Fire exit permanently unlocked

[Guest EllenBrad]

We have a security issue in that there is a door permanently unlocked because it is a fire exit from an enclosed garden. The situation is we are in a shared facility, two companies have a fire exit in the enclosed quadrant and then use the door through a glass walkway to get to the assembly point. Is there a way that we can secure this door but still have a way of opening it in an emergency?

[Tom Sutton]

All doors on escape routes leading towards a final exit should be quick and easy to open without the need for a key. The final exit door of a building usually presents problems because this door requires a higher degree of security and needs to open easily. Consequently manufacturers have produced many devices to solve this problem.

For more information go to http://www.firesafe....nd-fire-safety/ which will explain this more fully.

[Safelincs]

Hi Tom

I think the problem is in this case that people have to flee INTO a building from the outside. This makes secure panic hardware much more difficult. Any ideas?

Kind Regards

Harry

[Tom Sutton]

Hi Harry

This makes the problem far more difficult, one possible way is to use mag-locks which have to be connected into the fire alarm and the locks require to be fail-safe to open. The fire alarm in premises "A" activating the mag-lock in premises "B" and visa versa. Not a total satisfactory solution but maybe better than what exists. There is always problems with these 'Right of Way' agreements and are never totally satisfactory, for instance one premises maybe unoccupied when the other is occupied, the only satisfactory solution is an independent means of escape.

[Guest edbate]

If I am understanding the forum correctly it seems that it might be possible to have a main entrance door which can be defined as a final fire exit even if it is locked with a key from the inside - as opposed to have a push bar, etc, fitted.

I need confirmation of this because we have main front doors on some sites which are open during normal working hours and then locked at the end of the working day.

Its sometimes possible that staff might be working late but we also have alternative final fire exits at these sites which can be accessed by a push bar.

Regards

Ed

[Tom Sutton]

No your understanding is not correct, whilst the premises is occupied, all doors, including the final exit, that may be used for means of escape from the premises in the event of a fire should be easily opened from the inside, without resorting to the use of a key.

However certain device can be used to secure a door which does allow them to be opened, without the need to use a key. Check out http://www.firesafe....nd-fire-safety/ and http://www.ucl.ac.uk...Fire_TN_002.pdf .

Before you install such a device you should conduct a Fire Risk Assessment to ensure the device considered will be satisfactory.