Task 4: Bad Design

Fire Hose and Reel Storage

In my college corridor’s floor there is a fire hose and fire reel. However it is not well noticeable as the cupboard fits in colourwise with the wall, disguising it.

It looks as if this cupboard is just a regular storage unit for brooms and mops etc, and in an emergency where a fire is involved, people would go right past it when searching for fire fighting equipment. This will result in lost time, further damage and possibly fatal injury.

The designer of the cupboard failed to give a solid impression to residents as to where the fire fighting equipment is. Also they failed to allow anyone to see the equipment without opening the cupboard first. People should not rely on the standard signs next to the handles and the small sign that sits high on the cupboard. Human error is forced, as they do not know where to look for the fire fighting equipment.

My suggestion of a safety-glass paneled cupboard will reduce human error by allowing the residents to easily see where the fire hose and fire wheel is when walking past when there is no danger. This will allow automatic reflexes to go straight to the cupboard that contains the equipment as they know it is there since it has been seen with their own eyes. The safety-glass feature of the glass will allow quicker access to the equipment without having to open the cupboard door in an emergency.

Someone retrieving the equipment will easily be able to kick or hit through the glass. Keeping the cupboard door system as well though means that maintenance and updates to the fire equipment can occur without needing to break the glass every time someone wants access to it. The signage can be kept the same, as it is out of the way and not obtrusive in the hallway, and still gives a good depiction of what is in the cupboard when combined with the glass front. Aesthetics wise, the colour of the cupboard will stay the same as the other walls, so as not to look too out of place, and to allow the actual fire equipment to stand out.