Fire Escape Regulations in the UK

In the event of a fire, ensuring the safe and efficient evacuation of everyone on the premises is paramount, without relying on the fire and rescue service. 

Thoughtfully planned escape routes are essential, enabling individuals to swiftly move away from the fire and find safety, often through protected stairways leading to designated fire exits.

In this blog, we look into the fire escape regulations in the UK, providing information on what is required to ensure a compliant fire escape system. 

What is a fire escape route?

A fire escape route is a designated pathway or series of pathways within a building that provides a safe and quick means of evacuation in the event of a fire, or other emergency, so that occupants can reach a place of safety.

Fire escape routes are carefully planned out, typically including corridors, internal fire doors, stairwells, and fire exit doors leading to outdoor areas or designated assembly points. 

They are designed to be easily accessible, well-lit, and free from obstruction to facilitate a swift evacuation.

Established evacuation routes must accommodate all individuals, including those with disabilities, necessitating additional measures such as evacuation chairs. This requires thorough planning and training for staff members and is an important part of a building's fire evacuation plan.

Regular maintenance and clear signage is essential to ensure that fire escape routes remain effective and reliable in emergency situations.

Find out how often you should check your fire escape route.

What are fire escape regulations in the UK?

Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005

Fire escapes and exits for all buildings in the UK are governed by the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (FSO).

As outlined in the FSO, the responsible person must ensure that routes that lead to emergency exits and the exits themselves adhere to the following requirements–

• They must lead as directly and as quickly as possible to a place of safety
• The number, distribution and dimensions of emergency routes and exits must be adequate in regard to the use, equipment and dimensions of the building and the maximum number of persons who may be present at any one time
• Emergency doors must open in the direction of the escape and not be sliding or revolving
• Emergency routes and exit doors must be clearly labelled with signs
• Emergency exit doors must be easily and immediately opened by any persons
• They must be kept clear of obstructions and flammable materials at all times
• Any routes and exits that require illumination must have emergency lighting in case of a power failure

A protected means of escape should be part of every fire strategy, whether the premises is small or large. 

Your local fire and rescue authorities can provide guidance on regulations for your building, and how you can implement an efficient fire evacuation plan.

How many fire exits does a building need?

The determination of how many fire exits a building requires depends on various factors such as its size, occupancy and layout. 

While there is no fixed number, fire safety regulations provide best practices and minimum requirements for business owners and building managers to follow. 

Typically, buildings are recommended to have multiple fire exits strategically located throughout the premises, and all exits should have separate escape routes to minimise the risk of a blockage and ensure a more orderly evacuation.

Consideration should be given to the number of occupants in the building and the distance they would need to travel to reach the nearest fire exit. 

In situations where travel distances are restricted and the building accommodates fewer than 60 people, a single escape route may be acceptable.

A general rule is that there should be access to an escape route every:

• 60 metres if you have several fire exits and there’s a low chance of fire
• 25 metres if you have several fire exits and there’s a high chance of fire
• 25 metres if it’s the only fire exit and there’s a low chance of fire
• 12 metres if it’s the only fire exit and there’s a high chance of fire

New changes to Approved Document B were published in March 2024, making it clear that flats should have more than one common staircase in buildings over 18m, or where flat entrance doors are not separated from the common stair by a protected lobby or where a maximum travel distance of 7.5m in one direction, or 30m in multiple directions is not exceeded.

Find out more about the changes scheduled to take effect on 30th September 2026 for England only.

What types of doors are on fire escape routes?

Internal fire doors

Internal fire doors are designed to compartmentalise a building, effectively slowing down the spread of fire and smoke. They also serve to protect escape routes for a designated period, providing occupants with crucial time to evacuate safely during a fire emergency.

Escape route doors must remain unlocked, open in the direction of travel, and be equipped with suitable ironmongery in correlation with the door’s fire rating to ensure they operate effectively during a fire emergency.

Regular wear and tear can cause defects that compromise their ability to contain fire and smoke, emphasising the need for regular maintenance checks to address any issues. 

Find out more about fire door regulations in the UK.

Final exit doors 

Unlike internal fire doors, fire exit doors are designed to open outward as easily and quickly as possible to allow for an efficient evacuation rather than to contain smoke and flames.

Building Regulations and British Standards provide guidance on the width of fire exit doors, which is important to avoid blockages and crushing during a panic situation.

The Fire Safety Order stipulates that fire exits ‘must not be so locked or fastened that they cannot be easily and immediately opened by any person who may require to use them’, necessitating the use of panic exit hardware for effortless operation.

However, exits might need securing from the outside to prevent unauthorised entry. For this purpose, outside access devices are specially designed for use with internal panic hardware.

Fire exit doors are often marked with illuminated signs to ensure they are easily identifiable during an emergency as they may not be situated along the usual path of traffic during normal operation of the premises.

It's crucial for fire exit doors to remain unobstructed at all times to ensure a clear and safe escape for building occupants.

How we can help

At FireSealsDirect we pride ourselves in being passive fire protection experts, and supply a wide range of products to help increase fire protection in buildings across the UK.

Need some help or advice? Contact our technical team at [email protected] or call us on 02920 857 959 for more information.

Alternatively you can visit our Advice Centre which contains helpful guides and information.