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

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

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.

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