Travel Distance to Exit Lookup
Travel distance by occupancy, with all three code corrections.
Inputs
Result
Formula
| Lookup | Table 5.5.17 by occupancy × door position |
| Open corridor | add 5 m |
| Open stair | minus 5 m between stairs, minus 2 m at dead ends |
| Sprinklers | add 25% where the whole building is protected |
| Order | apply notes 1 and 2 first, then multiply by 1.25 |
Other occupancy, multi-storey, room between two exits, enclosed corridor, no sprinklers: 40 m base, no correction, so 40 m. With full sprinklers it becomes 40 × 1.25 = 50 m.
FAQ
Why is the dead-end distance so much shorter?
Because there is only one way out. If smoke reaches that exit there is no alternative, so the code keeps the distance short to force more exits or shallower rooms. Entertainment venues get only 9 m, reflecting unfamiliar occupants, high fire load and slow movement.
Is this straight-line or walking distance?
The code says straight line - measured in space on the drawing, ignoring furniture and turns. In practice reviewers may require a measured walking route where the corridor bends sharply or is obstructed, so measuring the actual path is the safe approach.
Is the 25% sprinkler allowance risky?
It assumes full protection and a working system. Sprinklers buy evacuation time by holding the fire small; they do not make people faster. If the system fails, the 25% becomes pure risk, which is why basements, crowded and high-rise buildings usually get both sprinklers and distances well short of the limit.
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Results are estimating aids only and are not a design basis. Construction and final accounts must follow the drawings, the applicable standards and an approved method statement. Anything affecting structural safety, shoring or falsework must be checked by a suitably qualified engineer.