Inner room definition

Approved document B, Fire Safety, Volume 1 Dwelling houses, defines an 'inner room' as a:

'Room from which escape is possible only by passing through another room (the access room).'

An inner room is at risk if a fire starts in the other room (the access room - that is, a room through which the only escape route from an inner room passes).

This situation may arise with open-plan layouts and galleries.

Such an arrangement is only acceptable where the inner room is:

• A kitchen.
• A laundry or utility room.
• A dressing room.
• A bathroom, WC, or shower room.
• Any room on a storey that is a maximum of 4.5m above ground level which is provided with an emergency escape window as described in paragraph 2.10.
• A gallery that complies with paragraph 2.15.

A room accessed only via an inner room (an inner inner room) is acceptable when all of the following apply:

• It complies with paragraph 2.11.
• The access rooms each have a smoke alarm (see Section 1).
• None of the access rooms is a kitchen.

[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki

• Approved documents.
• Automatic release mechanism.
• Door energy rating.
• Fire detection and alarm systems.
• Fire door.
• Fire Door Inspection Scheme.
• Fire Prevention on Construction Sites.
• Fire protection engineering.
• Joint fire code.
• Separating floor.
• The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.
• Unprotected escape route.
• Visual alarm devices - their effectiveness in warning of fire.