On behalf of the Norwegian Directorate for Emergency Planning and the Building Authority, we have conducted a study in which we evaluated the fire safety in buildings used for play and recreational activities centres, such as indoor play parks, trampoline centres and gymnasiums. Our conclusion is that these businesses are not well prepared for fire.
In the study, we have examined fire strategies for these businesses and the fire service's inspection reports to find out what is emphasized in the design phase and any deficiencies in the operational phase. We have also mapped and evaluated the current regulations for these businesses with regard to fire safety.
Our findings show that in the design phase, a comprehensive approach to the fire safety strategy is lacking. This is demonstrated by, among other things, that little or no consideration is given to the fire-technical properties of the play racks, including what fire energy the play racks represent, how easily they ignite, how fast the flames spread and how much smoke is produced when the materials burn. Also, no special consideration is given to the proportion of visitors who are children, that children often play without adult supervision and that children may have a different behavior than adults in the event of fire and evacuation. Thus, one cannot tell if one has sufficient time for escape in case of fire.
Read more about the findings in the report (Norwegian).