general & emergency door locks / fittings used for escape

UCL Fire Technical Note - TN002

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Date Last Amended: Dec 15 1.

Issued by the - Fire Safety Manager, UCL Estates, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT - This guide is to be regarded as a general statement of requirements and is in addition to relevant British Standards or any other instructions received from the Local Fire or Building Control Authorities.

Fire Safety Technical Guide

GENERAL & EMERGENCY DOOR LOCKS / FITTINGS USED FOR ESCAPE

Notes on Fire Escape Door Locks In general, doors on escape routes (whether or not the doors are fire doors), should either not be fitted with lock, latch or bolt fastenings; or, they should only be fitted with simple fastenings that can be readily operated from the side approached by people making an escape.

Where a door on an escape route has to be secured against entry when the building or part of the building is occupied, it should only be fitted with a lock or fastening which is readily operated, without a key, from the side approached by people making their escape. Similarly, where a secure door is operated by a code, combination, swipe or proximity card, biometric data or similar means, it should also be capable of being overridden from the side approached by people making their escape.

The operation of these fastenings should be readily apparent without the use of a key and without having to manipulate more than one mechanism to unlock the door i.e. no multi locking devices such as thumb turn + bolts etc.

In the case of places of assembly, shops and commercial buildings, doors on escape routes from rooms with an occupant capacity of more than 60 persons should either not be fitted with lock, latch or bolt fastenings; or, be fitted with suitable panic / crush furniture that opens when pressure is applied (i.e. push bars or push paddles) in accordance with BS EN 1125-1997.

Doors should open in direction of escape where practicable. Where more than 60 persons may use the escape such as ‘places of assembly’ (theatres, public areas seminars exhibitions, shops etc.) must open in direction of escape.

In non-residential buildings, it may also be appropriate to accept on some final exit door locks for security that are used only when the building is empty. In these cases, the emphasis for the safe use of these locks must be placed on management procedures.

Hierarchal Locking Guidance

1. Free From Fastenings (FFF) - doors used for escape to be free from any locking devices (as per UCL fire plans iaw BS1635);

2. Emergence Fastening (EF) - doors used for escape to be provided if necessary with a simple locking device which operated from the outside by a key and from the inside by a knob or lever (i.e. night latch, thumb turn, push pads) etc. (as per UCL fire plans iaw BS1635);

2. Push Bar (PB) (Panic) - doors used for escape to be provided if necessary, with a panic opening device where escape from a place of assembly or large numbers of people escaping. They are simple locking devices which operated from the inside by a push bar / paddle so that if crushed against by occupants will unlock the door in direction of escape (as per UCL fire plans iaw BS1635);

3. Emergence Fastening (EF) (Electronic) - secure door is operated by a code, combination, swipe or proximity card, biometric data or similar means. Electrically powered locks should return to the unlocked position:

(a). on operation of the fire alarm system;

(b). on loss of power or system error;

(c). on activation of a manual door release unit (generally a green box release (see UCL Fire Safety Technical Note TN001) positioned at the door on the side approached by people making their escape. Where the door provide is escape in either direction, a unit should be installed on both sides of the door.

4. Emergence Fastening (EF) (Frangible) - in existing (not new) buildings it may be necessary to provide a degree of security for exceptional or very infrequent use on doors used for escape where electronic release is too expensive or not practicable. Usually, a simple locking device which operated from the escape side by first a removing a cover or breaking glazed unit with a hammer to release a knob or lever (see UCL Fire Safety Technical Note TN003 and as per UCL fire plans iaw BS1635).

UCL Fire Technical Note - TN002 ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________



1.0. Emergency Door Furniture

1.1. Emergency door furniture is provided on certain doors to allow occupants to pass through the door in an emergency without the need to use a key. These emergency doors are fitted with escape devices that usually maintain security and restrict access in one or both directions. Furthermore, their design varies with the age of the building, doors and specific design requirements at the time of installation.

1.2. Staff, students and visitors that are unfamiliar with the design and purpose of these door releases, often has difficulty in operating or releasing these devices in the event of an emergency. The purpose of this guidance note is to assist with visual and descriptive information on their safe and effective operation.

Sign / Picture Description, Uses and Conventions

GREEN BOX (EMERGENCY DOOR RELEASE)

Use - Electromagnetic Door Locks are provided where internal or final exit doors requiring the use of a security proximity card, code or by operating a release button (see TN004 for further details).

Operation - break glass (or new plastic type) by firmly pressing the glass with thumb. (Note - where glass is used, it is covered with protective plastic film, which will not cause injury when used as directed).

Safety - doors fitted with this type of release mechanism will release on activation of the fire alarm. The activation of the green box release may activate a security warning alarm - ignore the alarm if it is a genuine emergency.

Signage - look for a green 'safe condition’’ sign with white 20 mm lettering complying with BS 7273-4.

Information - design, wiring and maintenance is to be to BS 7273-4, which also allows for some doors in recognised secure areas not to fail open on activation of the fire alarm. There will be a number of areas within UCL where these doors will not fail safe on activation of the fire alarm for security reasons. However, the activation of the adjacent green box will release the doors.




Emergency Door Furniture (Cont):


ASSA DOME

Use - fitted to internal or final exit doors, which are to be opened and used ONLY in an emergency. (Note - often a ‘passkey’ can be used to open the door without operating or damaging the dome).

Operation - place finger & thumb in the recess and twist plastic dome clockwise to break small plastic pins. (Note - plastic cover will help give purchase to small latch underneath and allow the door to be opened). Latch can often be stiff and on some doors, the latch needs to be turned anti-clockwise to operate.

Safety - these locks may also activate a security warning alarm but ignore this alarm if a genuine emergency. Do not use tape or adhesive to fix dome back into position, as it requires special pins to secure it (available through Access Systems Manager, the UCL Fire Safety Manager or through the nearest ASSA Stockist Ref: 80 63 26).

Signage - look for green 'safe condition’’ sign, which indicates the direction of turn for the dome to open door.

UNION DOME

Use - fitted to internal or final exit doors, which are to be opened and used ONLY in an emergency. (Note - often a ‘passkey’ can be used to open the door without operating or damaging the dome).

Operation - strike plastic dome from above to remove dome & reveal lever underneath; push down on latch to the open door.

Safety - latch can often be stiff to operate. These locks may also activate a security warning alarm but ignore this alarm if a genuine emergency. Do not use tape or adhesive to fix dome in place, the dome needs to be replaced once used (domes available through Access Systems Manager, the UCL Fire Safety Manager or through the nearest Union Stockist Ref: J8070-1).

Signage - look for green 'safe condition’ sign, which indicates the direction of turn for the dome to open door.

UCL no longer supply or fit these types of locks - however, there are a few legacy units still in use across the UCL Estate






THUMB TURNS (ALL TYPES OF DOORS)

Use - fitted to internal or final exit doors and provides escape in one direction at all times without the need for a key (Note - the 'Thumb Turn' comes in many shapes and styles, but the basic principal of operation are all similar).

Operation - turn 'thumb turn' latch using finger and thumb in a 'clockwise' (or sometimes ‘anti-clockwise’) direction to unlock the door and open the door as normal.

Safety - sometimes the latch can be stiff to turn; try pushing / pulling against the door to release pressure on lock tongue, and then turn latch (Note - this type of latch is not to be used where large numbers of occupants (60+) are likely to use the door for escape).

Signage - look for green 'safe condition’’ sign, which indicates the 'direction of turn to release the lock to open the door (see below).






PUSH BARS

'Push Bar' furniture is provided at doors where large numbers of persons may be pushed (crushed) against the door. The 'push bars' are designed to release and open the doors in the direction of escape using small amounts of pressure applied to the bars by occupants. Normally found in Assembly Areas (Bars / Halls / Escape Stairs) at final exits to safety. This type of furniture is not suitable for continuous / everyday use by occupants, but designed for occasional emergency use only.






PUSH PADDLES

Use - fitted to internal or final exit doors that are to be opened and used ONLY in an emergency.

Operation - push the 'plate or paddle' with palm of hand, to open the doors. This type of furniture is not suitable for continuous / everyday use by occupants, but designed for occasional emergency use only.

Signage - look for green 'safe condition’’ signs, which indicates 'push to open door'.

'D' or PULL HANDLE

Use - fitted to internal or final exit doors and is useful for opening the door by providing purchase (pulling or pushing) the door to take tension of latch mechanism. These handles can also be used to give control on heavy doors, or to allow door to be pulled shut.

ASSA / UNION DOMES - SIGNAGE

New Signage - look for green 'safe condition’’ signs that indicate whether you need to strike, break or twist the dome cover to reveal latch below.

Turn latch to release and open door.




Emergency Door Furniture (Cont.):


WINCHESTER BREAK GLASS - EMERGENCY RELEASE

Use - these older types of release furniture are still used in a number of locations on both internal and final exit doors and are used ONLY in an emergency.

Operation - breaking the glass will release a locking tongue, but you may need to the push or pull the door to release tension on lock tongue.

Safety - beware of glass shards when glass panels are broken. A hammer should be provided to assist in breaking the glass and to protect user from cuts and abrasions.

Signage - look for green 'safe condition’’ sign that indicates 'break glass to open door'.

Safety Note - if you discover a similar type of lock without a hammer attached, contact the UCL Fire Safety Manager at [email protected] for hammer to be replaced.

Replacement Wincher Glasses Available from:

T& A Architectural Ironmongers Unit 9 The Gryphon Industrial Park Porters Wood St Albans Herts, AL3 6XZ Tel: 01727 - 867887 Email: [email protected]

UCL no longer supply or fit these types of locks - however, there are a few legacy units still in use across the UCL Estate




Emergency Door Furniture (Cont.):


RADLAM BOLT

Use - fitted to internal or final exit doors to be opened and used ONLY in an emergency.

Operation - strike with hammer or other heavy object to break the glass / ceramic tube allowing the lock tongue to be released. The door may need to be pulled or pushed to release tension on the bolt and open.

Safety - beware of glass shards when glass panels are broken. A hammer should be provided to assist in breaking the glass and to protect user from cuts and abrasions.


Safety Note: If you discover a similar type of lock without a hammer attached then contact the UCL Fire Safety Manager at [email protected] for hammer to be replaced.

UCL no longer supplies or fit Radlam Bolts locks - however, there are a few legacy units

still in use across the UCL Estate

Guardian Lock Supplied by Imperial Locks - see UCL Fire Safety Technical Note TN003 for

further details of designs and contact information

STANDARD BREAK GLASS - EMERGENCY RELEASE

Use - this type of release furniture is in use in a number of locations on internal or final exit doors that are used ONLY in an emergency.

Operation - on breaking the glass, a door release lever will be exposed. The lever needs to be moved to release the door, then push door to open.

Safety - beware of glass shards (although new glass in toughened so breaks in to small units like card windscreens) when glass panels are broken. A hammer should be provided to assist in breaking the glass and to protect user from cuts and abrasions.


Note - on some older door units, the glass is coloured Orange or Opaque - not Green.

Safety Note - if you discover a similar type of lock without a hammer attached, contact the UCL Fire Safety Manager at [email protected] for hammer to be replaced.

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general & emergency door locks / fittings used for escape