Using anything other than fire rated fail safe or fail secure hardware can lead to injury or even loss of life in an emergency requiring quick evacuation.
Fire doors should be kept locked.
Normally a fire rated door is there for a reason.
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.
Fire exits doors should open easily and wherever possible in the direction of traffic flow.
Chaining the doors shut or blocking them in any way is dangerous and may be a violation of fire safety codes.
Your fire risk assessment should highlight the risks associated with blocking a fire door and more importantly it should include the control measures that will prevent it from happening.
The issue of fire exit doors left standing open is getting regularly confused with the issue of internal fire doors which must be kept shut.
Depending on the circumstances.
Should be kept closed when not in use.
Are held open by an automatic release mechanism.
Fire doors should be routinely inspected to ensure they remain fit for purpose and provide the protection intended.
Goods cannot be put down directly in front of or behind the door.
Fire exits must be easily openable from inside the building.
Your fire doors should also be signed and marked as to whether they.
Should fire doors be locked.
Fire doors should not be locked at all time but it should remain closed as well as there should not be any obstruct and most importantly this fire doors should open only from in to out one way access in order to prevent from possible misuse.
Exits can only have enough doors to allow access from work areas or to the exit discharge.
Finding the doors.
Don t block it or lock it.
However if it is a fire door then access to both sides must be kept clear e g.
The answer is two fold.
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.
By enabling the swift passage of people to a place of safety the final exit.
Are to be kept locked when not in use.
If in this situation the door is kept open th.
To restrict the spread of fire from one fire compartment to the next.
