Travel distance to a fire call point

[Meady]

Hi, sorry to trouble you but can we ask your advice on a fire call point query we have please?

We have a large(ish) room (25m x 12m) which is used for places of assembly (village hall).  The room adjoins other rooms which then have fire / emergency exit doors.

Do we need to have call points adjacent to the doors which leave the big room, or can we have just call points next to the final exits in the other rooms??

I’ve looked up on Google and we’re confused as it says 45m distance is acceptable for a ‘defined’ route, but only 30m for an ‘undefined’ route….but we don’t understand what the difference is between these two types of routes?!!

Any help / advice would be much appreciated!

[Tom Sutton]

You must not have to travel more than 45 meters to a call point when escaping, in an occupied premises, measuring around furniture and stuff ( a defined route) or 30 meters if you are working from plans using straight lines (an undefined route), this can be reduced to 25 or 16 meters in high-risk areas or disable persons need essential access to the call point.

All final exits should have a call box adjacent to the door and additional call points will be required depending on how far you have to travel to escape, from the furthest point to that call box.

[Meady]

16 hours ago, Tom Sutton said:

You must not have to travel more than 45 meters to a call point when escaping, in an occupied premises, measuring around furniture and stuff ( a defined route) or 30 meters if you are working from plans using straight lines (an undefined route), this can be reduced to 25 or 16 meters in high-risk areas or disable persons need essential access to the call point.

All final exits should have a call box adjacent to the door and additional call points will be required depending on how far you have to travel to escape, from the furthest point to that call box.

Thank you Tom - that makes things a lot cleared.  

[pmwpaul]

is it the distance to exit the building or reach a fire assembly point?

[Tom Sutton]

There are maximum distances to exiting a building they are travel distances which can be found in the guidance designed for you premises.

To my knowledge there is no required distance to a fire assembly point from the final exit door other than applying common sense it needs to be located far enough away from the building not to interfere with firefighting operations and be safe but near enough to keep in contact with the Fire and Rescue Service.