Fire shutters for openings of a compartment wall would be heated to an elevated temperature in a fire emergency and emit thermal radiation to any adjacent compartment. A person close to the heated shutter surface would receive a thermal radiant heat flux and would feel skin pain. The thermal radiant heat flux upon exposed human skin close to a 3 3 3 m heated fire shutter surface was studied. The time taken for the person to experience pain was determined with the predicted thermal radiant heat flux. Properly locating a fire shutter at a distance from a building exit is recommended.
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