Welcome Guest! The IOSH forums are a free resource to both members and non-members. Login or register to use them

Postings made by forum users are personal opinions. IOSH is not responsible for the content or accuracy of any of the information contained in forum postings. Please carefully consider any advice you receive.

Notification

Icon
Error

Options
Go to last post Go to first unread
SBH  
#1 Posted : 05 September 2018 12:24:47(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
SBH

A pal of mine works in  offices which are 650 sq m per floor and are 3 storey with 1 open office on the top and ground floor, the other two floors have several offices  and one staircase / exit running down the inside corner of the premises through all floors. The stairs have a door at each level. What else should be done  to provide a safe means of escape for the employees, there are 70 on each floor. There is a fire alarm Is a sprinkler system, or another staircase or external steps the best option or should they ptotect the one staircase and use that.The RRFSO does not state how safety is achieved - so which is right

Confused

Atkins30323  
#2 Posted : 05 September 2018 15:12:25(UTC)
Rank: New forum user
Atkins30323

Can't really make a comment withot more information. The following link might help

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/fire-safety-risk-assessment-offices-and-shops

Regards

Gerry

mihaibertea  
#3 Posted : 05 September 2018 16:26:07(UTC)
Rank: Forum user
mihaibertea

BS9999 would assist you with this. There are some other things that you have to take into consideration such as the width of the door; the width of the corridor; the total number of people on the premises including visitors; vulnerable people; travel distances etc. 

A fire risk assessment would identify all this. Below is Table 10 from BS9999. 

Minimum number of escape routes and exits from a room, tier or storey Maximum number of persons                      Minimum number of escape routes/exits 60                                                                               1 600                                                                             2 More than 600                                                           3

SBH  
#4 Posted : 13 September 2018 19:14:09(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
SBH

Travel distance is excessive 27m, to the one exit staircase on the third floor. The room is open plan office. 600sqm with 120 occupants visitors and staffr. Should he introduce a protected corridor to the exit or introduce firewalls and get rid of the open plaqn?

SBH

Eddscott  
#5 Posted : 14 September 2018 08:08:12(UTC)
Rank: Forum user
Eddscott

Hard to answer this - have you done an FRA?

Do a walk around the office and follow the evacuation root - do signs point the right way, is there signage, is there means to fight the fire (and backup if needed), are people trained to help with evac (wardens), have you undertaken testing of systems and undertaken planned evacs, is there emergency lighting, are staff/ visitors/contractors onsite informed of any fire alarm tests, is there a sign above the emergency exit, are the walkways sufficent in width and clear from obstruction, do emergency doors open out, do internal doors open in or out (this may restrict the number of people in a building).

Honestly - too much to put here

Edited by user 14 September 2018 08:08:43(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

Messey  
#6 Posted : 15 September 2018 05:24:11(UTC)
Rank: Forum user
Messey

I have to say, it worries me when firm advice is offered in a thread like this. There is very little information to go on here, and I rarely offer advice or comment to posts where I am not able to establish a full picture.

When I was a fire service inspecting officer, I visited a number of tall single staircase buildings - in fact my area was full of them!

Some used lobby approach with a six storey office building over a shop and London underground station being the tallest I encountered, another was a five storey mental health hostel in a converted townhouse with sleeping accomodation which used a pressurised staircase  some sprinklers or pressurised staircases, whilst others used over roof reciprical escape routes into next door!!

So a three storey office with "The stairs have a door at each level" and "There is a fire alarm" doesnt sound too much of an issue assuming the doors and frames are part of a protected route.

My main concern here is someone attempting to advise a pal on specifics, and then asking the forum. Surely the best advice for a single staircase building with 140 persons working off the ground floor would be to get a competent person in to do a FRA??????

thanks 1 user thanked Messey for this useful post.
toe on 16/09/2018(UTC)
Users browsing this topic
You cannot post new topics in this forum.
You cannot reply to topics in this forum.
You cannot delete your posts in this forum.
You cannot edit your posts in this forum.
You cannot create polls in this forum.
You cannot vote in polls in this forum.