UK Emergency lighting regs

[djm0057]

Fire exit doors are supposed to be opened regularly, to check they aren't swollen and stuck and that there isn't anything the other side blocking it.

Does this door open into an area outside where you can get away from the building, if on fire, like car park or other yard, which if secured also has a fire exit in the wall / fence?

Yes it opens to outside

 

[djm0057]

As an electrical building services designer, I can confirm davesparks is correct.

The other thing you need to consider is BS5266 calls for an increased emergency lighting level at locations such as containing firefighting equipment, fire alarm panels, break glasses & push bars on escape doors.

The door is also the only disabled access door. Can a disabled access door be a fire exit door which can only be opened by using the break class cause we haven't access to the padlock key?

 

[littlespark]

You’re now looking at disabled access which is a different set of standards and regulations.

Take it away from “is it a fire door or not” to “ you’ve locked a disabled access door”

To my mind, it should be open and as accessible as the main door everyone else uses…. But due to security reasons, must be locked until required.

The other argument is, you’re wanting this door open for fresh air…. Is there not adequate ventilation in the building? Is it a stuffy, hot atmosphere in there which could be harmful to health?
That’s another way of thinking.

 

[djm0057]

You’re now looking at disabled access which is a different set of standards and regulations.

Take it away from “is it a fire door or not” to “ you’ve locked a disabled access door”

To my mind, it should be open and as accessible as the main door everyone else uses…. But due to security reasons, must be locked until required.

The other argument is, you’re wanting this door open for fresh air…. Is there not adequate ventilation in the building? Is it a stuffy, hot atmosphere in there which could be harmful to health?
That’s another way of thinking.

Yip in our mind it's a disabled access as there is no other way for a disabled person to access our level of the building. Our manager doesn't want us using the door to go outside for fresh air etc so he decided to tell us that it's a fire exit door and needs to be locked at all times. I've argued that it doesn't conform to regulations, which through everyone's knowledge on here, I think I've been proven right.

 

[littlespark]

I suppose the next question might be, is there another emergency exit nearby that is marked up as such…. And does it, and any other emergency door have a light above?

There is a number of issues that need clarified.

Is this an emergency exit?
Is this a disabled access?

Why is management being obtrusive? Do they actually think there is a reason why it shouldn’t be opened…. Or are they just being pig-headed?

 

[djm0057]

I suppose the next question might be, is there another emergency exit nearby that is marked up as such…. And does it, and any other emergency door have a light above?

There is a number of issues that need clarified.

Is this an emergency exit?
Is this a disabled access?

Why is management being obtrusive? Do they actually think there is a reason why it shouldn’t be opened…. Or are they just being pig-headed?

Ok so, we work in a big control centre (we work alongside National Grid to balance mechanism) which is one big room which has another room off it, called the huddle room. In this huddle room is said door. It has no emergency light in that room. It has no emergency exit stickers directing you to the room and the so called emergency door. (Which is a disabled access) It only has stickers on the door saying fire door, keep shut. In our big control centre room is a proper fire exit door. I'm saying proper because it's got emergency light above the door and signage directing you to the exit.

The manager is being obtrusive because he never admits to being wrong and only his opinion is correct. We can't for the life's of us think why it bothers him that much that he hides the padlock key

 

[bennie]

Ok so, we work in a big control centre (we work alongside National Grid to balance mechanism) which is one big room which has another room off it, called the huddle room. In this huddle room is said door. It has no emergency light in that room. It has no emergency exit stickers directing you to the room and the so called emergency door. (Which is a disabled access) It only has stickers on the door saying fire door, keep shut. In our big control centre room is a proper fire exit door. I'm saying proper because it's got emergency light above the door and signage directing you to the exit.

The manager is being obtrusive because he never admits to being wrong and only his opinion is correct. We can't for the life's of us think why it bothers him that much that he hides the padlock key

You have to have two means of escape from a building so on your fire escape route plane where is the second exit? If that door is not part of either escape route then both should be signed from the main room. Also if that room, depending on size, use & light from an outside source if there are windows in it, does not require general emergency lighting but you would expect there to be an illuminated running man above the door in to the main area. Another thing is it disabled access in to the building or or is it the disabled exit if there was a fire?

 

[djm0057]

You have to have two means of escape from a building so on your fire escape route plane where is the second exit? If that door is not part of either escape route then both should be signed from the main room. Also if that room, depending on size, use & light from an outside source if there are windows in it, does not require general emergency lighting but you would expect there to be an illuminated running man above the door in to the main area. Another thing is it disabled access in to the building or or is it the disabled exit if there was a fire?

There are other fire escape routes within the building outside of our room. There is no outside lighting as we are in the middle of nowhere on an estate. It's disabled access and egress as there is no other way a disabled person get to our level without using the stairs in the building

 

[westward10]

You have to have two means of escape from a building so on your fire escape route plane where is the second exit?

This is not necessarily correct. The scale of building and footfall may permit a single means of escape.

 

[westward10]

If the door is deemed a means of escape in an emergency then it requires an emergency luminaire.