Fire Exits

Hi, sorry if this has already been covered, but please could someone let me know where I can find the correct guidance on whether acoustic curtains can be installed over a fire exit in a new-build dance/music venue? I've had a look at the regs but I'm not sure how to find the right section. Thank you!

A shop with a licensed premises granted has only 1 exit /entrance which is via a ramp. There is a proposal to place tables and chairs on the ramp which is 1500mm wide. Is this not a fire risk?

Hi Fire doors which are not part of the exit route can be locked such as boiler room doors. What about server/computer room? This is used only occasionally if something needs to be fixed. Is it still ok, for this door to be locked? Thanks

Hi All Have a query , maglocks wont secure back after a power outage but only has happened on one floor the other 4 are ok , can anyone advise ? Many Thanks

I live in a 3 story house. On the ground floor is a garage, hallway and bathroom. The living room and kitchen are on the first floor and the bedrooms on the top floor. The house has a contained stairway (comprised of solid walls on the ground and first floors) running from the top to the bottom of the property with self closing doors but not fire doors. There are patio doors on the first floor ( it’s built into a hillside) leading to a courtyard garden with an escape access over a low wall. Given that there is an easy escape route from the first floor could we remove the stairway walls and doors on the first floor to create more living space? Thanks

Live on 5th floor and middle of night fire alarm went off triggering the opening of fir windows on each landing. It was false alarm but our fire window was not closed for over 12 hours. We were never informed it was open. Is this a breach of health and safety?

Does an electronic rim lock (on a front door) automatically fail to safety? Does it need to be tested / serviced as part of a fire plan?

As a member if BS 5266 I find it hard to explain why strict compliance to BS 5266 would not be appropriate. In this context my thought is that while remote illuminance of stickers is acceptable the actual verification of mains healthy at 100 lux on the sign and 5 lux in an emergency is hard to be confident with when most retail emergency lighting sources are not actually 3rd party approved / performance verified.

When does a foyer become a stairwell ? We have a foyer in our workshop , it has a wc door , a door into the workshop , a door into an office and an entrance door , the staircase is metal and goes up to a storage area which has a fire door , all the other doors are fire doors . We were asked to remove a small table and two chairs which were there as a mini reception as they were in a stairwell , they also we're not blocking any escape route , the space is out 3m x 3 m . Is this a stairwell ? Thanks Andy

Hi, If there is a scenario where a residential and commercial tenants fire route leads to the back of the building into a courtyard of approx. 10m long. However the door from that courtyard requires a key to get to the final place of safety, i.e. as far away from the building as possible. What would be a suitable measure to ensure this route away from the property is accessible for both tenants.? Considering secure push bar, thinking a key box would not be sufficient? Thank you.

Hello I am interesting to find out what people think on this, as I am having conflicting expert views. If someone has worked in building control, I would love your take on it. I am replacing a fire exit door for a resident block, the proposed design has the opening width and height smaller than the original, but it still meets the minimum requirements set in the building regulations. Original is 900W x 1945H, Proposed is 839Wx 1914H (mm) The debate/ interpretation is " it has to be like for like replacement, it cannot be made worse, the proposal will reduce the opening width and height of the fire exit therefore making it worse, against, it should b…

Is anybody aware of current recognised guidance or ACoP that specifies the minimum height of a fire exit. Many guides (ADB, BB100, 9999 etc) specify minimum exit widths for said occupancies, however, no mention of minimum exit height. A standard UK door is 1981 mm in height which comes from the old 6ft 6in imperial door size but again there is no reference in previous guidance to 6'6. ADB 5.16 does mention ceilings on escape routes to be no less than 2m and doors can be lower but again not specific reference to the actual minimum height of a fire exit.

We are a dental practice with a fire door opening on to a fire escape on the 1st floor . We would like to be able to open this door in the summer when it is hot . Are we allowed to put an opening stair gate across the doorway for safety purposes ?

Dear Sir/Madam I have just bought a 1st floor apartment. The 2 windows which are suitable for fire escapes are the lounge window (on to a tiled porch roof) and a bedroom window with uniterupted access ( the smaller one of the 2). All the windows were replaced in 2004. Measurements (cm) Lounge 210x120 with opening 114x50 (approx 45degrees horizontal hinge) Bedroom 174x120 with opening 76x50 (approx 45degrees horizontal hinge) I realise when you replace the windows now they have to meet modern fire regs. We are going to rent it out but not sure whether I need to replace any or one or both! the windows at the back are on to a large conservatory and are similar…

I am a small business owner, in a leased, shared building (three businesses on three levels). We have had new instruction communicated from our landlord to keep the external door locked at all times 'due to Covid' however the external door is a Yale lock, this is the only route of exit save for a ground level window accessed from our factory. I am concerned that the exit requiring a key is not appropriate - but who is liable for fire safety? Is it myself (we keep our doors unlocked when occupied for access), or the landlord who has given an instruction for the communal area? Our relationship with the landlord is not good so I don't want to be seen causing t…

Extg. top and second floor flat in converted bldg. with three flats. Applying for landlords

I live in a 2 storey first floor flat, along with my neighbours in the flat opposite. There are 2 flats and 4 people on this floor. My neighbour a gentleman in his 70s and I are blue badge disabled. We find it increasingly hard to use the stairs. The stairwell is 35 inches wide. Acorn can fit a chair 12 inches wide when folded. We are hitting a brick wall with our housing association because it is the only exit from the flats and the stairlift will be considered an obstruction. you can only get one person at a time down these stairs anyway. I do not understand the problem.

Hi all, Newbe here. I have a great interest in fire safety and policies. I look forward to asking questions and hopefully answering a few too. A question please. A block of 61 flats, 3 floors. A fire exit with a typical push bar exits one side of the building. 30 feet away, we have a double sided wrought iron gate (victorian). It has been padlocked by the leasehold residents for years due to people taking short cuts over gardens, kids playing football etc. Now it has been decided this gate is to be used as a fire exit to the next street. The chain has been cut off and the gate is now easy to open and enter. I do not believe this was the proper…

My Scout headquarters has an external compound which is accessed from the HQ via a rear door and has a side gate and double gates leading to a garage. The compound needs to be locked for security reasons. We occasionally use the compound for our youth members and currently unlock the compound, which we have to remember to lock back up later, and monitor the gate to ensure we have an escape route whilst maintaining the correct safeguarding level. What we'd really like to do is to have a system that would allow us maintain full security and provide an escape route that will maintain safeguarding requirements but be easier to operate rather than unlocking and locking a …

Sliding doors on escape routes & exits should open on the sounding of the FA (except for prisons etc) but I cannot find where it is stipulated in recognised guidance/ACoP. BS 7273 stipulates arrangements on power failure but very little on FAsounding. Any suggestions?

Hi. Please help me understand the 4.5m above ground level rule- our Building inspector and Fire Safety inspector said: "The 4.5m is the maximum escape height not the floor level which is why it is shown between two storey levels." and that "The 4.5m rule is indicated in the building regulations as being measured from ground level to the underside of the window." I thought the 4.5m is the maximum actual floor height above ground. Who's right?

Please advise: Is an external step required when exiting from a ground floor Fire Door where the internal floor height is above the external ground level i.e. potential trip hazard? If yes does this step need to be painted to highlight edges where the user would ultimately have to step off it? Thanks

THERE IS A ENTRANCE/EXIR DOOR 1MTR WIDE FOR DISABILITY ACCESS, HOWEVER IT WOULD OBVIOUSLY BE USED AS A FIRE EXIT SHOULD THERE EVER BE A FIRE. THERE IS A RAILING 1 MTR FROM THE DOOR SWING IN FRONT OF THE DOOR, IS THIS LEGAL

At my workplace the designated smoking area is directly at the other side of a fire door. Anyone opening this door would hit whoever was standing on the other side. Is this OK for my work to be doing this?

Can a five storey terraced building divided into five flats have a fire escape over a neighbours roof or into their property? At the moment the house is four storeys and the owner wants to add an extra separate flat in the roof space as a mansard penthouse. Only an extended lift shaft will be able to access this penthouse floor as the stairs stop at the third floor and cannot be extended. They want to connect through to the adjoining neighbours house and to use their protected staircase in case of an emergency. Can this be done? Its a completely different owner and building? The neighbour has agreed (for a fee!). I would say the unobstructed distance is about 10…