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https://www.askthetrades.co.uk/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl DIY Forum >> Carpentry Questions >> Fire Escape https://www.askthetrades.co.uk/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?num=1249549525 Message started by Joiner on Aug 6^th, 2009, 10:05am

Title: Fire Escape
Post by Joiner on Aug 6^th, 2009, 10:05am

The job I'm currently working on required the removal of two ugly 1970's dormers and their replacement with two Fakro conservation rooflights (Listed building - the idea being to restore the roof line).

The requirement for fire escape regs is that the bottom of the window opening should be <1100 mm from the floor. Now, as the regs take account of the problems presented by older buildings, in that you are frequently faced with a far-from-ideal situation not of your making and impracticable to change, the rule is that whatever you put in must not make the original situation any worse.

The bottom of the window opening of the dormers was 1510 mm high. The bottom of the rooflights was 1530 mm, both well over the ideal 1100 mm.

(You'd also normally fit an escape window onto a roof, but that height meant that the handle - on the side - would have been a stretch for a normal height person just to reach, let alone open to its full extent, and impossible for a child to reach. Luckily, as these were the largest of the Fakro windows, the centre pivot gave an opening actually wider than the original dormers, so I was able to use the pivots with the handle on the bottom.)

So how to get the occupants up to that required <1100 mm?

There is a radiator immediately beneath the window. Add a radiator cover and make it something else?

It's of 18mm MDF, any pattern of radiator grille panel, and a top section on each step of 30mm meranti (less likely to distort from the heat of the radiator).

To be certain of the thinking, I called the BCO in to check and he thought it was an excellent idea. I gave him a copy of the drawing and asked him to endorse it with his comment and keep it on the file for future reference, any subsequent change in BCO wouldn't mean an argument if they took a different view! He noted that the height of the 'step' actually reduced that required height to less than a metre, so the situation was actually improved.

It has to be fitted in a semi-permanent way, structurally secure but capable of removal to allow maintenance.

Title: Re: Fire Escape
Post by big_all on Aug 6^th, 2009, 11:35am

excelent idea engenuity at its best ;D ;D

my only real comments would be is the centre spar off the radiator cover reinforced as thats the main support stopping the step from tipping back

might also be worth considering a small blanket box or simmilar spaced off the main cover by an inch or so as an alternative

Title: Re: Fire Escape
Post by woodsmith on Aug 6^th, 2009, 5:43pm

Nice idea, you could even make it more of a window seat and put vents in the bottom and the side rather than have the grill.

Title: Re: Fire Escape
Post by Zambezi on Aug 7^th, 2009, 8:06am

Or screw a ladder to the radiator :P

Title: Re: Fire Escape
Post by Joiner on Aug 7^th, 2009, 8:44am

There's actually a basin about 250mm to the right of it, coming off the wall perpendicular to it, so as it is is about the limit, otherwise I'd have made it slightly larger and more of a useable item. That bottom step will have a hinged top to create a bit of storage space.

I was lucky with the BCO. He's very laid back and not at all the prescriptive type. I was expecting pursed lips and a slow shake of the head, but he was actually telling me what problems I'd probably encountered in achieving the transformation and how difficult it was to satisfy the regs on older buildings. I never said a word, he was doing it all for me. What a breath of fresh air.

Title: Re: Fire Escape
Post by londonman on Aug 7^th, 2009, 4:20pm

My understanding was that if you were replacing a window in the same position etc then the fire egress regs did not apply. Particularly so on renovation projects.

Title: Re: Fire Escape
Post by Joiner on Aug 7^th, 2009, 6:43pm

No, they do apply. I've had BCOs measure the existing opening and comparing the new one. One on job I had to alter the casements on one window from friction hinge (easy-clean/egress) to butt hinge because the new opening was SIX MIL less.

The rule is not to make the existing situation any worse.

You don't need trickle vents either if the old windows didn't have them.