Tag Archives: building regulations

General Safety Issues

CONVERTING A LOFT? READ THROUGH THESE SAFETY TIPS BEFORE YOU BEGIN….(GUEST POST)

Converting A Loft? Read Through These Safety Tips Before You Begin… 

Converting a loft can substantially increase both the value and size of your home. But it’s important to adhere to all building regulations as you go through the process. Simply Loft Ladders offers advice on what you need to know.

A loft conversion is a home improvement that’s fairly easy to execute and also boost’s the equity of your property as well. In addition to following the guidelines of the building regulations, it may be necessary for you to get permission first in order to convert it, although this usually only pertains to listed buildings. Talk to your local city board whether you need permission to convert a loft. Building regulations are the least accepted standards with regard to design and construction regarding loft conversions. Here are the five primary categories they fall in:

1. Fire Safety

Naturally, fire safety is a crucial aspect relative to any converted loft. Therefore, the building regulations are as follows:

– The newly installed walls and floors must be able to resist fire for a minimum of 30 minutes. Also, any door panel that’s glazed should employ fire-resistant glass. 

– All loft conversion plans must include a self-closing fire door. 

– You must incorporate a plausible escape route in case of fire. 

– Every room in the new loft must include a proper escape window which adequately meets the minimum requirements of 18in. x 18in. 

– The new loft must have standard fire alarms properly installed throughout. 

– The escape window must be easily accessed from the outside with a ladder. 

2. Structural Stability

– You must install steel beams in your new loft in order to support the joists. 

– If your new loft is intended to be used for anything other than simply storage, it’s required that you install new ceiling joists. 

– If your new loft is going to be used as a standard living area, then it must be built to spec in order to support a great deal of weight. Therefore, the building regulations demand that the load-bearing walls and joists are strong enough to handle that level of weight. 

3. Loft Staircases

The staircase in your loft is one of the most important features of your newly converted loft, so it’s important that it’s safe. 

– Although there isn’t any standard width that your loft staircase must meet, ideally it should be wide enough to ensure everyone’s safe passageway should there be any kind of an emergency. As a result, the width should be a minimum of 2ft. 

4. Loft Insulation

– The building regulations of every loft conversion states that it must by completely insulated, including each internal wall. 

5. Loft Ventilation

– Newly converted lofts are required to incorporate background and rapid ventilation, which indicates they are required to have a window that equates to 1/20th in size of the entire floor area. 

– The roof in the new loft must be properly ventilated in order to prevent condensation. 

– The insulation and roof must have at least 2in. of air space in between them. This does not apply to older properties where there isn’t any roofing felt. 

– If you intend to install a new bathroom, you must also install mechanical ventilation. 

Follow these guidelines to ensure your new loft is safe as well as beautiful. 

Submitted by Phillippa Carr, a freelance writer, who has published articles on property renovation, home design, and DIY, and currently represents chcbuild.co.uk.

General Safety Issues

FIRE DOORS: ADVANTAGEOUS OR JUST PLAIN IRKSOME? (GUEST POST)

Bad reputation

Fire doors often get a bad reputation due to their bulkiness and impracticality within the workplace, particularly within hectic business environments. It can prove quite an inconvenience if have to barge your way through a cumbersome door that blocks the central office walkway or the main access point between your pub kitchen and bar. 

In these situations it can be tempting to prop open the doors as a means of making a walkway more accessible. However,what many people fail to realise is that by implementing such practices they are actually breaking the law. Many businesses have managed to land themselves with hefty fines for breaking fire regulations after being found guilty of propping open fire doors with door wedges or heavy objects so as to allow for ease of access within the workplace. 

Ironically it seems, it is often those at greatest risk of fire that are most guilty of these wrongdoings. The catering and hospitality industry is of particular threat due to the high-risks associated with working in a kitchen – cooking food, working over open fires and handling flammable substances on a daily basis. It is essential that if a fire breaks out in a kitchen it does not spread to other parts of the premises. Nevertheless it is not uncommon to see fire doors being propped open to allow for the constant influx of people from the kitchen to bar area. 

Why do we need fire doors?

Fire doors are mandatory for a reason; thanks to their heftiness they help to prevent the fire from spreading throughout the building. This buys you some valuable time in which to evacuate the premises and get everyone out safely. In the occurrence of someone becoming trapped inside a building when it is ablaze, a fire door will protect the individual from the extreme heat and harmful fumes emitted, ultimately making the difference between life and death. 

The most common type used within commercial settings is the FD60, which will withstand fire for up to an hour. Building regulations still make reference to FD20 (20 minutes) fire doors, but it is common practise to fit FD30 fire resisting doors as a minimum. All fire doors must have the appropriate proof of performance for the ratings they carry. 

Another great benefit to fire doors is that they prove very effective at sound reduction. This is ideal for those of you that work within a hectic office environment and require some sections of a room to be shut off from the noise – perfect for private meeting areas or for offices within busy call centres. 

The alternative

 If the design of a conventional fire door just isn’t practical within your workplace there are some alternatives that you ought to consider. Regulations state that if you need to keep your fire door open, it should be fitted with a door retainer.  These safety-approved devices, also known as the ‘free door’ will close your fire door automatically when an alarm sounds. This ensures the safety of your staff and means you can go about your daily activities without the worry of breaking any fire regulations.

Our thanks to Kirsty Boden for this information. pb

 

 

Our thanks to Kirsty Boden for this informative article. pb