Loft access hatches

[Meady]

Please can someone tell me if all hatches to lofts / voids which form part of ceilings along means of escape (protected corridors and stairs) need to be fire rated or not?

We cannot see anything in ADB Vol 2 which specifically mentions this so any steer would be much appreciated! ?

[Tom Sutton]

The walls, floor, vertical shafts and ceiling all form the protected route and should achieve the required fire resistance. Not everything will appear in guidance or regulations you have to use common sense and your experience. For instance if the hatch to a loft is in a staircase then you need to conduct a fire risk assessment to ascertain the hazard of a fire in a flat or loft space spreading to the staircase and making it impassable.

[Meady]

That's great - thanks very much Tom.