Fire door vision panels

[Adam]

Hi, can anyone clarify what the requirements are for vision panels in fire doors.  I have two seperate queries really.  The first is a vision panel in a fire door to a staff room, there are no other exits from the staff rom and the fire door leads out onto a corridor.  The staff at some point have partially blocked the panel with a notice board covering about the top half of the vision panel.  Should this be removed and if so why?

The other issue is another door off the same corrdior which does not have a vision panel but opens out onto the same corridor.  Should this have a vision panel so you can see people who may be passing at the time.

You thoughts would be greatly welcomed.

[wee brian]

Vision panels are provided for a range of resons

As far as fire is concerend they are used where one room is accessed via another. The vision panel is provided to ensure that the occupants of the inner room will become aware of a fire in the access room before their escape route is prevented.

these VPs arent always in the doors and should be at least 0.1msq

They are also provided to avoid the risk of bashing somebody with the door as you open it. Building regs asks for these on busy doors such as those that cut across a coridor.

The regs also adress the fact that not everybody is 5 to 6 feet tall. Part M of the regs says that where vision panels are provided they need to ensure that weelchair users and other low down types can see and be seen.


Chapter and verse can be found in Approved Documents B, K & M which are all available on the odpm website.

[Ken Taylor]

Irrespective of what building regs applied at the time of construction, I would want to recommend a VP in an outward-opening door into a corridor for reasons of safety.