Fire Exit Door Lock Regulations Uk
What is a fire exit a fire exit is usually defined as a means of exiting a building in the event of a fire or a door that is used to let people out of a building when there is a fire.
Fire exit door lock regulations uk. Fire doors must only be fitted with door hardware fire rated in accordance with. In most situations this is the case. Any of the methods listed can provide a legal appropriate locking solution for an exterior fire door. With that in mind this article aims to set the record straight by letting you know the ins and outs and explaining everything in a way that everyone can understand.
Fire door safety week 2017 which runs from 25 th september to 1 st october aims to raise awareness of just how crucial fire doors are encourages owners and users to check their fire doors and needs your help to spread the word we re doing our bit to help by making sure fire door regulations for businesses are explained. Fire doors are inside buildings residential and commercial and are internal doors that need to be kept closed in order to stop the spread of fire between different areas of a building. There is a lot of confusion out there relating to fire door regulations for domestic and non domestic properties in the uk at the moment. The nfpa emergency exit door requirements code states there is a maximum travel distance allowed to find an exit.
This access to exit requirements seeks to minimize occupants exposure to these and other hazards. This order reforms the law relating to fire safety in non domestic premises. Contrary to what some might believe there is a difference between fire doors and fire exit doors. Any door opening on to an escape route or operating across an escape route is likely to be designated as a fire resisting door to ensure that persons using the route have protection from fire while they escape.
Making sure you have a suitable locking mechanism on your fire exit door is vital for safety and legal compliance. Fire door standards and legislative requirements. It replaces fire certification under the fire precautions act 1971 with a general duty to ensure so far as is reasonably practicable the safety of employees a general duty in relation to non employees to take such fire precautions as may reasonably be required in the circumstances to ensure that premises are safe. A requirement of building regulations.
The exception being locks in childcare facilities which may be 1500mm 1650mm high as necessary. Door lock heights on exit doors fire doors path of travel doors and disabled access doors now have a standardised lock height of 900mm 1100mm. After evacuation fire resisting doors should continue to provide some. For instance you simply operate the door handle of the door leading from an office and pass through.
If you need assistance with your fire doors or other support on ensuring an appropriate fire protection system is in place we. All doors on escape routes leading towards a final exit should be quick and easy to open without the need for a key.