Fire Escape Regulations: External Steel Fire Escapes Explained

An external steel fire escape is often the most practical way to give an upper floor a second way out. Before one is designed, it helps to know which rules apply, who signs it off, and what drives the design.

Which regulations apply

Two sets of rules cover fire escapes in England:

• The Building Regulations. A new fire escape, or a change to an existing one, is building work. Approved Document B (fire safety) covers means of escape: how many escape routes a building needs, how wide they are and how they're protected. Approved Document K covers the stair itself: steepness, handrails and guarding.
• The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. This applies to existing non-domestic buildings. The "responsible person", usually the owner, employer or landlord, must keep escape routes in working order, and the fire risk assessment is often what shows a second escape route is needed in the first place.

Wales and Scotland have their own equivalents, which follow the same principles.

Who decides what's needed

The fire risk assessment or a fire engineer identifies the need. A structural engineer designs the stair and its fixings. Building control, either the local authority or an approved inspector, checks the design and inspects the finished work. We fabricate and install to that design and can work with your engineer from the start.

What the design has to cover

Width and capacity. Escape stairs are sized for the number of people who might need to use them at once. Approved Document B sets the minimum widths, so a stair serving a busy floor will be wider than one serving a small office.

Protection from the building. An external stair is only safe if a fire inside can't cut it off. Approved Document B sets out where walls, doors and windows near the stair need to be fire-resisting, and doors onto the stair should be easy to open without a key, generally opening in the direction of escape.

The stair itself. Approved Document K sets limits on the rise and going of each step so the stair isn't too steep, and requires handrails and guarding at the right heights. Treads on an external stair need to stay slip-resistant in rain and frost, which is why open steel grating and chequer plate are common.

Weather. Higher external escape stairs may need protection from the weather, so they stay usable in ice and snow.

Spiral stairs. Spiral and helical stairs are only acceptable as escape routes in limited circumstances. If space is tight, talk to the engineer early.

Materials and finish

External fire escapes are almost always steel, usually hot-dip galvanised to protect against corrosion. Many are then powder coated as well, which adds colour and extra protection. On the coast or in exposed sites the coating specification matters even more.

The stair is fabricated in sections in the workshop, delivered, and bolted together and fixed to the building on site. That keeps disruption to the building short.

Looking after an existing fire escape

A fire escape has to work on the one day it's needed, so the responsible person should have it checked regularly. Look for:

• rust, especially at fixings, welds and where steel meets the wall
• loose or damaged treads, handrails or guarding
• doors onto the stair that stick, are locked or are blocked
• anything stored on the stair or at the bottom of it

Corroded fixings are the most serious problem, because the stair depends on them. If you find damage, have it assessed before relying on the stair.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need building regulations approval for a fire escape? Yes. A new fire escape, or a significant change to one, is building work and needs building regulations approval. See do I need building regs for a steel beam for how the approval process works.

Can a fire escape be added to an existing building? Usually, yes. It's one of the most common reasons for one. The design has to suit the building's structure and the fire strategy, so start with the fire risk assessment and a survey.

Galvanised or painted? Galvanised, in almost every case, often with a powder coat on top. Paint alone needs far more maintenance on an external stair.

How long does a fire escape take? Most of the time goes on design and approval. Fabrication and installation are usually the quicker part, and installation on site is often a matter of days.

Do you design and install fire escapes? Yes. We fabricate and install external steel fire escapes to UKAS-approved EN1090-1 Execution Level 3, working with your engineer and building control. See our staircases and fire escapes service or get in touch.