BSEN 12150 Glazing on escape routes.

[AndyLeather]

Hi guys, can some one please clarify/help with an assessment I am completing....
Along a protected escape route for a distance of cica 4m there is a ceiling to floor glass paneling that is marked BSEN 12150 class1 (class1 I believe refers to the impact spec), on looking up standards etc I can establish that there is a structural integrity of at least 30 mins for this category of glazing however there appears to be no ref to thermal insulation properties.
My concern is that a developed fire of circa 5-10 mins would prevent passage due to the heat transfer through the glazing & therefore the escape route would be untenable due to heat?  The room that is within the glazed area is a meeting room that I would class as having a "normal" fire loading for a meeting room of circa 15m2.
Your thoughts/comments would be appreciated?

[Tom Sutton]

Check out http://fire.org.uk/forum/index.php?topic=2839.0 BS 6206 is the old standard.

[Tom Sutton]

Further to my above post,

The standards for FRG are BS 476-22, BS EN 1364-1 or BS EN 1634-1 and BSEN 12150 is for safety glass not FRG.

Many moons ago we would not allow FRG in protected MOE routes below 4ft 6inches from floor level but if the corridor or setup was of sufficient width to allow everybody, (except the good Samaritan) to pass on the other side in comparative safety we would accept  floor to ceiling FRG.

To calculate this acceptable width or distance we use a nomogram and details can be found in a report titled Law, M. (1969). Nomogram for the Width of an Escape Route Bordered By a Wired Glass Screen, Fire Research Note #765, Fire Research Station, Borehamwood, England and can be found  4th from the bottom of the list at http://iafss.haifire.com/html/frs/Fire_Research_Notes/authors/A1602.htm

[AndyLeather]

Thanks Tom, is a difficult 1 this as the alternative MOE is down into a cellar with a 500mm wide final exit door that then leads to a 2.5m climb on a steel ladder from the open area, so I would prefer to dispose of this cellar route, against present guidance neither route is appropriate.

[Fishy]

Sounds like you need to assume that the glass has no fire resistance and assess the risk on that basis?

[AndyLeather]

Agree, next step is LFB FSO for a view, however under the present & understandable mind set from your average FSO not expecting anything other than "it will be down to the risk assessment", biggest problem is as usual with the client who refers to it being ok under the old fire certificate, I usually point out at this stage that we never had to legally wear seat belts & were also allowed to smoke in pubs!