1st Floor means of escape - really?

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20 Jan 2017
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Having an extension added to house. Two storey.
House already has a loft conversion and Fire doors everywhere.
New rooms will have fire doors and will open onto hallway to stairs. (back bedroom has short (2m) corridor to stairs).

Window manufacturers have binned order saying windows need to meet means of escape regs on 1st floor.

Surely if I have a protected staircase (I do if fire doors throughout, don't I?) then I don't need means of escape in rooms??

I've read and re-read Document B and can't find anything that supports window company's view but then I guess they know what they are doing?
Building regs concurred, but then I don't know if they were told about the protected stairwell (if indeed I have one).

Have regs changed? Do I have a protected stairwell? Do my kids bedrooms really need a wide opening window in a reachable position (that invariably we will put some kind of safety latch or lock on)?
Very confused.
 
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And if the hallway is blocked by fire or smoke?

You need a second means of escape.
 
We had a extension built last year and had to install wide opening windows for fire escape purposes, I don't think it's a big deal to be honest. The windows didn't cost that much more ( although it was in the quote) but the building inspector did check before he signed the extension off.
Just fit them and save yourself a lot of hassle in the long run.

Mike
 
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IF you have a protected stairway to a ground-floor exit (and no inner rooms) you do not need escape windows.
 

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