access room

[lingmoor]

Hi all

An office block of two floors has an L2 fire alarm system. Included in the offices on the first floor are two inner room offices that lead through a single access room. The access room is unoccupied but houses a photocopier and a fridge, both PAT tested, and there is a smoke detector in the access room. Clear escape route through the access room and good management with sound records of all test.

Difficult I know without actually seeing it, but what's your opinion of housing the photocopier and fridge in the access room

cheers

[AnthonyB]

The access room has the detection required for an inner room situation, there are suitable risk reduction measures for the ignition sources, so no big issues assuming TD's are OK. The guidance doesn't require the access room to be a fire sterile empty box after all...

[kurnal]

An access room should not be a room of high risk. Other than that as Anthony says there is no concern provided travel distances are met and the vision panel or smoke detector are provided.

[lancsfirepro]

Just out of interest... how do we feel about an inner room situation that only has a vision panel in the door when the occupant(s) of the inner room sit facing away from the door?  Would you insist they alter the layout so they can keep an eye on the door or insist on detection in the access room?  Or neither.

[Mike Buckley]

It basically comes down to what your role is. If you have control over the building then you can insist. If you are there as a risk assessor then all you can do is make recommendations based on the guides, building regs etc.

The major part of the job is to sell it to the client and the person involved, you need to convince them why it is in their best interest to do whatever is best, turn the desk round or fit a fire alarm in the outer room etc. Bear in mind that even if they do have a vision panel in the door if they haven't been sold the reason next time you come back you will find the panel has been covered by a poster or frosted film, (I don't like people looking in on me) or coats hung over it etc.

In the risk assessment world you have to get used to the idea that you can't make anybody do anything, you must tell them what they need to do to make themselves safe (and cover your own back). But at the end of the day all you can do is warn and then say 'told you'.

[nearlythere]

Just out of interest... how do we feel about an inner room situation that only has a vision panel in the door when the occupant(s) of the inner room sit facing away from the door?  Would you insist they alter the layout so they can keep an eye on the door or insist on detection in the access room?  Or neither.

I don't usually do VPs as a control measure for inner room conditions Lancs. The purpose of the VP is so that, should there be an outbreak in an access room, people can notice a fire and make their way out. This will not happen unless the inner room occupants take it in turns to sit in front of the VP staring into the access room. This will not happen.
In a small to medium situation I would usually recommend a good quality single point detector - 10yr type or even a pair of radio linked detectors with one in each room and a weekly test regime.

[lingmoor]

Cheers all