Entrance and exit
6-4 PSV emergency exits (heavy PSVs)
Note An unmodified vehicle is not required to comply with Summary of legislation 1–6, or Reasons for rejection 1–6, provided that it complies with either:
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Reasons for rejection
Mandatory requirements
1. A PSV does not have emergency exits:
a) distributed throughout the area used by the occupants of the PSV, or
b) on at least two different surfaces of the compartment.
2. A PSV does not have dedicated emergency exits on as many different surfaces as is practicable.
3. A PSV with less than three dedicated emergency exits has one on the left-hand side of the vehicle.
4. A dedicated emergency exit door opens inwards.
5. A dedicated emergency exit in the side wall is hinged on its rear edge.
6. A push-out or free-falling dedicated emergency exit requires a force of more than 400 newtons to open it (Note 2).
7. A PSV is fitted with a sliding or similar type of dedicated emergency exit, which is likely to jam or malfunction if there is even a slight distortion of the vehicle body or frame.
8. A dedicated emergency exit which is a doorway is not at least:
a) 1200mm high (except for a stretch limousine),or
b) 500mm wide.
9. A dedicated emergency exit which is a window or hatch:
a) has a dimension (e.g. height or width) less than 500mm, or
b) has a free area of the opening is less than 0.35 m2.
10. A person is required to step both upwards and downwards to access a dedicated emergency exit.
11. The lower edge of a dedicated emergency exit on the side of the vehicle is 1m or more above the adjacent floor.
12. A dedicated emergency exit window or door is in the extreme rear of the vehicle and there are seats in front of it, and there is no permanent shelf to cover any gap exceeding 150mm between the emergency exit window/door and the rear of the seats (Figure 6-4-1).
13. A vehicle does not comply with the requirements relating to mandatory equipment set out in the VIRM: In-service certification, section 6-4.
Performance
14. A vehicle does not comply with a requirement relating to performance set out in the VIRM: In-service certification, section 6-4.
Note 1 Definitions
Compartment, for the purposes of emergency exits, means:
- the separated driver’s compartment
- the upper and lower passenger compartments of a double-decked vehicle
- the front and rear sections of the passenger compartment of an articulated bus
- the passenger compartment of a single-decked non-articulated bus.
Emergency exit means:
- a door used for the entry and exit of the occupants and, for this purpose, a door of double single width is a single emergency exit
- the access between the front and rear sections of an articulated bus
- the stairway from the upper deck to the lower deck
- a dedicated emergency exit.
Dedicated emergency exit means any doorway, window, hatch or other opening that is designed and constructed solely to provide a means of leaving the vehicle in the event of an emergency.
Surfaces (of a PSV) means:
- the side walls
- the front and rear faces
- the roof
- the floor of the upper deck of a double-decked vehicle.
Note 2
If it is suspected that the opening force exceeds 400 newtons, the exit must be checked during an entry inspection. A push-out or free falling dedicated emergency exit is not required to have levers or handles to open it. It must be mounted in a rubber that has a removable rubber strip on both the inside and outside. In the absence of either rubber strip the owner must demonstrate the operation of the exit.
Figure 6-4-1. Dedicated emergency exit window (or door)
Summary of legislation
Applicable legislation
Mandatory requirements
1. Emergency exits must be:
a) distributed throughout the area used by the occupants of the PSV, and
b) on at least two different surfaces of the compartment.
2. Dedicated emergency exits:
a) must be provided for on as many different surfaces as is practicable, and
b) must not be on the left-hand side of the PSV if the vehicle has less than three dedicated emergency exits.
3. A dedicated emergency exit must open outwards.
4. A dedicated emergency exit of a hinged door or hinged window type in the side wall of a vehicle must not be hinged on its rear edge.
5. A push-out or free-falling dedicated emergency exit must not require a force of more than 400 newtons to open it (Note 2).
6. A sliding or similar type of dedicated emergency exit, which is likely to jam or malfunction if there is even a slight distortion of the vehicle body or frame, must not be fitted on a motor vehicle which entered service as a PSV in New Zealand on or after 1 September 1999.
7. A dedicated emergency exit which is a doorway must be at least:
a) 1200mm high (except for a stretch limousine), and
b) 500mm wide.
8. A dedicated emergency exit which is a window or hatch must have no dimension less than 500mm, and the free area of the opening must be at least 0.35m2
9. A dedicated emergency exit in a motor vehicle which entered service as a PSV in New Zealand on or after 1 September 1999 must comply with the following requirements:
a) a person must not be required to step both upwards and downwards to access the emergency exit, and
b) if an emergency exit window is on the side of the vehicle, the lower edge of the emergency exit window opening must not be more than 1m above the floor adjacent to the emergency exit, and
c) if an emergency exit window is in the extreme rear of the vehicle and there are seats in front of it, there must be a permanent shelf to cover any gap greater than 150mm between the emergency exit window and the rear of the seats.
10. A vehicle must comply with the requirements relating to mandatory equipment set out in the VIRM: In-service certification, section 6-4.
Performance
11. A vehicle must comply with the requirements relating to performance set out in the VIRM: In-service certification, section 6-4.
Page amended 1 October 2012 (see amendment details).