The important thing is that the exit doors are clearly signed.
Should fire exit doors be locked.
Fire exit doors should open in the direction of escape.
Side hinged exit doors must be used to connect rooms to exit routes.
Many use a push bar system that will open the door when pressed down.
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.
There are also additional requirements where the door is the final exit point of a building.
Openings into exits must have self closing fire doors that remain closed but not locked or automatically close at the sound of an alarm the door frame or hardware must be listed or approved by a national testing laboratory.
For example this should not be less than 30 inches and not more than 44 inches above the floor.
Emergency routes and fire exits must be indicated by signs.
However there are two exceptions.
And not only do you have to lock them they also need to be alarmed and in certain cases made to be almost bomb proof.
Fire exit doors can be any colour.
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.
However this presents a problem.
Fire exit routes.
It is against both codes to physically lock doors to prevent an occupant s exit from a building room or space.
They must be free of devices or alarms that could restrict use of the exit route if the device or alarm fails.
In an ideal world you wouldn t have to worry about locking doors but leave one unlocked and you can almost guarantee you ll have uninvited guests.
The final fire exit door must.
Above all equip doors with panic hardware and fire exit hardware.
Exit route doors must be unlocked from the inside.
The first although rare restricts use of an exit.
The door should open in the direction of evacuation.
There should be no locks or catches.
Hardware consisting of bars that extend to at least half of the width of the door leaf.