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Protected Fire Route (Door Query)


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I have a query if someone could please advise me on. 

We have an office premises which have had the existing kitchen area changed, new units, built in microwave, dishwasher etc. The kitchen has always been in the same area, and originally had a door at the kitchen entrance which separated the kitchen from the protected corridor.  In the refurbishment of the kitchen the door is no longer in place. 

My initial assessment is that the kitchen although it has a heat detector fitted and the protected corridor has a smoke detector fitted would not comply and be deemed a high risk area i.e cooking which if a fire were to occur would easily spread into the protected corridor. 

I myself cannot come up with anything other than fit a door back on the frame to separate the kitchen compartment from the protected corridor.  I thought I would ask just in case there is other control measures that could be used. 

The kitchen is approximately 4m by 2m which leads out onto the protected corridor, if you turn right out of the kitchen you come up against a fire door which leads to the bottom of the stairs (from the first floor), then the final exit door is about 10m away. 

If you turn left out of the kitchen you have a protected corridor with a door (forms compartment) that separates the long protected corridor then this leads to two individual final escape doors.

Hope someone can understand, perhaps a plan would have been better, but I believe my initial recommendation of put the door back is the only solution, unless someone can suggest a different measure to take.

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If this is truly a protected corridor, then a fire doorset (fire door and matching frame) will always be required. In addition to reducing the risk of fire spread, a door is nearly always a good bet to prevent burnt toast etc activating the smoke detector in the corridor. But a fire door is essential for a protected route

A protected route is one where combustible materials and ignition sources are limited and doors leading onto the route plus walls separating the route from elsewhere are constructed from fire resisting materials

This sort of route is required when travel distances are longer than accepted limits. In effect if it's not possible to get to a place of safety (outside) easily, a protected route brings a place of relative safety into the building.

Travel distances can then be measured to the protected route and not to outside

Long dead end corridors and staircases 3 floors and over are generally protected as well as linear escape routes that are lengthy 

Have a look at the Govt Fire Safety Guide for Offices free to download

Good luck

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Messyshaw

Thank you for your swift reply it was much appreciated.  I have a copy of the guide you referenced and thought not having a door was a no no, but wanted to clarify the matter in case there was other measures that could have been implemented.

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