Utterly OT: Building regs

[Turbocharger]

From the vast pool of knowledge on here, does anyone know if fire exits must open outwards? We have an external door to my block of flats which opens outwards; the lock was vandalised by some local scrotes and the building management company has locked it shut permanently while they get a new lock - ETA is a couple of weeks. Meanwhile, the substitute exits are

• The lift (not applicable in a fire)
  
• The door down the corridor, 100m away
  
• The door at the bottom of the stairwell adjacent to the locked door
  

Assuming the fire could be in the corridor but the stairwell is accessible from the locked door, it's been suggested that the door at the bottom isn't allowable because it opens inwards. The building was put up last year.

I'm making a complaint about them towing my car away (LR content!) and it's just another point in my correspondence. Any thoughts?

[HoSS]

I don't know the regs - but surely locking any firedoor contravenes the law.

[Anglo-Frenchman]

Hi,

The Building Regs (Approved Doc B1) states that a final exit is defined as "The termination of an escape route from a building sited so that people may be able to rapidy get clear of any danger from smoke of fire in the vicinity of the building. It should give direct access to a street, passageway, walkway or open space".

There is no requirement (that I am aware of) for the door to be outward opening although common sense would suggest that this would be preferable. You can access all of the Approved Documents of the Building regualtions at the website of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (the fat bloke who sleeps next to Mssrs Blair & Co in Parliament).

[western]

Contact the local Fire Safety officer for your area, number should be in the phone book under Fire Service.

[Les Henson]

Pretty certain a fire door has to open outwards - you slam the bar and the energy used to do that also opens the door, so one action to escape, rather than two. A designated fire door must not be locked or obstructed in any way for obvious reasons.

Les.

[Andy]

i thought it was firedoors must open outwards for escape & frontdoors must open inwards so the fire brigade can smash in.

[Anglo-Frenchman]

I have a copy of the Building Regs here and there is no reference to whether the door should be inward or outward opening. There are differing requirements for the performance of dwellings, shops, flats & maisonettes but the handoing of the door is not stipulated, indeed many of the plan diagrams in the illustrated guide show the final exit doors as being inward opening.

I was member of the Institue of Building Control and if you have any concerns about the safety of the building you should, as Ralph suggested, demand an inspection by the local Fire Safety Officer of by a Building Control officer from you local authority.

I'm afraid to say that as with the MOT, you can get different BCOs to accept of refuse different elements within a building. All that the regulations demand is that the building 'is deemed to satisfy' the minimum performance requirements of regs and as with all things there are different ways to interpret how this is achieved.

[jericho]

building regs dont state that fire exits should open out - the regs are left vague,but your local building control department will have specified exactly what they required at the time of constrution of the building.communal fire escape doors in a block of flats should have illuminated escape route signs above them.if the door in question is a designated fire escape route according to plans submitted to the local building control department,and the building management company have locked it so that it is not easily openable in an emergency by any occupant of the building,then they are surely guilty of criminal negligence.as others have already said,for an authortive opinion,speak to the fire safety officer at your local fire station.i'm sure they will have strong veiws on the subject.

[wormhole]

building regs dont state that fire exits should open out - the regs are left vague,but your local building control department will have specified exactly what they required at the time of constrution of the building.communal fire escape doors in a block of flats should have illuminated escape route signs above them.if the door in question is a designated fire escape route according to plans submitted to the local building control department,and the building management company have locked it so that it is not easily openable in an emergency by any occupant of the building,then they are surely guilty of criminal negligence.as others have already said,for an authortive opinion,speak to the fire safety officer at your local fire station.i'm sure they will have strong veiws on the subject.

As stated above the inwards/outwards issue is not relevant, however locking a fire door is detrimental to your and everyone in your building, ask your local fire service for advice, however as of October the fire safety within the building is down to the owner or a responsible person appointed by the owner performing a fire risk assessment.

During October The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order (RRFSO) comes into force, the replaces the majority of fire safety legislation in one simple package, this brings fire safety law into line with other health and safety - if you write to the landlord mention the RRFSO, as under this legislation the landlord can be taken to court personally for anyone’s death or injury within the building if they have a)not done a fire risk assessment, B) not produced a adequate fire risk assessment or c) done a effective risk assessment however not carried out or maintained the systems required within the fire risk assessment.

Previous legislation could not take him personally to court as you do not work there, however the new law covers anyone within the building (even burglars etc). The RRFSO is the biggest change in fire safety law in this country in decades.

For example; If you suffer smoke inhalation on October the 1st following a fire within the building (I hope you don't! ) then the local fire authority will take him to court and could put him in prison - this is in addition to any legal action against the company he works for (if it is a management firm).

For a block of flats I would expect emergency lighting to be installed in the escape routes and communal corridors, do you know if this is tested - it must be tested monthly quick test to annual full duration test...

[bathtub]

WE work with a few fire alarm companies & service & maintain all there buildings to comply with current regs ,Boots,colleges Magistrates Courts etc.

All fire door always must open with the flow of traffic so to speek & MUST not be locked or blocked with debris at all times.{ some can be locked out of working hours etc}

Also they must be fitted with a Push type panic bar & most importantly to this you cant buy a opening in panic bar !!!!!!!

As for it not being mentioned in the regs etc that doesnt matter as at the moment all risk is to the buildings designated fire officer !!!!!! not the council or fire brigade .

Building inspector will only get involved in inspecting new works .

Fire brigade will only get involved at the court hearing when you all are dead !

If they have locked the door ask for a revised fire escape plan !

Have they revised the signage & emergency lighting etc.

[Les Henson]

When it comes down to the nitty-gritty, does it matter if there's a fire and turbocharger gets his butt fried a bit? I mean - there's a lot more entertainment value from him hopping around with a couple of roast chestnuts in his skids isn't there? Different thing if the the kids, mother Theresa, Tony ' I talk a load of B********'s, Blair, were at risk, but to be honest, if there was a chance of seeing Turbocharger running around with a toasted bum, then I would lock the door myself, chuck a match, and stand by with a camera.

Les.

(revenge is so sweet!)

[wormhole]

WE work with a few fire alarm companies & service & maintain all there buildings to comply with current regs ,Boots,colleges Magistrates Courts etc.

All fire door always must open with the flow of traffic so to speek & MUST not be locked or blocked with debris at all times.{ some can be locked out of working hours etc}

Also they must be fitted with a Push type panic bar & most importantly to this you cant buy a opening in panic bar !!!!!!!

As for it not being mentioned in the regs etc that doesnt matter as at the moment all risk is to the buildings designated fire officer !!!!!! not the council or fire brigade .

Building inspector will only get involved in inspecting new works .

Fire brigade will only get involved at the court hearing when you all are dead !

If they have locked the door ask for a revised fire escape plan !

Have they revised the signage & emergency lighting etc.

I don't think all final exit doors have to have panic push bar arrangements, only dedicated fire escapes, having said that I'm currently involved designing a building where mag-locks hold the fire door shut until either the fire alarm goes off or someone breaks the green break glass beside the door...

All doors on escape routes should open in the direction of escape and ideally be fitted with a safety vision panel. This is particularly important if more than 60 people use them or they provide an exit from an area of high risk

The fire authority must legally offer advise if you ask for it, Humberside have always been helpful when I have asked.

Above are just my opinions and experiance...