1 Scope
This British Standard gives recommendations and guidance for the design, specification, maintenance and operation of permanently installed sound systems used for emergency purposes at sports grounds, venues and other large buildings/sites that have similar electroacoustic systems, occupancy and occupant-generated sound levels, to convey specific instructions to the public to manage their behaviour in a variety of situations.
The standard is applicable to emergencies that require full or partial evacuation and those for which there is a need to keep people inside a building, safe from danger outside.
Emergency sound systems in large public buildings, venues and sports grounds are covered by this British Standard as a specific case because these form a class of building or complex which has certain parameters which define a particular need in terms of life safety.
These include, but are not restricted to:
a) one centralized or several focused performance spaces or activity areas;
b) “back of house” areas for operational and administrative purposes;
c) large areas of internal circulation;
d) large external areas of collection and dispersal, e.g. car and coach parks, railway stations;