GENERAL
E5.1* A corridor in a building of purpose group 2-7 forming part of an escape route must be subdivided (for purposes of smoke control) by fire doors, and any associated screens which must be fire-resisting as follows -
a. where the corridor provides 2 directions of escape and exceeds 12m in length between the exits it serves in the middle third of the corridor; or
b. where the corridor is a dead end more than 4.5m long and provides access to a point from which more than one direction of escape is possible there must be a fire door across the corridor at that point or points, as shown in the diagram to this standard,
except —
this standard does not apply to a building of purpose groups 2 to 7 where the corridor has a suitable system of pressurisation.
DIAGRAM TO E5.1: DOORS ACROSS escape routes
Diagram
E5.2* An emergency door and a door across an escape route must open in the direction of escape, except -
a. a door other than an emergency door which is a revolving door, an automatic sliding door or an automatic door, as permitted by E3.4, and a sliding door across an escape route to which the public does not have access if it is clearly marked on both sides with a suitable sign; and
b. a door other than an emergency door across an escape route where the escape route is from a room or storey, other than a place of special fire risk, having an occupancy capacity not more than -
i. in a building of purpose groups 2 to 5 or purpose sub-group 7C, fifty; or
ii. in a building of purpose group 6 or purpose sub-group 7A or 7B, ten.
E5.3 A door opening into an escape route must not when being opened and when fully open reduce the width of the escape route to less than that required by E3.6.
METHOD OF SECURING EXIT DOORS
E5.4* a. Where a door across an escape route has to be secured against entry when the building is occupied it must be fitted only with a lock or fastening which is readily operated, without a key, from the side approached by people making an escape,
except -
in the case of a place of lawful detention, and
b. The door must have a suitable notice, on the inside, explaining the operation of the device, and
c. Where the door is in a building of purpose group 2, 3, 4 or 5 and the occupancy capacity of the building exceeds 50, any lock or fastening must be capable of being over-ridden when depressed by hand or body pressure by a bar that extends across the inside face of the door,
except -
in the case of a place of lawful detention.
FIRE DOORS AND DIRECTIONAL SIGNS
E5.5* A fire door in any building must -
a. be self-closing, except -
a lockable fire door to a cupboard or service duct with a plan area not more than 3m2.
b. be clearly marked on both sides with a suitable sign, except -
i. a fire door to, or within, a dwelling;
ii. a fire door to a bedroom;
iii. a fire door described in E5.7;
iv. a fire door in a place of lawful detention
E5.6* An exit containing an emergency door or a protected door giving access to a protected zone or place of safety must -
a. be clearly marked by a suitable sign, and
b. intermediate directional signs should be provided in escape routes so that
c. from any point in the escape route, or if there is no defined escape route, from any point in a circulation area, a space, a room with an occupancy capacity of more than 60, or a storey, a suitably illuminated sign or a suitably illuminated directional sign is clearly visible,
except -
a door between a dwelling and a protected zone or a place of safety.
FIRE DOORS: HOLD OPEN DEVICES
E5.7* A fire door including a protected door but not an emergency door may be held in the open position by a suitable automatic door release mechanism, and must be clearly marked on the visible side when held open with a suitable sign complying with E5.5, except -
a fire door which is a protected door serving -
a. the only escape stair in the building or the only escape stair serving a part of the building; or
b. a fire-fighting shaft.