number of occupants on the first floor does not exceed 25, windows at most 4 m above external ground level with an opening casement of at least 70 cm count as an escape route where necessary.
- Joint solution with a neighbouring building or plot (Art. 141/2): Subject to obtaining consent and not adding an extra storey, an additional exit or escape stair can be provided together with the neighbouring building.
- External escape stair (Art. 153): Permitted in existing non-residential buildings up to a building height of 30.50 m; there must be no unprotected door or window openings within 1.8 m on either side of the stair, and if there are, these openings must be made fire-resistant.
There is a separate rule for basements: if manufacturing, production and storage take place in multi-level basements, a second exit is mandatory (Art. 156). If an additional exit or escape stair is needed, the building owner or the flat owners have it built for the whole building (Art. 141/1). The practical result for a tenant workshop is this: question the escape situation of the building before signing the lease, and put in writing who will carry out the necessary work.
Garment workshop escape routes and fabric load
An escape route is a continuous, unobstructed route from any point in the building to the street at ground level. A roll of fabric, a sack of cutting waste or a box left on a stair landing both narrows this route and, if a fire starts in the stairwell, completely cuts off the upper floors.
Measures that can be applied on site are:
- Landings and stairs completely clear: No material, clothes rails or ironing boards are kept in the stairwell.
- Daily stock limit: Only enough fabric for the day's production is kept on the floor; the main stock is kept on the ground floor or in a separate store if possible.
- Cutting waste and lint: Cutting waste is removed from the floor at the end of the shift; lint under machines and in ducts is cleaned regularly.
- Irons and steam boilers: Electrical connections are made to fixed sockets, supply via extension leads and multi-socket adaptors is removed, and ironing tables are moved away from the escape route.
- Fire doors: Any door opening onto the stairwell is not wedged open; the self-closing device is kept in working order.
For other risks in a sewing workshop see our article on OHS in garment workshops, and for escape route widths and signage see our article on escape route and emergency exit rules.
Locked doors and bars: solving security together with escape
BYKHY Art. 30/4 prohibits fitting locks, bolts and similar components to exits in a way that would prevent free escape. In existing buildings too, escape route doors must be openable by hand and not kept locked; in spaces with more than 50 occupants, exit doors open in the direction of escape (Art. 157/2).
The table below matches the problems we see most often on site with quick and permanent solutions:
| Problem | Immediate action | Permanent solution |
|---|---|---|
| Floor door locked during working hours | Instruction to keep the lock open during working hours | Panic bar and alarm contact |
| Fabric and boxes on the stairs | Clear the landing, mark the floor "keep clear" | Separate the stock area from the floor |
| Single stair, close to 50 workers on the floor | Limit the number of workers per floor | Solution for a second exit with the designer and the building owner |
| Barred windows | Make one window openable from inside | Window passage complying with Art. 146 |
| No emergency lighting | Rechargeable emergency light fitting on the stairs | Emergency lighting along the whole escape route |
Workshop evacuation plan: together with the other workplaces in the building
In a single-stair building, each workshop's own evacuation plan is not enough; whichever floor the fire starts on, everyone will use the same stair. Art. 23 of Law No. 6331 assigns OHS coordination in business blocks and complexes to the management; the Regulation on Emergencies in Workplaces also leaves the coordination of emergency plans (Art. 17/2) and the conduct of drills (Art. 13/4) in business blocks to the management. For joint planning, see our article on the emergency plan in a shared building.
A workshop evacuation plan should include at least the following:
- The number of workers on each floor and the shift pattern.
- The route from each floor to the stair and the second exit; an evacuation map posted at the floor entrance and on the stairs.
- An assembly point away from vehicle traffic, shared by all the workplaces in the building.
- Firefighting, rescue and protection teams: in the less hazardous class, at least one support person for each up to 50 workers; in a workshop with fewer than 10 workers, one person is sufficient for all three teams. You can see the numbers for your workshop with the OHS obligation calculator.
- First aid: one first aider for every 20 workers in the less hazardous class.
- The location of the electricity and natural gas shut-off points and who will shut them off.
Test the plan with a drill at least once a year, and if possible hold the drill together with the other workshops in the building; the steps are in our article on emergency drills. In our emergency plan work, Bursa Sistemer measures escape routes on site, and in our fire training sessions we practise evacuation on the real stair. Our general approach to textile businesses is on our textile sector page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a garment workshop be opened in a single-stair building?
It can, but all five BYKHY conditions must be met: building height less than 21.50 m, fewer than 50 occupants on a floor, escape distance within the limits, non-combustible products used in construction and no highly flammable substances. If any one is not met, a second exit is required.
Can I lock the workshop door against theft?
Escape route doors cannot be kept locked while workers are inside. You can lock them outside working hours; during working hours, provide security with a panic bar that opens from inside without a key, an alarm contact and a camera.
How is a second escape route provided in an old building?
In buildings with designs approved before 2007, if there are no more than 50 occupants on the floor, passage to an escape stair through a window of suitable dimensions, a joint exit with the neighbouring building or an external escape stair meeting the conditions can be accepted as a second escape route. Decide on the solution together with the project designer and the fire brigade.
Is a joint drill with the other workshops in the building mandatory?
In workplaces in business centres and business blocks, drills are carried out under the coordination of the management (Emergencies Regulation Art. 13/4); the coordination of emergency plans also rests with the management. In a single-stair building, holding the drill together is the only way to see the real capacity of the stair.
An emergency plan that really works on site, with scenarios, support teams, evacuation diagrams and an annual drill.
Bursa SİSTEMER OSGB Technical Team — written from the field experience of our OHS specialists and workplace physicians. Legal information is valid as of the publication/update date; contact us for an assessment specific to your business.