Window replacement means of escape in case of fire

Part B

Provision should be made to ensure that means of escape in case of fire is maintained and made no worse as a result of a replacement glazing installation. All first floor windows in dwellings should ideally have opening lights large enough to allow you to escape through them if you were trapped in the room by a fire. This also applies to rooms in bungalows which open into a hall (unless the hall itself has an external door through which you could escape).

Householder dwellings

It is essential that existing means of escape in case of fire, is maintained to first floor bedrooms and any room (Inner Room) that only has access through another room (Access Room).

Windows and rooflights

Replacement windows to first floor bedrooms and inner rooms should have sufficiently sized and located openings to ensure that means of escape in case of fire is not made any worse than before the replacement glazing was installed or should meet the current requirements which ever is the lesser.

It is recommended wherever possible that escape windows are installed to at least the current minimum size.

If your existing windows do not have opening lights which meet the above requirements, we would strongly recommend for your own safety, that you take the opportunity to provide them in the replacement windows. This is not a however a requirement of the regulations, which simply state that the replacement windows must be no worse than those they replace in this respect. Where the existing windows already have opening lights which are larger than the above requirements, those in the new windows can be reduced in size provided they are not reduced to less than the dimensions above

Typically accepted standards - current requirements

An opening that is required for means of escape should have a clear unobstructed opening area of 0.33 m² and a minimum width or height of 450mm. For example, if a width of 450 mm is proposed then the height should be at least 733 mm in order to give the area of 0.33 m².

Openings that are required for means of escape should have a maximum floor to sill height of 1100 mm.

Doors

Provision of replacement doors should ensure that means of escape is not made any worse than before the replacement glazing was installed. In most dwellings small reductions in the unobstructed width will not be critical.

Non-domestice buildings

Existing means of escape in case of fire only occasionally relies upon escape through windows. Where this occurs it is essential that means of escape is maintained.

Windows and rooflights

Replacement windows to rooms that rely on escape through windows should have sufficiently sized and located openings to ensure that means of escape in case of fire is not made any worse than before the replacement glazing was installed.

It is recommended where ever possible that escape windows are installed to the current minimum size. Provisions are the same as for dwellings.

Doors

Provision of replacement doors should ensure that means of escape is not made any worse than before the replacement glazing was installed. A replacement door, required for means of escape, should have a clear unobstructed opening width of at least that of the existing.