Fire exit routes.
Should fire exit doors be locked.
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.
The first although rare restricts use of an exit.
However this presents a problem.
Fire exit doors should open in the direction of escape.
Osha requires that the height of an exit must be seven feet.
Exit route doors must be unlocked from the inside.
They must be free of devices or alarms that could restrict use of the exit route if the device or alarm fails.
There should be no locks or catches.
The important thing is that the exit doors are clearly signed.
For example this should not be less than 30 inches and not more than 44 inches above the floor.
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.
Above all equip doors with panic hardware and fire exit hardware.
Hardware consisting of bars that extend to at least half of the width of the door leaf.
Emergency routes and fire exits must be indicated by signs.
Side hinged exit doors must be used to connect rooms to exit routes.
Fire exit doors can be any colour.
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.
Many use a push bar system that will open the door when pressed down.
Fire exits doors should open easily and wherever possible in the direction of traffic flow.
The final fire exit door must.
It is against both codes to physically lock doors to prevent an occupant s exit from a building room or space.
However there are two exceptions.
The door should open in the direction of evacuation.
However in the workplace it may be permissible to have an exit.