Should Fire Exit Doors Be Locked
However there are two exceptions.
Should fire exit doors be locked. There are also additional requirements where the door is the final exit point of a building. Fire exits doors should open easily and wherever possible in the direction of traffic flow. The latch of a door in a means of egress can also be retracted by knob handle or other simple type of releasing device the method of operation of which is obvious even in darkness. Fire exit doors must not be locked whilst a building is in use however when a building is unoccupied it can be locked as securely as required.
The same requirements as above will apply to a fire exit door. The building therefore has one fire exit per 4000m 2 of floor space. The need for outward opening fire exit doors official guidance to the rro from the communities and local government department recommends that that all doors on escape routes should open in the direction of escape but states that this is particularly important if more than 60 people use them or they provide an exit from a high fire risk area. However if it is a fire door then access to both sides must be kept clear e g.
Using a fire door for goods inwards. It is against both codes to physically lock doors to prevent an occupant s exit from a building room or space. If it is a security door that is usually kept locked but will be used by members of the public in an emergency situation it will have to be fitted with a panic or push bar. Many use a push bar system that will open the door when pressed down.
The first although rare restricts use of an exit. Any sort of obstruction like drapery posters or anything else is expressly forbidden. Goods cannot be put down directly in front of or behind the door. The main public escalators don t count as fire exits as the doors may be locked during less busy periods.
Any sort of obstruction like drapery posters or anything else is expressly forbidden. If dramatic security measures like chains padlocks or steel bars are required the first person entering the building in the morning must remove all of these. Knowing where the emergency exits are in buildings can save lives. The design of exit access doors that lead to emergency exit doors need to be clearly recognizable.
The door should open in the direction of evacuation. There should be no locks or catches.