Location of manual call points.

[dusty]

Gents,

I once again request your combined expertise although Colin may be best placed to help, I am currently offering fire safety advice on several Pubs, Clubs and Large catering facilities, many have glass curtain walling to allow the occupants to admire the views, the question relates to the location of the manual call points BS 5839 States all storey exits and all exits to the open air (whether or not the exits are specifically designated as fire exits) no problem there, but where you have double exits (all for MOE) along the glass curtain walling, where do you place the call points? one at each door, if they are within 1m of each other this seams an overkill, but one in the middle of six such doors seams to few, likewise placing a call point on the block walling some 6 m from the exits can't be right, can it, I like to say adjacent to the door, but this is not always practical, Gents, how far is too far away and how few is too few?

[colin todd]

Its all a matter of common sense and judgement, however subjective that may be. I hate to emabark on one of my large met brigade anecdotes, but I fear it is relevant. They once wanted a row of 4 mcp's along a line of 4 french doors from a bar, whereas we had put one in the middle. As you say, it is not then far from any door, and can one imagine the whole of the bar exiting via just one or two of the doors and as a result not operating the fire alarm system?? I dont think so! We appealed to the magistrates court, the gung ho ADO having told us he would see us there. A week before the case the large met brigade wrote to us saying that they didnt like what we had (in respect of the mcps and a number of other matters) but that they would live with it. We gave a lot of thought to this in the writing of BS 5839-1, as it comes up in various situations such as loading bay shutters in warehouses. In the end we took the view that if we specfificed a figure for proximity it would be far too prescriptive, given that it is a CoP and not a rigid specification. However, the issue does raise its head from time to time and the only answer is to use common sense. Sorry cannot be more definitive.

[dusty]

Many thanks Colin, Suspected the answer would be similar to that you kindly supplied, I will use a large amount of common sense and persuasion to hopefully arrive at an agreeable consensus.

[Allen Higginson]

Quick side anecdote that I heard during my 5839 training. If you are faniliar with the BT exchanges then you will know that they have doors for bringinging equipment up to the floor switch rooms via a hoist/pulley which is on a protruding beam out the side of the building.
Well, there was instructions that break glass units had to be located at each of these doors,as they were exits to the open air - heck of a step if you are on the 5th floor!!