The Fire Column

The fire column discusses the practical application of the Building regulations in England to means of escape and fire safety.

The articles featured here were first pubilished in Local Authority Building Control (LABC) Outlook magazine.

Copyright and disclaimer

Article archive

New Approved Document B 2006 Articles

ADB 2006 - Single stairs for residential uses

Please note the articles below marked '*ADB 2000' are based upon Approved Document B 2000. This document has now been revised. Although some of these articles are still relevant the clause references are now different. It is also pleasing to note that the main issues raised by some of these article have been resolved in the new Approved Document B 2006. (Such as the problem identified with open stairs in restaurants and the need to apply standards to atria buildings for means of escape). All the articles will eventually be updated to reflect these changes. Future articles will also cover the changes in the new Approved Document.

The following articles are still relevant to the new Approved Document B 2006:-

Can sprinklers replace protected routes?
The new Approved Document confirms the thinking in this article.

The Four Tenets of Means of escape
This is general advice and is not code specific.

The issues discussed in the following articles have been addressed in the new Approved Document B 2006:-

Should requirements apply to uncompartmented Atria buildings?
Buildings with 'open spacial planning' are now specifically addressed in the means of escape section of Approved Document B 2006, with limits on their application before an alternative code needs to be used.

Means of escape from small restaurants
The new Approved Document states that an open stair is not suitable in small restaurants.

*ADB 2000 - Exit signs Part 3 - Exit sign symbols

*ADB 2000 - Exit signs Part 2 - Internally iluminated and photoluminescent signs

*ADB 2000 - Exit signs Part 1 - How to size exit signs (Amended 8/06)

To correctly size exit signs a number of factors need to eb taken into account - here is a simple guide.

Read article

Exit sign calculator

*ADB 2000 - Mechanical ventilation Ductwork and means of escape - BS 5588: Part 9 checklist

Help for checking ductwork

Download checklist

*ADB 2000 - Mechanical ventilation Ductwork and means of escape Part 3 Kitchens

Standards for kitchen installations explained

Read the article

*ADB 2000 - Mechanical ventilation Ductwork and means of escape Part 2 Fire Dampers

It has been claimed that most ductwork installers do not know how to fix fire dampers - this article investigates the common myths in the industry.

Read the article

*ADB 2000 - Mechanical ventilation Ductwork and means of escape Part 1 Ductwork

There are many myths which surround the subject of duct protection and fire dampers - this article seeks to explain the issues.

Read the article

*ADB 2000 - Ancillary accomodation

Should kitchens etc be enclosed in fire resisting construction? Advice regarding risks not directly identified in Approved Docuemnt B - including the ODPMs view.

Read the article

*ADB 2000 - Glasing to protected stairways - non residential

A visual guide to the use of non insulated fire resisting glasing

Read the article

*ADB 2000 - Single stairways 2 - Non residential

Part 2 of the single stairway guide.

Read the article

*ADB 2000 - Single stairways 1 - Non residential

What requirements apply to single stairway buildings? Where do you need lobbies? How should lobbies be designed at ground floor level?

Read the article

The Four Tenets of Means of escape

Four golden rules that no means of escape or fire engineering code will ever tell you!

Read the article

Should the angle of Divergence be replaced?

The angle of divergence removed the debate in UK Building Regulartions regarding how far apart exits need to be located. The proposed draft of Approved Document B suggests returning to the old method - should this happen? Will it lead to confusion once again?

Read the article

*ADB 2000 - Means of escape from small restaurants

There has been some confusion over what the standards of means of escape should be in small restaurants and bars.

Read the article

Can sprinklers replace protected routes?

This article looks at research which has taken place with real fire situations in domestic houses and seeks to answer the question - can sprinklers replace protected routes?

Read the article

*ADB 2000 - Should requirements apply to uncompartmented Atria buildings

Some confusion has existed in the past regarding whether BS 5588: Part 7 should be applied to atria which does not breach compartment floors. This article seeks to clarify the situation.

Read article