Escape Window

[Marie]

Good Afternoon,

I have another question i need your help with please.

In my office we have an escape window, we are having building work done and the desks re-arranged.

My question is does anyone know if there is a legal requirement of how much access is needed to the window??

Thanks for you help in advance

Marie

[Brian Downes]

Marie,
         I suggest that you raise the issue initially with your accreditied Health and Safety Rep. They can then deal with the issue on your behalf.
 Your employer does have to comply with various fire safety legislation and it may get complicated.
You certainly need to be able to access the window without climbing over desks or moving obstructions.

[AnthonyB]

Window exits are only for use in exceptional circumstances & should meet the followin gconditions:
- not be used by the public
- not be used by more than 10 able bodied people
- any window should be of the casement type sufficiently large & openable to permit any persons to pass through without undue difficulty (eg at least 850 x 500mm wide in the clear with the casement open)
- suitable steps should be provided up to the windowsill, both inside and outside the building, with hand grips provided as necessary
- the external surface should be level and unobstructed and the route of escape lead to a place of safety
- the hight of the windowsill shoulld not be more than 1.1 metres above the floor level of the room it serves and of the ground or external level surface upon which it discharges
- where the window forms part of a roof exit that route must conform with the required specfication
- simple fastenings that do not require the use of a key in an emergency should be fitted to the openable window
- any such window should be conspicuously indicated as a 'fire exit'
-ideally a passageway of not less than 750mm should be maintained in the room leading to the exit (unless less than 5 people work in the area where 500mm may be acceptable)

[Chris Houston]

Anthony, where is this guidance from?

[Brian Downes]

All,
I think the issue may be that there is an existing window, and that the office has been re-arranged so that the occupants cannot now reach it?

Chris,
        Guidance would seem to be from 'first principles'!!!...seriously, the old red 9a guide used to have a fair diagram and blurb about escape windows, if memory serves me correctly.
Nothing wrong with escape windows...used to have lots of them when I was a lad...that's the trouble with fire safety today...no escape windows.

I bet we see a come back when the RRO comes in!!

[PhilB]

[Window exits are only for use in exceptional circumstances & should meet the followin gconditions:
- not be used by the public
- not be used by more than 10 able bodied people
- any window should be of the casement type sufficiently large & openable to permit any persons to pass through without undue difficulty (eg at least 850 x 500mm wide in the clear with the casement open)
- suitable steps should be provided up to the windowsill, both inside and outside etc. etc..............................................]

Anthony I think you should add..."Where necessary in order to safegaurd the safety of employees or relevant persons" to that prescriptive advice.

[Marie]

Hi Guys,

Many thanks for the Guidance - i knew this was the right place to ask and thank you all for your quick responces and help.

I can carry on with the move round now
 

Cheers Guys :-)


Marie.

[steve walker]

Chris, I seem to remember window exits being described in the Blue guide and there is a bit about them in B doc in the dwellings section.

[AnthonyB]

It's from the old Blue book - it's the only reference for existing premises thats in general circulation & forms good guidance even though it no longer has any prescriptive effect.

yes, I know that the dreaded "where necessary" get out clause is in the new legislation, but I have little time for it as it will be used as an excuse to cut standards as oppose to allow flexible risk based solutions as intended - the person wanted a specific answer rather than the grey non specific stuff that is now popular.

bluebook - guide to fire precautions in existing bulidings requiring a fire certificate

[PhilB]

I'm afraid Anthony "where necessary" is here to stay even though you may have little time for it. Don't confuse risk based solutions with lowering of standards.

What if I have 11 able bodied people? And sill is 1.2m above ground ..will that be ok?

Enforcing officers can no longer say you've got to do it because the book says so...explain why it says so and if appropriate follow guidance which I agree set good benchmarks in many circumstances.

It looks like new guides may be somewhat lacking so your Blue Book should be kept handy!

[wee brian]

There some stuff on this subject in the Employers guide. Its a slightly more flexible slant on the stuff from the blue book.

[Ken Taylor]

They used to be considered OK for youth hostels and the like and I am aware of one in a Grade 1 listed building - but I wonder how acceptable these can be in these days of the DDA.