Tom Sutton

Using Approved Document B Fire Safety (ADB) the rule is any openings (doors or windows) within 1.8 m of an external staircase has to be 30 minute fire resistance and any openable windows fixed shut. I cannot give a definitive answer on the information you provided but it appears the sash window below the landing could be 30 minutes fire resisting glazing (FRG) and any openable windows fixed shut. The other window you can escape onto the staircase from must be FRG and fixed shut. Check out https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/485420/BR_PDF_AD_B1_2013.pdf page 20.

How many non family members will be living with each family? If there are two or less then they will be classed as lodgers and are a single family dwelling, if this is not the case this is a different matter.

As I said there is no UK standard for water mist and BS 12094-3 is for gaseous systems so I can see why it has not been mentioned you could try to get EN 14972 to see if that is helpful. I far as I can see you have to apply risk assessment, is the colour that important providing the label is clear, not complicated, no chance of misunderstanding and cannot be mixed up with any other operating handles. http://www.bre.co.uk/filelibrary/water_mist.pdf

These type of doors are known as double swing doors and you can get them to a FD30s standard but they do not come cheap. Nevertheless they do have uses in various situations but as bedroom doors I do not think they are suitable because when they are opened outwards they would create an obstruction in the corridor. Also there is a health and safety situation when the doors are opened outwards it could hit somebody walking in the corridor.

I have been involved where wind pressure on one side of a building and low on the opposite side has prevented the doors on the high pressure side not to close properly. However I can see see in a well insulated room with an extractor fan or something similar, a partial vacuum could be created, preventing the closer properly closing the door, but if you open a window this will equalize the pressure and the door should shut normally.

When giving advice you can use your experience/knowledge and /or bench mark guidance/best practice and providing you are not required to justify that guidance, no problems. However I believe it is best to use bench mark guidance/best practice which in this case is BS 5306-8 which states “Use of powder extinguishers, the discharge of a powder extinguisher can cause a sudden reduction of visibility, which could temporarily jeopardize escape, rescue or other emergency action. For this reason water-based extinguishers should ideally be specified for use indoors.” If you choose to go against that guidance make should you can make a good case as there are a number of different extinguishers you could use. Check out http://www.safelincs-forum.co.uk/topic/5081-what-type-of-extinguisher-for-kitchen-and-lounge/#comment-9757

90 degrees, or at a right angle to the wall the door is located in.

What does the fire label and care label say, its shape and what are they made from?

As AB has said three hours should be used however there are no REG/ACOP/GI 's that I am aware of but BS 5266 is considered the best practise by the courts so this is the guidance used. http://shop.bsigroup.com/ProductDetail/?pid=000000000030331554 Check out http://www.firesafe.org.uk/emergency-lighting/ may be of use.

What labels have you removed, if you have an upholstered headboard are you talking about Display label which are not required after the furniture has left the showroom, Full permanent label or short permanent label, if it is the mattress you should have low hazard category of BS 7177 label. Fire safety of furniture and furnishings in the home - A Guide to the UK Regulations Fire safety of furniture and furnishings in the contract and non-domestic sectors Low hazard

Thanks Bradley I have seen your article https://www.quora.com/What-is-Delayed-Action-On-A-Door-Closer and I would think it is useful when dealing with wheelchairs.

It's a misunderstanding that all final exit doors have to be fitted with push bars (panic bars) it depends on the number of person likely to be using it, an easily opened, one action handle can be used but the door should not be locked, during the time the premises is open, if required for means of escape (MoE). Your fire risk assessment will show if this door is required as an alternative MoE.

How many floors?

Could you take a photo of the labels that are fitted, there are three labels 1. Display label, not required when the furniture has left the showroom. 2. Full permanent label or 3. the short permanent label, either, proves the furniture meets the regulations. Fire safety of furniture and furnishings in the home - A Guide to the UK Regulations Page 11

A normal closer operates as the door is opened and closes it immediately the door is released. A delayed closing device allows the door to close when activated by a third party device like the fire alarm. https://www.ifsecglobal.com/hold-open-door-closers-devices-uses-limitations/

The BS states they should be carried out at approximately the same time each week, therefore +/- 15 minutes i would consider acceptable, just try to get it as close to 10.00 am as you can.

Are we talking about a single family domestic premises or are they flats and are they parking on the pavement?

It would not, both doors are fire exits, doors required to escape from a fire. If the fire was in an adjacent classroom and smoke/flames prevented you using the final exit door to outside then you would need to use the other door, it all depends on the layout of the premises. I would suggest you do what AB suggested you should ask your fire safety adviser or risk assessor to look into this and produce a risk assessment that justifies a suitable solution. Your suggestion may end up being accepted, but as it would be exceptional you need to go through the right process to justify it. Consultation with the fire and rescue service may be advisable.

I cannot help you with the asbestos report and there is no such a thing as a fire safety certificate, and I suspect the solicitor is referring to Fire Risk Assessment report (FRA). As the employer (self employed applies) you are subject to The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 and are required to do a FRA on the shop premises. As the owner of the office premises you are required to complete a FRA on the office premises. You could check out http://www.firesafe.org.uk/fire-risk-assessment/ and see if you considered yourself capable of doing an FRA if not you can employ a Fire Risk Assessor check out A Guide to Choosing a Competent Fire Risk Assessor

Have you considered fitting a DOOR ENTRY ALARM SET with off/on switch, high up the door which will not prevent the children using the door but will alert you if they do and when they realise they cannot sneak out quietly they may not try.

Check out http://www.abertaytraining.co.uk/trainercourses/firesafetytrainer.html and am sure there are others.

What is the building used as.

If the doors are BS 476 part 8, substantial, well fitting then intumescent strips may not be required but if new doors are fitted then they should be BS 476 part 22 and intumescent strips will be required, if there is any doubts fit the strips. Check out Fire safety in purpose-built blocks of flats

A lobby is a room or short corridor used as an entrance hall, vestibule in a domestic property or leading to a staircase in larger buildings and can be protected. In a flat only the front door needs to be a full half hour standard, doors to rooms only need to be FD20, no S/C. Any well-fitting substantial standard door would be considered a FD20 door. A corridor is a passage connecting parts of a building and can be protected or not depending on the circumstances, in a block of flats it will be a protected corridor. Once in a protected staircase it must lead to ultimate safety (fresh air) and protected corridors top or bottom can be used to achieve this. If you are using ADB then your building is not a small building it is more than three floors above the ground floor, it is more than 11 m check out C5 and 2.21, I think they have been served you a curved ball.

There seems to be plenty of compensatory factors if a fire was to break out of the riser and as a result the means of escape should not be compromised but ideally the breaches should be suitable sealed up.