Ties around fire exit door handles

[Guest Yvonnemc]

i went in to my local sports world and noticed fire exit doors locked with plastic tie raps

[Safelincs]

Hi Yvonne

As long as they are of a type that breaks easily that would be quite ok. See http://www.safelincs.co.uk/fire-exit-door-security-seal/

These are used to indicate if anybody has opened the doors unauthorised and to discourage unauthorised use (eg for a smoke).

If you need a knife or similar to break them, then that would not be allowed as it would delay the evacuation in an emergency.

Harry

[Guest Krystal]

Please can you advise me on whether it is ok for my college to zip tie the fire exit doors shut? I am trying to stand up to this and am being told it is acceptable. I believe it is not.

[Safelincs]

Hi Krystal,

if the zip tie is designed so that it breaks easily when the door is opened, then this is common practice to detect abuse of fire exits.

Harry