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#1 Posted : 21 September 2001 15:53:00(UTC)
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Posted By Richard We've recently been told by a building inspector that we may not use a particular room because occupants would have to go more that 16 metres to get to the room fire exit. The room is a dance studio, mirrors one side, glass the other, no furniture, two high mounted speakers (music controls outside), nothing to initiate or support combustion other than lighting heating etc., max 20 able bodied people in the room at any time. The Fire Prevention Officer is quite happy with our fire risk assessment, but the building inspector isn't! Now I seem to remember that the last time I was in the middle of Tesco's it was more than 16 metres to the nearest fire exit, so what is different about our set up? We have to comply, of course, and will fence off any part of the room beyond 16 metres, but could somebody please give me a bit of clarification? Thanks Richard
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#2 Posted : 22 September 2001 13:53:00(UTC)
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Posted By clive bradburn Richard Strict adherence on travel distance limits on new or re-furbished buildings are often based on the fact that whilst the risk may be low for the original intention, in the future the room may be put to higher risk use and it may be impracticable or costly to then provide a second exit after the building is occupied. However, if your facts are correct which I have no reason to suspect otherwise, my personal view is that I would object most strongly to sectioning off part of the room. I agree with the fire prevention officer. The key is risk assessment and you have an excellent case based on the use and combustibility within the room. Best of luck Clive IOSH Fire Risk management Specialist Group
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#3 Posted : 23 September 2001 12:53:00(UTC)
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Posted By Robert Woods Get in touch with your local fire brigade they issue the fire certificates so they should be able to give you the best advice on how to comply with legislation. I have always found them to be realy friendly and helpful. I work on the top floor of a building and would have to go down four flights of stairs to the ONLY fire escape and we have a certificate. If you would like more info on workplace fire arrangements let me have a snail mail address and i'll put it in the post. Robert Woods.
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#4 Posted : 24 September 2001 13:51:00(UTC)
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Posted By Robert K Lewis Richard You do not say if there is only one door as this obviuosly affects the travel distances. I am more familiar with site requirements and these are generally more stringent. In these a low risk area, but still probaly higher in absolute terms than your studio, the HSE gives 60metre travel if there are alternate doors and 18m for a dead end. This is to a protected area not the outside, thus a staircase with fire doors is accepted - It is the distance to the escape route not the final exit. The formal fire certification is the controlling factor and I would query precisely chapter and verse from the "building inspector" Bob
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#5 Posted : 25 September 2001 09:42:00(UTC)
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Posted By Ralph Ellington Richard, You don't say what type of building the dance studio is in (school, college, rehearsal studios, etc) or what the dimensions of the room actually are. Also relevant is the question of where the exit to the room leads. Is this to a protected route? As you probably realise fire safety legislation is a mess and really needs a complete overhaul. Maximum distances of travel are specified in Approved Document B to the Building Regulations and these apply to new buildings or refurbishments. For existing buildings there are other publications including the Home Office 'Guide to fire precautions in existing places of work that require a fire certificate' and 'Guide to fire precautions in existing places of entertainment and like premises'. In these publications different distances are quoted depending on the use of the building. 'Fire Safety and Employer's Guide also gives maximum travel distances. Needless to say the various sources of information on maximum travel distance all seem to present the information differently. Using Approved Document B one might think that a maximum travel distance in one direction within a room used for assembly and recreation would be 15 metres. Using the 'Guide to fire precautions in existing places of entertainment' this would be 9 metres Using the publication 'Fire Safety an Employer's Guide' the maximum travel distance is either 18 metres for a normal fire risk area or 45 metres for a low fire risk area. It may well be worth asking your building inspector which source he is using for the 16 metre maximum travel distance figure that he is quoting you. The answer really is that the concept of maximum travel distance has some merit but one has to consider travel distance in conjunction with all the other factors that make up a fire risk assessment. To give a simple example, if you have automatic fire detection in your building (e.g. smoke detectors) linked into your fire alarm system them this could be used to justify longer maximum distances of travel in your dance studio. Best of luck, Ralph
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