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Dave Jones
Member - 1 post
Hi,
In my place of work, we have three floors. There is one staircase between all floors and a lift. Exits to the building are limited to a front door on the first floor and an exit into the car park underneath the building.
There are rumours that as there is only one route out of the building that this constitutes a failure in fire regulations. We have no fire escape. If a fire was to break out, for example, on the stairwell there would be no way out except the window!
Now, I work to live, I don't live to work, so I don't really want my place of work to be my grave, however slight the risk may be. But... these things happen. I am within my rights to refuse to enter the building until it meets regulations? And if so, would my employer be within their rights to fire me or refuse to pay me my full wages?
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Kevin Brown
Member - 73 posts
Hi Dave
I'm assuming that your place of work is large enough for your employers to be covered by the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order and therefore obliged to carry out Fire Risk Assessments. The fire safety measures that flow from these assessments will vary widely from building to building, based on the number of people employed, the building's physical characteristics, the fire safety procedures and equipment in place and the level of risk.
Escape routes should be designed to ensure, as far as possible, that any person confronted by fire anywhere in the building, should be able to turn away from it and escape to a place of reasonable safety, e.g. a protected stairway. From there they will be able to go directly to a place of total safety away from the building. Your staircase needs to match these criteria (and probably does). As long as the safeguards (fire doors etc) are in place and used correctly (i.e. not propped open to ventilate the interior etc) and your protected staircase is kept clear of combustible materials the escape route is viable.
For a fire to break out in your stairwell (which seems to be your worst case scenario), it needs three things, a source of ignition, fuel and oxygen. If any one of those three is missing you've prevented your fire. Removing the oxygen isn't going to happen, so eliminate anything that could become fuel and any sources of ignition. No combustible materials stored in the stairwell, no radiant heaters etc ... and of course, no smoking.
The bottom line is that if your employer has arranged for a comprehensive and relevant Fire Risk Assessment and is satisfied that the precautions taken and emergency procedures in place are adequate you would need a compelling argument to challenge them.
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