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shell56006  
#1 Posted : 07 February 2018 16:06:03(UTC)
Rank: Forum user
shell56006

Having a cold storage room built within an old production area, Cold room would be 10mx10m will have doorway in to take pallets of finished products in (non Haz Food Product), doesnt this room also need a fire exit? Production area is fitted with sprinklers etc - new cold storage room will have fire detectors and sprinklers in there, but im still concerned if a fire was occuring by the area or doorway into this room shouldnt we provide them with another means of escape (no one permently working in there only when taking pallets in or out of area) - any advice please appreciated?

Ian Bell2  
#2 Posted : 10 February 2018 09:30:41(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
Ian Bell2

Not enough information to answer the question.

Main point to consider -

What is the travel distance from inside the cold store to the nearest final fire exit? Does it exceed the recommended distance for the fire risk profile of the building?

You seem to have the other points covered regard fire sprinklers, access from the outer room etc.

Refer to either the Building Regs or British Standard BS999 section 17.3.4 which discusses inner room fire ecape requirements.

Ian Bell2  
#3 Posted : 10 February 2018 09:34:39(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
Ian Bell2

To clarify - its the escape distance in a single direction that you need to determine.

A Kurdziel  
#4 Posted : 12 February 2018 09:35:33(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
A Kurdziel

It is quite rare for cold rooms to have a fire exit this is because they are not permanently occupied and are quite small so the travel distances involved are small. From you description I would suggest that they would not need a fire exit as such. You say you are concerned that a fire might break out at the only exit trapping the person in the cold room. Realistically what are the odds of that happening and what can you do to reduce them to the lowest risk practicable?   

Firstly how long are people going to be in the cold store: is it likely that someone would enter the cold room walking a past smouldering pile of rubbish (an undetected pile of rubbish at that)?

How much flammable material would be blocking the exit?

Surely someone would be responsible for collecting and removing the rubbish before it accumulated into something significant?

Obviously smoking is banned, so what other ignition sources exist around that area?

How long would it burn for before the sprinkler system activated and put out the fire?

The obvious problem with these is that someone would need to actively manage the area and make sure it was safe but then even if you fitted a fire door that would continue as an issue, in particular someone would have to make sure that the fire  door was serviced and checked; a door like that might freeze over. It might be blocked pallets both at either, so the area in inside the cold store and the area it exits to, would have to be kept clear.

I don’t have full details of your set up and you could have other reasons for wanting to install a fire door, but based on what you have said, I don’t think that you do.

Hsquared14  
#5 Posted : 12 February 2018 10:00:26(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
Hsquared14

The only thing that I can add to what others have said is to look carefully at the specification for the materials of construction.  Make sure that the composite panels used to make the cold store are of a type that will not burn.  You need to check specifically on the sandwich materials used.  You should also consult with your insurers as this could affect your cover, they get a bit iffy about cold stores within other buildings when it comes to the composition of the panels.  Check with them first and they are more likely to be helpful and give you good advice, if there is one thing they don't like it is surprises when you come to renew!

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