Author Topic: Covering of fire door vision panel and corridor windows  (Read 9591 times)

Offline lingmoor

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Covering of fire door vision panel and corridor windows
« on: October 29, 2012, 02:50:12 PM »
Hi all

A large room that requires a fire door has two large georgian wired glass windows in the walls to the corridor and a vision panel in the fire door (though this is not a requirement as it's not an inner room)

What is the forum's feelings on putting fire retardant blinds/curtains over said windows/vision panel within the room

This would be more than 5% of the wall area

The building has an L1 system

Offline nearlythere

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Re: Covering of fire door vision panel and corridor windows
« Reply #1 on: October 29, 2012, 04:02:49 PM »
Hi all

A large room that requires a fire door has two large georgian wired glass windows in the walls to the corridor and a vision panel in the fire door (though this is not a requirement as it's not an inner room)

What is the forum's feelings on putting fire retardant blinds/curtains over said windows/vision panel within the room

This would be more than 5% of the wall area

The building has an L1 system
From what you describe I would not consider this a problem.
We're not Brazil we're Northern Ireland.

Offline lingmoor

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Re: Covering of fire door vision panel and corridor windows
« Reply #2 on: October 29, 2012, 04:19:14 PM »
Cheers and nor do I nearlythere...

However I've just been told that Building Control have said that because the room is locked when not in use, then there has to be a 50mm gap at the bottom of the blind so a fire can be seen from outside.

Well store rooms should be locked but how many have or indeed need vision panels? So I really don't understand this.

I've never heard of this before...apart from one of the three either/ or's for inner rooms is the inner room wall should be stopped at least 500mm below the ceiling


Offline nearlythere

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Re: Covering of fire door vision panel and corridor windows
« Reply #3 on: October 29, 2012, 09:02:51 PM »
Cheers and nor do I nearlythere...

However I've just been told that Building Control have said that because the room is locked when not in use, then there has to be a 50mm gap at the bottom of the blind so a fire can be seen from outside.

Well store rooms should be locked but how many have or indeed need vision panels? So I really don't understand this.

I've never heard of this before...apart from one of the three either/ or's for inner rooms is the inner room wall should be stopped at least 500mm below the ceiling


I think I would want to know from which guide this is from. What absolute nonsence.
We're not Brazil we're Northern Ireland.

Offline kurnal

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Re: Covering of fire door vision panel and corridor windows
« Reply #4 on: October 29, 2012, 09:16:19 PM »
What is the building used for and where are the glazed panels in respect of sleeping accommodation, staircases, dead end corridors and the like?

Height of glazing in respect of radiated heat and escape routes?
Is the G W glazing installed anything like to a current or older standard?

It might be that the BCO is trying to make it fit the guidance for new buildings. Come to that why is the BCO involved?  Building work taking place?

Offline wee brian

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Re: Covering of fire door vision panel and corridor windows
« Reply #5 on: October 30, 2012, 11:35:53 AM »
Vision panels are also used to reduce the risk of bashing people in the face with a door - check out the guidance in Approved Doc K.