Evacuating via a narrow staircase

[messy]

3 x dental surgeries share the top floor of a 4 storey single staircase listed building which was formerly a large house. The top floor would have been servants quarters

Access for 99% of punters to all floors is via a lift (which is not suitable for evac)

The only escape route from the top floor to the floor below is a winding and very narrow staircase (less than 400mm wide in parts due to trunking and services in the stairwell).

The remainder of the escape route is OK, via a suitable protected route with decent fire doors, EL and AFD etc.

It's likely that disabled or elderly patients will be on the premises on most days. The Dentist also carries out a number of local aneasthetic procedures every week.

So what measures should they consider to plan an emergency plan which would take into account disabled/older persons - and in particular  those who are non ambulant or slow to evacuate?.

The narrow stairs would not allow any form of evac chair that I know of and Progressive Horizontal Evacuation isn't possible due to the small(ish) footprint of the building. Lastly, upgrading the lift simply is not an option due to the listed status of the building.

Ideas??

[AnthonyB]

If there are no reasonable adjustments that can be made, then the service provider must consider an alternate means of providing their service (again where reasonable)

The quick answer would be that they either had to move premises or not provide services to disabled persons under the H&S (last resort) exemptions.

If listed I would bet the location of the premises and it's listing would preclude a secondary external steel stair.

Not an easy one I would agree, it's like a lot of premises though. Normally they carry on regardless unless they have a fire or one of those rare things a visit by a fire inspector

No way that a ground floor surgery can be created? We've done FRAs for a large dental group and they've assimilated a lot of former house surgeries, but in almost all of them they own the whole house and so ensure that there is at least one ground floor surgery

[CivvyFSO]

My idea would be:

Decommission the lift... That will stop those pesky disabled and elderly putting themselves in danger!

Seriously though, I would have to agree with AnthonyB. Short of installing sprinklers and smoke control with a secondary power supply for the lift, the premises seems clearly unsuitable for the intended use. The listed status of the building stops any attempt to make it more suitable, and as such the dentist should look at alternative SUITABLE premises. (Apparently, even doing work for the PCT, dentists can earn about £800 a week so I am sure they can afford it.)

Also, are you confused about general/local anaesthetic? If you mean 'general anaesthetic' then all we need is the petrol juggler in the basement and we have the perfect article 31 situation.

[CivvyFSO]

Sorry, I forgot:-

WINDOW ESCAPES!!!

[yellowjacket]

My inclination would be to agree with the above posters, the premises isn't suitable as means of escape are inadequate (even for able-bodied persons due to the very narrow width of the stairs) and therefore use of the floor should cease ASAP.

[jokar]

Is that minimisimg the effect on business with the RR(FS)O?  Seriously though, what is the risk of fire occuring?  after all it is only a shop with limited ignition sources, electrics and what else.

[yellowjacket]

Call me old fashioned, but new legislation or old, a 400mm wide staircase is too narrow to be safe for any sort of occupancy.

[The Colonel]

I agree 400mm is way to narrow to evacuate what could be a minimum of 9 people (3 per surgery) it would appear that this area is unsuitable for running a business and should be moved

[PhilB]

Seriously though, what is the risk of fire occuring?  after all it is only a shop with limited ignition sources, electrics and what else.

The risk of fire occuring is of little relevance. If a fire did occur, and that is a realistic scenario...how quickly would a fire develop and render the means of escape unusable?

To answer that question requires a risk assessment to be carried out by a competent person taking into account the occupants ability to negotiate the single stairs.

Doesn't sound too good to me!!

Civvy your window escape is higher than 4.5m  but I like the mattress landing...could we patent this??

[messy]

Thanks for all of you posts.

Anthony. The building is landlocked so even if the local authority gave permission for an external escape, it wouldn't actually lead anywhere.

I am awaiting a finalised emergency plan from the dental surgeries and will decide what to do when they've submitted their ideas for overcoming the problem (and hope they don't suggest the window onto matttress option, even though that is my preferred solution so far!).

[CivvyFSO]

Civvy your window escape is higher than 4.5m  but I like the mattress landing...could we patent this??

It's partly your idea, feel free!!

Is that minimisimg the effect on business with the RR(FS)O?

a) How expensive is it to "pay your rent to someone else"?

b) "I've been doing my flame throwing act under the only staircase of this orphanage for the last 20 years, now some new legislation comes along and tells me I need a fire extinguisher? What a liberty!"

c) I am off to bed.

Don't take any of the above posts to heart. Apart from the bed one. I really mean that one.