In a Ukrainian school, corridors and recreation areas are first of all escape routes, and only then free floor space for benches and soft seating. The Fire Safety Rules for educational institutions (Order of the Ministry of Education and Science No. 974 of 15.08.2016) list corridors, staircases, lobbies, foyers, halls and vestibules as escape routes; the technical requirements come from the national Fire Safety Rules (Order of the Ministry of Internal Affairs No. 1417 of 30.12.2014).
What is explicitly prohibited
Clause 2.37 of Rules No. 1417 does not allow: obstructing escape routes with furniture, equipment or materials; placing cloakrooms, coat hooks or dryers in exit lobbies, or storing any inventory there; building storerooms and fitted cupboards in common corridors (the only exception is cabinets for utility services, and flammable materials may not be stored in them); installing mirrors or false doors along escape routes; creating thresholds, projections, turnstiles or other devices that hinder evacuation. Fixed bars on the windows of corridors, halls and vestibules are also prohibited.
What is allowed
Benches along the wall, mobile poufs and modular sofas in widened sections of the corridor, wall-mounted shelves and information boards, individual lockers placed along the wall, small tables for board games. One criterion applies to all of them: the furniture must not narrow the escape route or block access to exits and fire extinguishers. Clause 2.24 requires evacuation passages to staircases to be maintained whenever equipment is placed in a room.
Sanitary requirements
Under the Sanitary Regulation for general secondary education institutions (Order of the Ministry of Health No. 2205 of 25.09.2020): air temperature in recreation areas is 16–18 °C, in the vestibule and cloakroom 16–19 °C, relative humidity 40–60 %; recreation areas are ventilated during lessons; the required illuminance for recreation areas is 150 lux. Furniture must have no sharp edges or chips, damaged items must be replaced, and surfaces must withstand detergents and disinfectants.
Materials and procurement
Carpets and runners in corridors and staircases must be fixed to the floor and have moderate smoke-generating capacity (clause 2.28). Fire extinguisher quotas are calculated, among other things, per 30 linear metres of corridor, foyer, hall or recreation area — access to them must stay clear. In a tender specification it is worth fixing the maximum depth of a bench or locker, rounded edges, surface resistance to disinfectants, stability against tipping and wall fixing for tall units. In Prozorro such items are usually procured under CPV code 39160000-1 "School furniture".
FAQ
Can benches and poufs be placed in a school corridor? Yes, provided they do not obstruct the escape route; the layout is checked against the school evacuation plan.
Can coat hooks be installed in the entrance lobby? No — clause 2.37 explicitly prohibits cloakrooms, coat hooks and dryers in exit lobbies.
What temperature is required in recreation areas? 16–18 °C, and 16–19 °C in the vestibule and cloakroom, at 40–60 % relative humidity.