Posted By Eliot Clarke Would anyone be able to provide guidance on the following scenario. A three storey car park is used to store vehicles at a motor actioneer business. The business would like to prevent the public accessing the top level of the car park. The car park has four stairways, one in each corner and two ramp ways for vehicles to go up and down. The stairways are obviously fire escapes, but the business has a security issue and wants to prevent the public accessing the top floor. The question is 'in the event of a fire would the top level doors have to allow access to the roof floor or would the additional stairways provide an adequate escape route?' Should it be considered that there were adequate means of escape then the business could possibly put key pads on the top doors on the stairwell side and push bars on the other for employees that are working on the roof floor? Your thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks Eliot

Posted By shaun mckeever Elliott Heather's comments are right. It sounds as though by preventing unauthorised access into the top floor, you are not hindering means of escape unless the top floor forms part of the escape route from other floors (unlikely I would think). If you have a fire on the top floor then the security devices you introduce must not prevent an emergency escape from the top floor. If the doors are fire doors designed to offer a certain level of fire resistance then you must take care as to what door furniture you introduce - you cannot just bung on any old digital lock. The door furniture you use must be accredited for use on fire doors. Shaun

Posted By Frank Hallett You don't provide much detail that would normally be essential to giving an opinion; but S McKeever has got the principles right. If you get stuck feel free to contact me direct. Frank Hallett