Building regs - fire escape for a bathroom ?

[Firsttimer]

With our upstairs bathroom the current window design wouldn't allow fire escape access.

 

Reading section 2.9.4 of the guidance:

 

 https://www.gov.scot/publications/building-standards-technical-handbook-2022-domestic/2-fire/2-9-escape/

 

I'm interpreting this as saying we would need to have a fire escape window. 

 

Our architect says that we don't need one - but I can't find anything to back this up in the BS handbook.

 

Does anyone know ?

 

The bathroom connects to a corridor (does this then count as a circulation space ??).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Big Jimbo]

As far as i know, you don't need an escape window in a bathroom in England, because it is not a habitable room.

[ProDave]

Quote

Therefore, an escape window should be provided in every apartment on an upper storey at a height of not more than 4.5m above the adjacent ground. However this is not necessary where there is an alternative route of escape from the apartment to other circulation spaces or to other rooms.

Occupants within an inner room can become trapped where there is an outbreak of fire in the adjoining access room. Therefore, every inner room on a storey at a height of not more than 4.5m above the adjacent ground level should be provided with an escape window unless the inner room has an alternative route of escape.

A bathroom is not an apartment, it is an inner room.

 

If the bathroom links to an apartment with a means of escape window (e.g. an en-suite), or directly to e.g the stairs then out, no escape window needed.

 

[Firsttimer]

20 hours ago, ProDave said:

A bathroom is not an apartment, it is an inner room.

 

If the bathroom links to an apartment with a means of escape window (e.g. an en-suite), or directly to e.g the stairs then out, no escape window needed.

 

Awesome, thanks. This was confirmed with the building standards officer.