Fire Regs (the duplicate has now been locked)

Status
Not open for further replies.
If your block is the old type of tenement block, with open staircases such as this one, then you might be OK as long as any flat door opening on to the staircase has a fire door.
The problem with the Approved Doc is that it seems to assume that stairs to flats are enclosed; if they are open and the chance of smoke build-up is far less, they are probably equivalent to external escape stairs.
It will be down to risk assessment, as woody pointed out. So far as your internal layout only is concerned, you almost certainly comply, if this type of staircase is accepted as providing adequate safe space (ie equivalent to being in the open air).
Tony, the front door is solid wood, and conforms to a 'fire door'. You are right about the stone staircases, they are not fully enclosed. People can run up or down the fireproof stairs to different landings and each landing has a staircase on each end. There are no doors on any landing or staircase. The best in fire provision. External to the flat in the building is not an issue here.

Ah, someone agrees with my interpretation and that the internal flat layout complies with the regs. Those who wrote that I was wrong have not come back to point out in the text and diagrams that I am wrong.

This is an issue that creates great confusion, at least some builders can see through it now.
 
Last edited:
Sponsored Links
bernard, again opinion. I want to know the regs on it - facts.

You have the regulations clearly presented to you as a government document.

The interpretation of those regulations is logical. The less than logical interpretation you are putting on them is biased with your desire to remove the kitchen door.

Fact .. If a habital room ( your bedroom ) opens onto a passage way ( your hall ) and that passage way is the route from that room to the exit door of the property then that passage way should ( must be ) be protected by doors to other rooms. That is protection from fumes and / or smoke from a fire in another room.

Fact .. by the time you have been woken by a smoke alarm and are aware of what is happening an un-protected exit route can be filled with enough toxic fumes to prevent you leaving the building alive
 
bernard, again opinion. I want to know the regs on it - facts.

You have the regulations clearly presented to you as a government document.

The interpretation of those regulations is logical. The less than logical interpretation you are putting on them is biased with your desire to remove the kitchen door.

Fact .. If a habital room ( your bedroom ) opens onto a passage way ( your hall ) and that passage way is the route from that room to the exit door of the property then that passage way should ( must be ) be protected by doors to other rooms.
No Bernard. I wrote that there are three choices and took, b). There is no automatic reverting to another choice if one choice does not comply. Nothing states that. The regs allow open plan in small flats, where the distance from the furthest point in the flat to the front door is no more than 9 metres. And the kitchen appliances are at the far end of the kitchen. Over 9 metres and the hallway needs firedoors between it and all rooms off it. That is quite clear. Two of us saw that, others never going on what they have always thought, or did, or in your case opinion and misreading the regs.

Bernard read it again. I explained it in another post. If you point to text that confirms your view, I would appreciate it. As I have written, I want the regs to this matter. I am not trying to put across I am some know-it-all. I came here asking questions and thanks to all got answers eventually. For that I am grateful.
 
Last edited:
I am not trying to put across I am some know-it-all.

Then you're failing. You have been extraordinarily rude to those giving you their professional knowledge and expertise for free. I suggest you employ someone to obtain the advice you want and perhaps you might value what you pay for rather more than you've valued the help you've received here.
 
Sponsored Links
I am not trying to put across I am some know-it-all.

Then you're failing. You have been extraordinarily rude to those giving you their professional knowledge and expertise for free. I suggest you employ someone to obtain the advice you want and perhaps you might value what you pay for rather more than you've valued the help you've received here.
I am not rude I am assertive when I am pretty well sure. I came here to find out what the regs were. I did, so a success and I thanked those that assisted. I have actually been insulted on here because I had the audacity to disagree with their interpretation of the regs. Some of the "advice and help" was clearly poor. Only two actually got it, myself and Tony. Those who thought one way, when proven wrong, where offered to point out text that proves their point. One came back but was told his interpretation was not correct and point to the text and diagrams.

Initially I was told to, look at a document. I did. Then I batted the ball from there. Much of the "professional knowledge" was incorrect and based only on opinion. In the end we all now know what the reg are in this situation.
 
I suggest you employ someone to obtain the advice you want and perhaps you might value what you pay for rather more than you've valued the help you've received here.

He could try talking to the Fire Prevention Officer at his local Fire Station and ask for his or her professional opinion. No.. on second thoughts that wouldn't work either, the advice from the FPO would be free and hence have no value.
 
A bit of a long and boring thread. What is the answer that the OP is accepting?
 
I suggest you employ someone to obtain the advice you want and perhaps you might value what you pay for rather more than you've valued the help you've received here.

He could try talking to the Fire Prevention Officer at his local Fire Station and ask for his or her professional opinion.
Or look at the building regs. I doubt the local fireman would know the regs.

A bit of a long and boring thread. What is the answer that the OP is accepting?
I came asking if I could eliminate a door between the hall and kitchen and make it a nice wide unobstructed opening. I now know the regs say I can do that. I may or may not do it, but 70% that I will. As the kitchen door is always open the door being there or being fireproof or not is irrelevant in real life as it is always a free through space. But we have to conform to regs and taking the door right off is legal.

Taking the door off will not make the flat any worse in fire risk as in reality right now, it may as well not be there. The risk stays exactly the same, I have just conformed to regs that's all.
 
Last edited:
Or look at the building regs. I doubt the local fireman would know the regs.

That is an insult to the Fire Brigade,

Not only does the local Fire Prevention Officer know the regulations he or she also knows why the regulations are there.

Go away and do what ever you want to do.
 

DIYnot Local

Staff member

If you need to find a tradesperson to get your job done, please try our local search below, or if you are doing it yourself you can find suppliers local to you.

Select the supplier or trade you require, enter your location to begin your search.


Are you a trade or supplier? You can create your listing free at DIYnot Local

 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Sponsored Links
Back
Top