FRA - Removal of fire door to an office

[Al Rutter]

Hi, you have probably been asked this 1000 times, but I couldn't find an answer so here goes.  I have been asked to assess the risk of permanently removing a fire door from an office. The office has a single point of access / egress, through said door, and no window. Once out of the door, turn left 3 meters or right 20 meters to get to Fire exits. The office is manned 24/7. Has the usual Fire detection systems. Fire sources would be from a small kitchen, electrical or paper. Kitchen and bins emptied at least daily. Kitchen generally clean and tidy and bins emptied daily. PAT and Fire System are well maintained.     

What should I be considering? 

If the door was removed and someone was working in the office, the alarm should sound. The office is not in frequent use, less than 1 hour daily. All personnel are able bodied so could escape. I appreciate that, when built, a fire door was installed. Presumably at additional cost, so if they could have installed a cheap door, they would.

But, I cannot see why, taking Risk as a measure, it cannot be removed; but will bow to your experiences if you can state a case as to why it must stay.

 

Thanks in advance   Allen 

[Tom Sutton]

You said "The office has a single point of access / egress, through said door, and no window. Once out of the door, turn left 3 meters or right 20 meters to get to Fire exits."

1. When you exit the door, is it into a corridor and is there more rooms opening into the corridor?

2.  Is the fire exits a final exit or to a protected route?

3. What is the maximum travel distance in the office as from the door is is excessive for high or medium risk and could be for low.

Without a physical survey and more details it is impossible to give a satisfactory reply.

[Al Rutter]

Hi Tom, 

to answer your questions:

1. You exit the office into a corridor, with additional rooms.

2. To the left, the exit is to a stairwell, 1 flight down to exit the building. The to the right, pass by 1 office and a kitchen into a room 12m x 10m. At the opposite end are 2 exits, 12 o'clock and 10 o'clock.  1 is to external fire escape stairs, the final door is to a protected route.

3. The room is 3m x 3m and 2m high to a false ceiling. 

Hope this helps

[AnthonyB]

Can you sketch the layout?
Is the floor all in the same occupancy?
How long is the corridor?
Are smoke detectors in every room as well as the corridor?

It may be OK, but there are several factors to consider first.