AnthonyB

If the occupiers of other flats have to pass your front door to get to the escape stair it has to be a fire door, always has been a requirement. If you are the last flat on the row, not as big an issue.

If it still complies with current regulations you are not making it detrimental, merely different. Shouldn't be an issue.

Are these in windows on an external wall? It's more of an issue with internal smoke shafts, where incorrect C&E on the system has led to rapid spread of smoke through all floors.

They do exist as a legacy measure in older buildings though, the usual guidance is a maximum of 5 staff only to resort to such. You can't use them in anything new of course.

If only, for the majority of buildings the Reg 38 info is long gone or the building pre dated the requirement. If the building's Golden Thread is intact and the info is available it is, of course an easy way to verify the items.

And you should have a Fire Risk Assessment in any case and a significant change, such as altering the standard of fire protection, requires a review. Building Regulations and Fire Regulations are totally separate entities.

You should avoid letting tenant's reset the system, however unless there is a rapid key holder response to reset it there is a risk they could damage the system trying to silence it. You can't stop them ignoring an alarm - they do retain responsibility for their actions (Or lack of) They should evacuate (& contact a keyholder who can reset). If the system has been correctly designed and installed for a HMO then false alarms other than malicious call point use should be rare - there are purpose made systems for HMO's designed to reduce the disruption from alarms raised within units as oppose to common parts.

Using this would be simpler https://envirograf.com/product/electrical-consumer-unit-and-distribution-board-fire-protection-system/

You could treat it on the inside with intumescent paint or use the purpose made metal electrical distribution board enclosures. both from https://envirograf.com/ These solutions will be far cheaper.

The smoke ventilation system needs to be tested annually by a competent person as per Article 17 of the fire safety order so it is maintained in an efficient state, in efficient working order and in good repair. There is a lot more to this than just testing it operates and requires a specialist contractor (many electricians and fire alarm companies don't maintain them properly either, a smoke vent specialist is recommended) The same Article applies to the emergency lighting however as the annual duration test only differs in duration to the monthly you could argue that you are competent to do the basic test with other competent persons brought in for repairs.

A Refuge isn't a door - those are floor area measurements!

It's Building Work involving a material alteration so needs approval under Building Regulations. Whilst it's not a full communal escape it should be borne in mind that the interior layout of some flats can be such that an alternative exit is required (& will have been for a long time) and that may be why the 9 particular flats have the stair access - this should also be checked as otherwise the flats could be in a difficult position (especially on sale or re-mortgage). Other than that as it's full evacuation and presumably the internal stair has been assessed as having the width for all occupiers to leave at the same time it may be possible to remove.

As it is in the common parts, it would be the fire service who enforce any perceived sub standard fire safety works that leave a risk to relevant persons.

There isn't specifically, the International Residential Code specifies that the primary (front) door in the home must be at least 80 inches tall (2.03m) and this is recommended in other situations, generally you see doors no less than 1.9m, but there's far less detail than on widths.

Note the reply was in the same year as Grenfell, a lot of water has flowed under the bridge since!

A lot will depend on where the door is and who would be using it, doors that are of a height that make them more of a hatch (often present as a legacy measure in older buildings as the only way to provide an alternative route) can be accepted in certain limited situations.

Be aware that cutting down a fire door outside the parameters allowed by the manufacturer will invalidate the doors certification and more importantly lead to premature failure.

There is a newer version of the standard, but they don't usually apply retrospectively unless there was a serious flaw in the earlier standard that gives undue risk.

They aren't illegal and he could be the one who ends up in legal trouble if he puts that about widely! Good luck in the summer!

Glass blocks do exist that would satisfy the fire performance requirements, but proving if existing ones are is quite difficult. In theory they should be, but even if the site has been signed off that doesn't actually mean they are, building control completion certificates have little relevance to workmanship & correct use of materials from a fire safety point of view.

From the current (2016) standard: Non-residential premises used for recreation NOTE 1 This class includes such premises as theatres, cinemas, concert halls, exhibition halls, sports halls, public houses and restaurants. People using such premises can be expected to be unfamiliar with the layout. Also, it might be desirable to reoccupy the premises once the normal lighting has been restored, or to delay evacuation after the initial failure of the normal supply, if this is permitted. Based on these considerations, 3 h duration emergency lighting should be installed. Where the normal lighting might be dimmed or turned off, a maintained or combined emergency escape lighting system should be installed. However, it is not necessary for the full emergency lighting level to be provided when the normal lighting system is functioning. In other premises used for recreation, where there is no dimming, it is necessary only for exit signs to be maintained or combined and internally illuminated. For some cinema and theatre auditoria where the recommended maintained illuminance of 1 lx is likely to affect normal working, it is considered acceptable to reduce this level to not less than 0.02 lx, provided the system is so arranged that, in the event of failure of the supply to the normal lighting within the auditorium, the emergency escape lighting illuminance is automatically restored to a minimum of 1 lx within 5 s. NOTE 2 Full details of lighting requirements for places of entertainment are given in Technical standards for places of entertainment [36]. For areas of cinema and theatre auditoria with seating which is fixed to the floor, the minimum illuminance of emergency lighting should be 0.1 lx on a plane 1 m above the floor. All other emergency lighting parameters should be as required for open areas. However, the gangways should be treated as escape routes. NOTE 3 Provided that cinema and theatre seating is fixed to the floor, the seating rows direct people to the aisles, so these do not need to be treated as open areas. This includes seating fixed to the floor which is removable with the aid of a tool, for example to provide access for wheelchair users [36] ASSOCIATION OF BRITISH THEATRE TECHNICIANS, CHARTERED INSTITUTE OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH, DISTRICT SURVEYORS ASSOCIATION, INSTITUTE OF LICENSING. Technical standards for places of entertainment. Cambridge: Published Entertainment Technology Press 2015.

You need a Fire Risk Assessment. Is the flat separate from the unit (i.e. separate entrance and stair) or is it part of the unit. Where there is inadequate fire separation between the unit and the flats above this will require fire alarm systems between the two & more. You may have inadvertently acquired premises that do not meet the legal standards for fire safety - catering premises with accommodation above are a high priority for enforcement and on conviction a prison sentence of up to 2 years and an unlimited fine can be levied. You need a competent person to carry out a risk assessment - you will then know where you stand. You might not need much doing - or considerable works could be required!

Detection can never fully replace compartmentation breaches as there is a minimum Required Safe Evacuation Time (which is higher in sleeping risk) that even the earliest warning won't be enough if a fire (or more importantly the heat, smoke & toxins) has no physical check. Basements should generally be 60 minutes, you might allow a lesser amount with compensation, but if you have multiple penetrations with no passive protection at all you are looking at a very hazardous situation. I had a 19th century mill that was completely unprotected and should have had all the floors underdrawn to comply with benchmarks, even by putting in an L1 system and the premises being non public and office use the basement still had to be upgraded and the stairs protected (including upgrading all the doors) and all fire stopping improved, the only relaxation we could come to agreement with the enforcing authorities on was not underdrawings the upper floors. (although that was enough to keep the site viable as the disruption, temporary accommodation for tenants and costs of works for this alone would have been prohibitive)

As Tom said, not required.

A standard EL fitting will either have a single Green LED or, if a rather old fitting a single Red LED. These signify that the fitting has a live main supply in and should be charging (but is no guarantee the blub or LED tray works or that the battery is holding a charge hence the monthly & annual test regime) As green-foam says some fittings are self testing, carrying out the monthly & annual test regime automatically. These use either three (red, amber, green) or more commonly two (red/green) LEDS which give a message on their status that depends on which ones are lit, whether they are steady lit, slow flash or fast flash, indicating a variety of status' (e.g. on test, healthy, blub fault, battery fault, etc). The exact combinations can vary by manufacturer so the product booklet should be obtained. Fittings that are slaves off a central power source (such as a central battery) have no status LED at all.