Fire exits from cabin containers

[Guest MartinBev]

Hi , I wonder if you are able to help me please with a bit of advice
My company has just installed a "contractors cabin on site at a large company in the N East
this cabin is a standard shipping container that has been converted into an office space with lighting and heating etc
My only concern is that it has only one entry and exit door, so in the case of an emergency, if the one exit is blocked, there is no other form of escape
there is a window but its not an easy escape route
in normal cases there shuld only be one person in the cabin, but there is a small meeting area also for upto 6 staff or customers
I have asked for the cabin to be changed to a portacabin , but needed a professional opinion if possible
Many thanks
Martin

[Tom Sutton]

It appears your contractor’s cabin could be likened to a room and not all rooms have two exits (travel in one direction) and it all depends on where you have located the exit door? The major problem is the size of the container because they are usually long compared with the width; consequently if a fire did start in the cabin, you may have problems bypassing the fire. The advantage is, a fire would be discovered immediately and people would react before a fire could develop also the occupancy is low.

It needs to be checked out against the appropriate guides, http://www.firesafe.org.uk/regulatory-reform-fire-safety-order-2005/ or Approved Document Part B Fire Safety.

Edited September 4, 2015 by Tom Sutton

[AnthonyB]

Usually travel distances in these structures are within the limits for escape in a single direction and a fire would be quickly detectable by occupants. Room layout may create an 'inner room' situation where you have to pass from one room to another to reach the exit - this can be resolved by the provision of vision panels or a smoke alarm to the access room.

Where these container cabins are linked, as can happen, the need for a second escape becomes far more likely