Nursery fire exits

[ASIF]

A nursery school located in a lower ground floor of a church is proposing to install new toilet facilities for the children. However, the installation will be in a link corridor leading from a lobby to a fire escape. The nursery has three means of escape all protected and of suitable width, fire resisting doors, and is installing emergency lighting and updating the fire alarm system.

The lower ground floor used to  be a theatre hence the link corridor (for rear stage access).
Would I be right in thinking that due to the three escape routes and other measures being introduced this would be acceptable?
The arcitect agrees this is acceptable but it's good to have other opinions!

Your thoughts please...

[nearlythere]

Not quite sure what it is you are asking here.
Why would there be a problem?
Are you saying that the only means of escape from the toilets is back through the nursery?

[ASIF]

Hi Nearlythere,

My only slight concern is the change of use of the rear link corridor, as they would be effectively omitting the escape corridor to the fire exit. Although there are secondary exits available. I guess my question is- with the other control measures in place and with the fire exits clear and signed would it matter if the link corridor was redundant?
I can't see why the toilet's can not be installed but I want to be sure i'm not missing something.

[nearlythere]

That would depend on the occupancy factor and whether it is such that 3 exits are necessary. What size is the room and what is it normally used for?
What size are each of the the two remaining exits?
Have you a plan of the proposal?

[ASIF]

Thanks nearlythere,

Occupancy is set at 63 children and 14 adults.The main room is open plan and used as classrooms divided by movable screens about 3ft high as seperaters. The room is served by two exit routes front and rear leading to open air. Also there is a further compartment off the main room with a exit route to open air plus the rear corridor linking to the rear main room exit.
Even with the new loo's installed there are still three protected exit routes to open air with double fire doors/corridors (width 1050mm+).
I do also have a plan of the proposed works.

[nearlythere]

What will be the escape route from the new WC facility?
Can the plans be emailed?

[ASIF]

The entrance will be directly into the main hall area with a travel distance of 3-4M to a protected escape route (two to choose from.) 

[nearlythere]

Can you escape from the wc facility without using the main hall?

[ASIF]

No, you would have to exit through the main hall. There are only two toilets in this area.

[nearlythere]

Technically the WCs will be an inner room condition.
It would probably be fine as the WCs are for very low occupancy for very short periods and the access room is of relatively low fire risk. Is detection being installed in main hall as part of the upgrade?

[ASIF]

Yes, my thoughts were a suitable upgrade of the fire alarm system with added detection will give the earliest warning of a fire situation, along with staff training, improved signage, emergency lighting and regular fire drills I feel would be sufficient.

[ASIF]

Thanks for your time Nearlythere, much appriciated

[Mr. P]

Sorry, missing a bit here. Does the installation of the toilets mean the link corridor is no longer there? If new works does not hinder the current use of the link corridor, I see no reason to make other changes. Toilet's are low risk. Without view of bld or drawings, always hard to give specific advice on even the simple jobs. Not sure I would agree that toilets would be an inner room. They are accessed via the main hall which exits directly to outside. Hall could be classed as a circulation area. If you can hear the fire alarm from within the toilets... if there is an alarm system (what category?).

[ASIF]

Hi Mr P,

The link corridor was originally installed for rear stage access and a exit route from behind the stage. It links up with a fire exit route from the main hall to a double door set fire exit out to open air. The toilets are to be fitted at the far end of the corridor but the original link corridor  will still be accessable from the main hall to the fire exit. So there are still three fire exit routes from the nursery, the main entrance, rear exit and side exit. The main hall has still got two escape routes and the rear lobby has one, and a secondary route via the main hall. There is a fire alarm system that is being upgraded to L2 also Emergency lighting, signage, training and extinguishers are all going in during the summer break.

[Mr. P]

So,, if you lose the fire exit to which the link corridor connects, there will only be one exit?