Reply To: BHX Birmingham airport hell; move over, Manchester!

[Lady London]

Oh dear.

It sounds as though Birmingham Airport could be breaching fire regulations.

Given the likely rated capacity of the building I am pretty sure tbey are supposed to not have just lifts available. Even without those lifts being 2/3rd under capacity for the building’s known regular predictable peak traffic at specifically known timings. There must be some stairs, somewhere, so that people can exit from upper floors safely in the event of fire or similar.

I wonder has anyone officially responsible for Fire Inspections in Birmingham area approved this? I’ll bet not. The only way I can see the airport being allowed to continue with this given the safety danger, would be if the number of passengers needing to be inside the building (particularly on floors above ground) gets strictly limited to tbe capacity of the lifts.

So a much smaller total number of flights allowed arriving and / or departing. With the number of flights at BHX particularly needing to be severely reduced at the morning peak.

And that’s even if tbe Local Authority would allow just lifts as the only means of exit. Lifts seem to be warned as will be stopped running in tbe event of fire, everywhere I’ve ever worked. Fire Exits must be clearly signposted and easily visible from all parts of the building. Particularly one to which the public has access. BHX does not sound to have made correct arrangements for protection of the public in the event of fire.

I’m not an expert but perhaps a concerned citizen will phone the DoE or the Local Authority about theae unsafe premises lacking sufficient clearly signed Fire Exits and ways firefighters may rapidly enter the building to assist.

The Press is also coming up to a quiet period for news and might to print something other than the election.