Basic means of escape from fire

Basic means of escape from fire

The purpose of this page is to allow you to understand the basics of means of escape and not how to design a means of escape from fire. There are many considerations, not covered here, in planning means of escape, but it will give insight into emergency escape routes and final exit doors, otherwise known as fire exits.

What is a fire exit

The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order (RRFSO) 2005, which came into force in October 2006, charges the responsible person(s) in control of non-domestic premises with the safety of everyone, whether employed in or visiting the building. Under Article 14 of the RRFSO, this duty of care includes ensuring that routes to emergency exits from premises and the exits themselves are kept clear at all times (14: 1) and that these emergency routes and exits must lead as directly as possible to a place of safety (14: 2: a). In other words, the entire escape route up to and including the final exit from a building must remain unobstructed at all times, while the distance people have to go to escape (the travel distance) must be as short as possible.

In terms of fire safety, the final exits on an escape route in a public building are known as fire exits. They may or may not be located on the usual route of traffic when the premises are operating under normal circumstances  The final exit doors should open easily, immediately and, wherever practicable, in the direction of escape, i.e. outwards into a place of safety outside the building. Sliding or revolving doors must not be used for exits specifically intended as fire exits. The emergency routes and fire exits must be well lit and indicated by appropriate signs, e.g. Fire Exit Keep Clear. In locations that require illumination, emergency lighting of adequate intensity must be provided in case the normal lighting fails, and illuminated signs used. This is because, as noted in the HM Government publication Fire Safety Risk Assessment: Offices and Shops (May 2006): The primary purpose of emergency escape lighting is to illuminate escape routes but it also illuminates other safety equipment.

Places of Relative Safety

It is often necessary to devise a temporary place of safety, such as when evacuating high buildings. This may be defined as a place of comparative safety and includes any place that puts an effective barrier (normally 30 minutes fire resistance) between the person escaping and the fire. Examples are as follows:

  1. A storey exit into a protected stairway or the lobby of a lobby approach stairway;
  2. A door in a compartment wall or separating wall leading to an alternative exit;
  3. A door that leads directly to a protected stair or a final exit via a protected corridor.

A staircase that is enclosed throughout its height by a fire resisting structure and doors can sometimes be considered a place of comparative safety. In these cases, the staircase can be known as a protected route However, the degree of protection that enables staircases to be considered a place of comparative safety varies for differing building types, and is normally defined in the relevant codes of practice.

Place of Ultimate Safety

Ideally, this should be in the open air, where unrestricted dispersal away from the building can be achieved. Escape routes should never discharge finally into enclosed areas or yards, unless the dispersal area is large enough to permit all the occupants to proceed to a safe distance. (NB: a safe distance equates to at least the height of the building, measured along the ground.) Total dispersal in the open air therefore constitutes ultimate safety. When inspecting any building, it is important always to follow the escape route to its ultimate place of safety. Plus, the final exits on these escape routes (i.e. fire exits) must have sufficient capacity to ensure the swift and safe evacuation of people from the building in an emergency situation.

What is the Total Width of Fire Exits Required?

There are two main sources of guidance that should be consulted when considering the above question for your premises: the Building Regulations and British Standards.

1) Building Regulations: the maximum number of persons approach

Current building regulations contain guidance on the widths of escape routes and exits for new-build, non-domestic properties and the communal areas in purpose built blocks of flats in The Building Regulations 2010, Fire Safety, Approved Document B, Volume 2  Buildings Other Than Dwelling houses, 2006 edition, incorporating 2007 and 2010 amendments.

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