Anyone familiar with building regs? I wondered if you can see any
problem with the floor plan as shown at the url below. Does the
bedroom, in particular conform with fire escape regs, considering that
the occupant needs to pass through another room to reach the only exit
to the outside? (Or does a ground floor window qualify as a fire
escape exit?)

http://tinyurl.com/2st58x

The flat in question has been this way for a number of years. I'm just
wondering if the place will be sellable if it doesn't conform to
building regs in this respect, or if there would be other legal
pitfalls for a potential buyer (or the seller for that matter).

Thank you,

Jake

On Sat, 24 Feb 2007 21:14:11 +0000, Jake wrote:

Anyone familiar with building regs? I wondered if you can see any
problem with the floor plan as shown at the url below. Does the
bedroom, in particular conform with fire escape regs, considering that
the occupant needs to pass through another room to reach the only exit
to the outside? (Or does a ground floor window qualify as a fire
escape exit?)

PS... It is a one-bedroom flat, all on one floor.

Jake

On Feb 24, 9:16 pm, Jake wrote:
On Sat, 24 Feb 2007 21:14:11 +0000, Jake wrote:
Anyone familiar with building regs? I wondered if you can see any
problem with the floor plan as shown at the url below. Does the
bedroom, in particular conform with fire escape regs, considering that
the occupant needs to pass through another room to reach the only exit
to the outside? (Or does a ground floor window qualify as a fire
escape exit?)

PS... It is a one-bedroom flat, all on one floor.

Jake

Doesn't matter whether it conforms - what matters is whether it
conformed when it was done. Plus building regs enforcement only has a
limited timespan (10 years?) after which they don't have control.

A

Anyone familiar with building regs? I wondered if you can see any
problem with the floor plan as shown at the url below. Does the
bedroom, in particular conform with fire escape regs, considering that
the occupant needs to pass through another room to reach the only exit
to the outside? (Or does a ground floor window qualify as a fire
escape exit?)

PS... It is a one-bedroom flat, all on one floor.

Jake

Yes IUI, a ground floor window acts as a fire escape. What an odd layout
though, is there no back door? are the ground floor windows big enough to
get out of?

Steve

On Sat, 24 Feb 2007 21:29:55 -0000, "R.P.McMurphy"
wrote:

PS... It is a one-bedroom flat, all on one floor.

Jake

Yes IUI, a ground floor window acts as a fire escape.

Phew! Thank you!

What an odd layout
though, is there no back door?

It was originally a 3-bed semi. What used to be the hous's back door
is now the ground floor flat's entrance. The house's original front
door gives axcess to the stairwell leading up to the upper flat.

are the ground floor windows big enough to
get out of?

Yes, way big enough to ecape through - if you smash one.. They are
UPVC double-glazed, so I guess a frail person in a wheelchair would
have a real problem.

I wish, when I installed them, I had chosen ones that have a tall,
wide opening section bug enough to climb through. The ones I installed
only have a narow horizontal opening at the top. So you'd have to
smash the main section of the window to escape through it.

Does that still make them a legal fire exit, do you know?

Jake

"Jake" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 24 Feb 2007 21:29:55 -0000, "R.P.McMurphy"
wrote:

PS... It is a one-bedroom flat, all on one floor.

Jake

Yes IUI, a ground floor window acts as a fire escape.

Phew! Thank you!

What an odd layout
though, is there no back door?

It was originally a 3-bed semi. What used to be the hous's back door
is now the ground floor flat's entrance. The house's original front
door gives axcess to the stairwell leading up to the upper flat.

are the ground floor windows big enough to
get out of?

Yes, way big enough to ecape through - if you smash one.. They are
UPVC double-glazed, so I guess a frail person in a wheelchair would
have a real problem.

I wish, when I installed them, I had chosen ones that have a tall,
wide opening section bug enough to climb through. The ones I installed
only have a narow horizontal opening at the top. So you'd have to
smash the main section of the window to escape through it.

Does that still make them a legal fire exit, do you know?

No it doesn't. (You can't smash through a DG window with
the things you will find in a bedroon)

But it's too late now.

I believe that putting the door the other side of the corner
so that it opens directly into the lounge and having a door
between the lounge and kitchen would be compliant, if
that is what you want to achieve.

But TBH the poor location of the bathroom would put me
off more than the (lack of an) escape route if there's a fire,

tim

"Jake" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 24 Feb 2007 21:29:55 -0000, "R.P.McMurphy"
wrote:

PS... It is a one-bedroom flat, all on one floor.

Jake

Yes IUI, a ground floor window acts as a fire escape.

Phew! Thank you!

What an odd layout
though, is there no back door?

It was originally a 3-bed semi. What used to be the hous's back door
is now the ground floor flat's entrance. The house's original front
door gives axcess to the stairwell leading up to the upper flat.

are the ground floor windows big enough to
get out of?

Yes, way big enough to ecape through - if you smash one.. They are
UPVC double-glazed, so I guess a frail person in a wheelchair would
have a real problem.

I wish, when I installed them, I had chosen ones that have a tall,
wide opening section bug enough to climb through. The ones I installed
only have a narow horizontal opening at the top. So you'd have to
smash the main section of the window to escape through it.

Does that still make them a legal fire exit, do you know?

Jake

A fire officer is more interested that there is a way in for a fireman to
enact a rescue. AIUI upstairs windows have to be a certain size by law to
allow escape or rescue in the event of fire. The current layout is not
ideal, but is not illegal, and shouldn't affect saleability.

Steve

On Sat, 24 Feb 2007 22:24:46 -0000, "tim....."
wrote:

Does that still make them a legal fire exit, do you know?

No it doesn't. (You can't smash through a DG window with
the things you will find in a bedroon)

But it's too late now.

I could change the windows to ones that have opening sections big
enough to climb through. Would that solve the issue?

I believe that putting the door the other side of the corner
so that it opens directly into the lounge and having a door
between the lounge and kitchen would be compliant, if
that is what you want to achieve.

Sorry I couldn't follow the above. Which door on the other side of
which corner?

But TBH the poor location of the bathroom would put me
off more than the (lack of an) escape route if there's a fire,

The bedroom has an en-suite shower and toilet - not shown in my
sketch. But, yes, the fire excape route, wouldn't put me off buying
either. I might have a large hammer hanging on the wall next to the
window if I was really worried! I am just trying to get a rough
undrstanding of my legal position. I am getting the impression that I
don't really need to worry too much. Yes?

Jake

On Sat, 24 Feb 2007 22:28:09 -0000, "R.P.McMurphy"
wrote:

A fire officer is more interested that there is a way in for a fireman to
enact a rescue. AIUI upstairs windows have to be a certain size by law to
allow escape or rescue in the event of fire. The current layout is not
ideal, but is not illegal, and shouldn't affect saleability.

Thank you... That's what I wanted to hear. :-)

Jake

On Sat, 24 Feb 2007 21:14:11 +0000, Jake
wrote:

The flat in question has been this way for a number of years. I'm just
wondering if the place will be sellable if it doesn't conform to
building regs in this respect, or if there would be other legal
pitfalls for a potential buyer (or the seller for that matter).

Building regulations are the least of your worries. The Housing Act
2004 may be the main one. If it qualifies as a house in multiple
occupancy (HMO) it has to meet (and continue to meet) more stringent
requirements.

A HMO is defined (amongst other things) as a building which is
converted entirely into self-contained flats if the conversion did
not meet the standards of the 1991 Building Regulations and more
than one-third of the flats are let on short-term tenancies.

Interpretation of the Housing Act can be variable but
http://www.macclesfield.gov.uk/parso...mo_3_intro.asp
is a reasonable checklist.

--
Peter Parry.
http://www.wpp.ltd.uk/

On Sat, 24 Feb 2007 22:28:09 -0000, "R.P.McMurphy"
wrote:



A fire officer is more interested that there is a way in for a fireman to
enact a rescue.

Wrong. The primary aim of all fire legislation is for occupants to
be able to escape before the fire service arrive. By the time the
fire service get to a fire it is often far to late to rescue anyone
as it is smoke, not fire which is the major killer. When a fire is
visible from outside a house the occupants are usually dead.

--
Peter Parry.
http://www.wpp.ltd.uk/

On Sat, 24 Feb 2007 22:50:23 +0000, Jake wrote:

On Sat, 24 Feb 2007 22:24:46 -0000, "tim....."
wrote:

Does that still make them a legal fire exit, do you know?

No it doesn't. (You can't smash through a DG window with
the things you will find in a bedroon)

But it's too late now.

I could change the windows to ones that have opening sections big
enough to climb through. Would that solve the issue?

I believe that putting the door the other side of the corner
so that it opens directly into the lounge and having a door
between the lounge and kitchen would be compliant, if
that is what you want to achieve.

Sorry I couldn't follow the above. Which door on the other side of
which corner?

I think he /she means moving the external door so it is in/on the wall
90 degrees to the left of where it is just now ...opening directly in
to the Lounge ....The other point about a door betwen the Lounge and
Kitchen ....Presumably there is no door at present...it isn''t shown
there anyway ..just an opening ..but then the bathroom hasn't one
shown either .!!!

In message , Jake
writes

Anyone familiar with building regs? I wondered if you can see any
problem with the floor plan as shown at the url below. Does the
bedroom, in particular conform with fire escape regs, considering that
the occupant needs to pass through another room to reach the only exit
to the outside? (Or does a ground floor window qualify as a fire
escape exit?)

http://tinyurl.com/2st58x

The flat in question has been this way for a number of years. I'm just
wondering if the place will be sellable if it doesn't conform to
building regs in this respect, or if there would be other legal
pitfalls for a potential buyer (or the seller for that matter).

Do you actually have two doors between the kitchen and toilet ?

--
geoff

"Stuart B" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 24 Feb 2007 22:50:23 +0000, Jake wrote:

On Sat, 24 Feb 2007 22:24:46 -0000, "tim....."
wrote:

Does that still make them a legal fire exit, do you know?

No it doesn't. (You can't smash through a DG window with
the things you will find in a bedroon)

But it's too late now.

I could change the windows to ones that have opening sections big
enough to climb through. Would that solve the issue?

I believe that putting the door the other side of the corner
so that it opens directly into the lounge and having a door
between the lounge and kitchen would be compliant, if
that is what you want to achieve.

Sorry I couldn't follow the above. Which door on the other side of
which corner?

I think he /she means moving the external door so it is in/on the wall
90 degrees to the left of where it is just now ...opening directly in
to the Lounge ....The other point about a door betwen the Lounge and
Kitchen ....Presumably there is no door at present...it isn''t shown
there anyway ..just an opening ..but then the bathroom hasn't one
shown either .!!!

Sorry, wasnt clear.

Timonena (no, not really) meant the main entrance door.

AIUI the rule is that there must be an escape route from a
bedroom, which doesn't pass through a kitchen, this being
the most likely room to have caused a fire.

(So that is no use if your TV spontaniously combusts,
but I'm only telling the rule, not justifying it)

tim

"Peter Parry" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 24 Feb 2007 22:28:09 -0000, "R.P.McMurphy"
wrote:



A fire officer is more interested that there is a way in for a fireman to
enact a rescue.

Wrong. The primary aim of all fire legislation is for occupants to
be able to escape before the fire service arrive. By the time the
fire service get to a fire it is often far to late to rescue anyone
as it is smoke, not fire which is the major killer. When a fire is
visible from outside a house the occupants are usually dead.

Which makes a 'man sized' openable window on the fourth
floor completely useless for purpose. Nevertheless, that is
exactly what I had to have.

tim

On Sat, 24 Feb 2007 23:52:22 GMT, raden wrote:

In message , Jake
writes

Anyone familiar with building regs? I wondered if you can see any
problem with the floor plan as shown at the url below. Does the
bedroom, in particular conform with fire escape regs, considering that
the occupant needs to pass through another room to reach the only exit
to the outside? (Or does a ground floor window qualify as a fire
escape exit?)

http://tinyurl.com/2st58x

The flat in question has been this way for a number of years. I'm just
wondering if the place will be sellable if it doesn't conform to
building regs in this respect, or if there would be other legal
pitfalls for a potential buyer (or the seller for that matter).

Do you actually have two doors between the kitchen and toilet ?

Looks like ONE door in to the WC from the bathroom but NO DOOR in to
the bathroom ..the WC being off the bathroom

On Sun, 25 Feb 2007 11:37:23 -0000, a particular chimpanzee named
"tim....." randomly hit the keyboard and
produced:

Which makes a 'man sized' openable window on the fourth
floor completely useless for purpose. Nevertheless, that is
exactly what I had to have.

In what context? A house or a flat? New-build or conversion? And
who said you 'had to' have it?

An escape window is an alternative to having a direct route from a
ground floor room or a protected route (fire resisting enclosure to
stairs, fire doors) from a first floor room. It is allowed in a
second floor loft conversion, but only until April when the
Regulations change. Any higher, and a protected route or an
alternative route (another stair) is required.
--
Hugo Nebula
"If no-one on the internet wants a piece of this,
just how far from the pack have you strayed?"

On Sun, 25 Feb 2007 11:35:14 -0000, "tim....."
wrote:


"Stuart B" wrote in message
.. .
On Sat, 24 Feb 2007 22:50:23 +0000, Jake wrote:

On Sat, 24 Feb 2007 22:24:46 -0000, "tim....."
wrote:

Does that still make them a legal fire exit, do you know?

No it doesn't. (You can't smash through a DG window with
the things you will find in a bedroon)

But it's too late now.

I could change the windows to ones that have opening sections big
enough to climb through. Would that solve the issue?

I believe that putting the door the other side of the corner
so that it opens directly into the lounge and having a door
between the lounge and kitchen would be compliant, if
that is what you want to achieve.

Sorry I couldn't follow the above. Which door on the other side of
which corner?

I think he /she means moving the external door so it is in/on the wall
90 degrees to the left of where it is just now ...opening directly in
to the Lounge ....The other point about a door betwen the Lounge and
Kitchen ....Presumably there is no door at present...it isn''t shown
there anyway ..just an opening ..but then the bathroom hasn't one
shown either .!!!

Sorry, wasnt clear.

Timonena (no, not really) meant the main entrance door.

AIUI the rule is that there must be an escape route from a
bedroom, which doesn't pass through a kitchen, this being
the most likely room to have caused a fire.

I see. Thanks for the suggestion re the door. I had never thought
about that option, but it certainly would be feasable. I probably
won't bother though (unless ordered to by BC at some point) as the
current layout has been that way for about 13+ years.

I might leave a 'jentle-persuader' i.e., lump hammer, on the bedroom
window sill instead. (-;

Jake

On Sat, 24 Feb 2007 23:52:22 GMT, raden wrote:

Do you actually have two doors between the kitchen and toilet ?

Actually, I never got around to installing the door between the
bathroom and WC, but it was pointed out that I ought to put one there.

There *is* a door betwen the bathroom and the kitchen. I may have
forgotten to draw it in the hasty sketch.

Jake

In message , Stuart B
writes
On Sat, 24 Feb 2007 23:52:22 GMT, raden wrote:

In message , Jake
writes

Anyone familiar with building regs? I wondered if you can see any
problem with the floor plan as shown at the url below. Does the
bedroom, in particular conform with fire escape regs, considering that
the occupant needs to pass through another room to reach the only exit
to the outside? (Or does a ground floor window qualify as a fire
escape exit?)

http://tinyurl.com/2st58x

The flat in question has been this way for a number of years. I'm just
wondering if the place will be sellable if it doesn't conform to
building regs in this respect, or if there would be other legal
pitfalls for a potential buyer (or the seller for that matter).

Do you actually have two doors between the kitchen and toilet ?

Looks like ONE door in to the WC from the bathroom but NO DOOR in to
the bathroom ..the WC being off the bathroom

I think you are required to have two


--
geoff

"Hugo Nebula" abuse@localhost wrote in message
...
On Sun, 25 Feb 2007 11:37:23 -0000, a particular chimpanzee named
"tim....." randomly hit the keyboard and
produced:

Which makes a 'man sized' openable window on the fourth
floor completely useless for purpose. Nevertheless, that is
exactly what I had to have.

In what context? A house or a flat? New-build or conversion? And
who said you 'had to' have it?

Replacement windows in a purpose built flat.

The man doing the quote said that the regs required it.

I assumed that this was for use as an escape via a fireman's
ladder. It certainly wasn't a window I would have jumped out
of.

tim

"raden" wrote in message
...
In message , Stuart B
writes
On Sat, 24 Feb 2007 23:52:22 GMT, raden wrote:

In message , Jake
writes

Anyone familiar with building regs? I wondered if you can see any
problem with the floor plan as shown at the url below. Does the
bedroom, in particular conform with fire escape regs, considering that
the occupant needs to pass through another room to reach the only exit
to the outside? (Or does a ground floor window qualify as a fire
escape exit?)

http://tinyurl.com/2st58x

The flat in question has been this way for a number of years. I'm just
wondering if the place will be sellable if it doesn't conform to
building regs in this respect, or if there would be other legal
pitfalls for a potential buyer (or the seller for that matter).

Do you actually have two doors between the kitchen and toilet ?

Looks like ONE door in to the WC from the bathroom but NO DOOR in to
the bathroom ..the WC being off the bathroom

I think you are required to have two

not any more. They removed that requirement.

tim

On Sun, 25 Feb 2007 17:09:54 +0000, Jake wrote:

On Sun, 25 Feb 2007 11:35:14 -0000, "tim....."
wrote:


"Stuart B" wrote in message
. ..
On Sat, 24 Feb 2007 22:50:23 +0000, Jake wrote:

On Sat, 24 Feb 2007 22:24:46 -0000, "tim....."
wrote:

Does that still make them a legal fire exit, do you know?

No it doesn't. (You can't smash through a DG window with
the things you will find in a bedroon)

But it's too late now.

I could change the windows to ones that have opening sections big
enough to climb through. Would that solve the issue?

I believe that putting the door the other side of the corner
so that it opens directly into the lounge and having a door
between the lounge and kitchen would be compliant, if
that is what you want to achieve.

Sorry I couldn't follow the above. Which door on the other side of
which corner?

I think he /she means moving the external door so it is in/on the wall
90 degrees to the left of where it is just now ...opening directly in
to the Lounge ....The other point about a door betwen the Lounge and
Kitchen ....Presumably there is no door at present...it isn''t shown
there anyway ..just an opening ..but then the bathroom hasn't one
shown either .!!!

Sorry, wasnt clear.

Timonena (no, not really) meant the main entrance door.

AIUI the rule is that there must be an escape route from a
bedroom, which doesn't pass through a kitchen, this being
the most likely room to have caused a fire.

I see. Thanks for the suggestion re the door. I had never thought
about that option, but it certainly would be feasable. I probably
won't bother though (unless ordered to by BC at some point) as the
current layout has been that way for about 13+ years.

I might leave a 'jentle-persuader' i.e., lump hammer, on the bedroom
window sill instead. (-;

Jake

You can buy pointy hammers made specifically for persuading DG glass
to break .

An escape window is an alternative to having a direct route from a
ground floor room or a protected route (fire resisting enclosure to
stairs, fire doors) from a first floor room. It is allowed in a
second floor loft conversion, but only until April when the
Regulations change. Any higher, and a protected route or an
alternative route (another stair) is required.
--
Hugo Nebula
"If no-one on the internet wants a piece of this,
just how far from the pack have you strayed?"

Is not a protected stair route required to meet regulations, even
with an escape window?. .I'm contemplating a loft conversion and it
is going to be very difficult to provide a protected stair route from
the ground to first floor. (First floor to loft would not be hard to
protect)
And I would be interested to know what the new regulations are, and
whether I need to get plans in quick

On Sun, 25 Feb 2007 20:39:00 -0000, a particular chimpanzee named
"tim....." randomly hit the keyboard and
produced:


"Hugo Nebula" abuse@localhost wrote in message
.. .
On Sun, 25 Feb 2007 11:37:23 -0000, a particular chimpanzee named
"tim....." randomly hit the keyboard and
produced:

Which makes a 'man sized' openable window on the fourth
floor completely useless for purpose. Nevertheless, that is
exactly what I had to have.

In what context? A house or a flat? New-build or conversion? And
who said you 'had to' have it?

Replacement windows in a purpose built flat.

The man doing the quote said that the regs required it.

Then he was talking bollox.
--
Hugo Nebula
"If no-one on the internet wants a piece of this,
just how far from the pack have you strayed?"

A fire officer is more interested that there is a way in for a fireman to
enact a rescue.

Wrong. The primary aim of all fire legislation is for occupants to
be able to escape before the fire service arrive. By the time the
fire service get to a fire it is often far to late to rescue anyone
as it is smoke, not fire which is the major killer. When a fire is
visible from outside a house the occupants are usually dead.

Wrong, a _fire officer_ will presume that the occupant is unable to free
themselves, so are more concerned with whether there is a way in for firemen
to enact a rescue.

Steve

On 25 Feb 2007 13:59:23 -0800, a particular chimpanzee named "mmzz"
randomly hit the keyboard and produced:

Is not a protected stair route required to meet regulations, even
with an escape window?. .I'm contemplating a loft conversion and it
is going to be very difficult to provide a protected stair route from
the ground to first floor. (First floor to loft would not be hard to
protect)
And I would be interested to know what the new regulations are, and
whether I need to get plans in quick

You could be better waiting. The current requirements are for a fully
enclosed (but not protected- the existing doors can remain provided
they are fitted with self-closers) route from second floor to the
front door.

The new Part B will allow an open plan ground floor, provided that it
is sprinklered, there is 30 minutes separation between the ground and
first floors, and there is an escape window from the first floor.

http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/eng...314683674.html
--
Hugo Nebula
"If no-one on the internet wants a piece of this,
just how far from the pack have you strayed?"

On Sun, 25 Feb 2007 21:23:54 +0000, Stuart B
wrote:


You can buy pointy hammers made specifically for persuading DG glass
to break .

Automatic centre/nail punch such as
http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/cat/...17987&ts=85229
is the simplest to use.
--
Peter Parry.
http://www.wpp.ltd.uk/

On Sun, 25 Feb 2007 23:20:08 -0000, "R.P.McMurphy"
wrote:

Wrong, a _fire officer_ will presume that the occupant is unable to free
themselves, so are more concerned with whether there is a way in for firemen
to enact a rescue.

I presume you mean the fireman on an appliance once a fire has
started rather than the one given the responsibility for fire safety?
If so you are still utterly wrong. The first priority for any fire
officer, no matter what their operational role, is the prevention of
fire. The second is getting occupants out before the fire has
developed and the fire service has been alerted - never mind arrived.
The last priority is fire fighting and rescue. Even for that final
priority access via windows is very low down the list. Of far more
importance in city areas are the number of houses with "burglar
proof" steel front doors and bars on windows which slow down or
prevent access by fire crews. Neither of these features are
controlled by building regulations but people regularly die in fires
behind them. Once a fire is established gaining access for rescue is
in most cases fairly irrelevant. Survival time in a smoke filled room
is less than 5 minutes.

You are incidentally incorrect is saying that upstairs (or any)
windows have a prescribed minimum size to allow for fire brigade
access - no regulation exists concerning fire brigade access.

Part B1 of the Building Regulations do stipulate that designated
emergency _egress_ windows for occupants escape (not rescue) must
have an area of at least 0.33sqm and be at least 450mm high and
450mm wide with a base no more than 1100mm from the floor. The
window must allow access to a place of safety, so leading to an
enclosed courtyard would not usually be acceptable.

Such a window can be locked from the inside and need not provide
access from the outside so a window with a steel grill which can only
be opened from inside meets the building regulation requirement for
means of escape even though it could not be used by the fire service
for emergency entry.

In one specific case access is a fire planning issue - and that is
where someone who is immobile has an upstairs protected refuge built
(usually a bedroom) with smoke stop doors and protected ceilings and
floors and which is notified to the local fire authority. In this
case access from the outside should be such as to allow the appliance
and crew to not just gain access but safely remove the occupant and
possibly supporting medical equipment. In the event of a fire at
such notified premises the crew would always attempt to gain access
to the protected room as their first priority.

In most other cases breaking an upstairs window from the outside is
usually the last thing to do - even if you can see someone on the
inside. The first attempt would be to try rescue via downstairs. If
the fire has developed breaking an upstairs window will often cause
an explosive increase in the fire intensity if the room door is open
by allowing increased airflow.

If occupants are trapped in an upstairs room survival depends upon
sealing the door as much as possible to stop smoke ingress and
opening any window to allow breathing air in. If the window can't be
opened (or broken) by the occupants then survival time drops
drastically - it is smoke which kills - not flames.

Access and facilities for the fire service in houses is covered by
Part B5 of the Building Regulations. The new version applies from
April of this year but the only significant new requirement in B5 is
that there should be access for a pump appliance to within 45m of all
points within the dwelling.

B5 has as its aim:

"That the building (and the site layout & access roads) are designed
in such a way to aid the fire brigade fight fire and effect rescue of
persons caught in a fire."

The requirements for B5 are met simply by providing access for
vehicles - the access for firefighting personnel are subsumed in the
means of escape.

--
Peter Parry.
http://www.wpp.ltd.uk/