Should fire exits be used as normal doors?
We’re sometimes asked, incidentally, whether a designated fire exit can also legally be used as a regular entrance/exit door i.e. for every day use. The answer is yes it can – indeed the fact that it is in daily use makes it ideal as an escape route as its location is well known.
Can you use a fire door as a front door?
No. If you don’t already have fire doors in your home, standard doors are fine. However, if you wish to apply extra safety measures to keep you and your family safe, then they are a great addition – you just need to consider the following: * Check the fire door will fit your existing doorframe.
Can an emergency exit be used as an entrance?
In some cases, it is possible that a fire exit door is also used as an entrance, in this case the Door Detective may be integrated into the access control system to allow entry following authorisation using a proximity card or other means of identification, whilst monitoring for tailgating events.
Can you keep a fire exit door open?
Fire exit doors can be left open if desired, although it generally presents a security risk. On the other hand, fire doors should always be closed and have a self latching feature to ensure this happens. Fire doors rarely need to be locked as they are internally fitted and designed purely to stop the spread of fire.
What is the difference between a fire door and a fire exit?
Certified fire doors of solid timber construction are designed to resist the smoke and flames of a fire for a minimum specified length of time, typically 30 minutes (FD30), when closed. A fire exit door on the other hand, is an external door; it can be left open and does not have to be fire resistant.
Do exit doors need to swing out?
Exit route doors must be unlocked from the inside. Side-hinged exit doors must be used to connect rooms to exit routes. These doors must swing out in the direction of exit travel if the room is to be occupied by more than 50 people or if the room is a high-hazard area.
What is the difference between a fire door and a normal door?
Fire doors are given a fire-resistance rating, and are usually made of a combination of glass, gypsum, steel, timber and aluminium. They are designed to be kept closed, and any gaps between the wall and the door must be filled with a fire resistant sealant.
Can anyone fit a fire door?
For fire doors to be an effective method of protection, they have to be not only carefully made but also fitted correctly. However, there is no formal requirement for people who install fire doors to have any particular qualification or accreditation, so anybody – in theory – can take on the task.
What is the law on fire exits?
Fire exit doors must open in the direction of escape and sliding or revolving doors must not be used for exits specifically intended as emergency exits. Fire exit doors must not be locked or fastened in a way that they cannot be easily and immediately opened by any person in an emergency situation.
Do I need 2 fire exits?
The government recommends that you provide more than one fire exit from your premises whenever it’s possible. These exits should be completely independent of each other and have separate escape routes so there’s always a way to evacuate the building in an emergency.
Is it illegal to block a fire exit?
NO sliding, or revolving doors, can be used for exits on a designated escape route or emergency exit. Emergency doors MUST NOT be locked or fastened in a manner that they cannot be easily, and immediately, opened by ANY person who may require to access them in an emergency.
Are final exit doors fire doors?
A final exit door is a door through which persons can escape to an area of total safety. A fire door is provided as part of a safety system, usually within a building, designed to resist the effects of smoke and fire for long enough to allow persons to escape safely and to limit fire damage.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1X0-nxcUexQ