Maximum travel distance from roof

[Guest LeeMit]

What is the maximum distance allowed between fire escapes when working on a roof. i.e if the roof is 100m square with one fire escape in the corner how many more escapes are required.

Thanks

[Tom Sutton]

The 100m square means nothing you need to measure the furthest distance you need to travel on the roof to the fire escape. It will be a single direction travel distance and that should be a maximum of approximately 18 m it could be extended or reduced depending in circumstances.

[Guest chartered surveyor]

What is your source, please, Tom.  I'd like to check distances when there is more than one means of escape

thank you

[Tom Sutton]

Depends on if it is a new or altered premises or an existing building. Travel distance can be found in the DCLG guidance, http://www.firesafe.org.uk/regulatory-reform-fire-safety-order-2005/ and in a new or altered premises the Building Regulations guidance, check out http://www.firesafe.org.uk/fire-safety-in-new-extended-or-altered-buildings/.

[Guest Mark Pugh]

BS9999 Fire safety in the design, management and use of buildings – Code of practice 2017, on which the fire strategy for the building has been based, does not provide specific guidance in terms of travel distances from open rooftop areas.  However, a maximum travel distance of 60m is recommended in Approved Document B Volume 2 – Buildings other than dwellinghouses 2013 (ADB) for escape routes within the open air from rooftop plant in one direction only.  Where more than one direction of escape is provided travel distances of up to 100m would be considered acceptable.