Locking fire doors

[Harry2434]

Hi ,

A recent meeting in our works canteen the health and safety officer locked the three of the four doors used to exit and enter the canteen,
one of these doors he locked is a designated escape route the doors do not have signage to say how to unlock or lock.

What I'd like to is, this action legal?

Regards
Harry.

 

[gregers]

afaik all/any fire doors that are used as a fire exit must have some form of crash bar fitted.

 

[Harry2434]

afaik all/any fire doors that are used as a fire exit must have some form of crash bar fitted.

Hi gregers,

Thanks for your reply, this is an internal door it does not exit to the outside of the factory. it exits onto the main office corridor from there you can turn either left or right to exit the factory to the car park.

Are you able to advise if the actions of the H&S officer was legal as there were around 150 people in the canteen at the time.

Regards
Harry

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Well gregers is correct in principle but not about crash bar. What is required is a means of always being able to open the door in the event of a fire. So it can have a traditional lock but it needs to have a thumbturn inside to enable unlocking. If the owners need to maintain the security by keeping staff from doing a runner with stock for example it just needs to be connected to the alarm to alert people of a breach.

If it is a fire exit though it should be signposted as such.

You post is lightly unclear tbh.

 

[Harry2434]

Well gregers is correct in principle but not about crash bar. What is required is a means of always being able to open the door in the event of a fire. So it can have a traditional lock but it needs to have a thumbturn inside to enable unlocking. If the owners need to maintain the security by keeping staff from doing a runner with stock for example it just needs to be connected to the alarm to alert people of a breach.

If it is a fire exit though it should be signposted as such.

You post is lightly unclear tbh.

thanks for your reply, to clear up the confusion,
Was the H&SO acting correctly when he locked the doors? with or without all those people in there.

P>S the middle door which is the designated escape route is signed above the door.

Regards
Harry.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

So did the guy lock a door that is on an escape route or is not on an escape route? What legal action are you talking about? Why does it matter if people were in there or not?

 

[Harry2434]

So did the guy lock a door that is on an escape route or is not on an escape route? What legal action are you talking about? Why does it matter if people were in there or not?

This door (the designated escape door) when exited through takes you the shortest route to the car park.

I did not say that legal action is going to be taken, I was enquiring as to whether or not his actions in locking the door (the designated escape route door) was was legal or against health and safety regs as this door is an internal door and dose not itself open to the outside of the building.

Regards
Harry

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

If it is a designated fire exit door then it cannot legally be locked unless provisions previously mentioned in this thread are undertaken.

 

[foxhole]

If it's a fire exit door it cannot have a lock fitted which requires a key to open, unless there is a break glass with electronic door release?

 

[Harry2434]

If it is a designated fire exit door then it cannot legally be locked unless provisions previously mentioned in this thread are undertaken.

Thank you for that answer, thought he was wrong when he said he was not doing anything illeagal.

regards
Harry.

 

[Harry2434]

If it's a fire exit door it cannot have a lock fitted which requires a key to open, unless there is a break glass with electronic door release?

Hi foxhole,

It dose not require a key it is fitted with a TT lock

Regards
Harrry

 

[Mlacarpentry]

Can the door be opened from the inside once it is locked if no then it is a not allowed due to you cannot escape. Its a fire exit for a reason.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

It dose not require a key it is fitted with a TT lock

So by TT lock presumably you mean

it can have a traditional lock but it needs to have a ThumbTurn inside to enable unlocking.

 

[Alarm]

All fire exits have to be clearly marked. The method of escape shown.
They may have "deadlocks" but have to be disabled when persons are on the premises.
What the person did was not within H & S regulations.

If a fire officer had conducted an inspection during the period mentioned he could have closed the building down.

 

[Harry2434]

All fire exits have to be clearly marked. The method of escape shown.
They may have "deadlocks" but have to be disabled when persons are on the premises.
What the person did was not within H & S regulations.

If a fire officer had conducted an inspection during the period mentioned he could have closed the building down.

Thank you Alarm for that uncomplicated and direct answer, as a member of our company's health and safety committee I can now bring this to their attention and ensure there is no repeat of this action.
Thank you again
Regards
Harry.