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UCL Fire Technical Note No: 002
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________Date
Last Amended: Jul 12 1.
Issued by the - Fire Officer, UCL Estates, Gower Street, London,
WC1E 6BT - This guide is to be regarded as a general statement of
requirements and isin addition to relevant British Standards or any
other instructions received from the Local Fire or Building Control
Authorities.
Fire SafetyTechnical Guide
GENERAL & EMERGENCY DOORLOCKS / FITTINGS USED FOR ESCAPE
1.0. EMERGENCY DOOR FURNITURE
1.1. Emergency door furniture is provided on certain doors to
allow occupants to pass throughthe door in an emergency without the
need to use a key. These emergency doors arefitted with escape
devices that usually maintain security and restrict access in one
or bothdirections. Furthermore, their design varies with the age of
the building, doors and specificdesign requirements at the time of
installation.
1.2. It has been found that staff, students and visitors that
are unfamiliar with the design andpurpose of these door releases,
often finding it difficult to operate these devices in theevent of
an emergency. The purpose of this guidance note is to provide
staff, students andvisitors with visual and descriptive information
on their safe and effective operation.
Sign / Picture Description, Uses and Conventions
GREEN BOX (EMERGENCY DOOR RELEASE)
Use: Provided where Electromagnetic Door Locksare fitted to
internal or final exit doors, and the door
cannot be opened without using a swipe card, code orby operating
a 'normal' release button. Normallypositioned by the door in the
direction of escape.
Operation: break glass (or new plastic type) by firmlypressing
the glass with thumb. (Note:where glass isused, it is covered with
protective plastic film, whichwill not cause injury when used as
directed).
Safety: doors fitted with this type of releasemechanism will
release on activation of the firealarm. The activation of the green
boxrelease mayactivate a security warning alarm - ignore the alarm
if
it is a genuine emergency.
Signage: look for a green 'safe conditionsign withwhite 20 mm
lettering complying with BS 7273: Part 4.
Information: design, wiring and maintenance is to beto BS 7273:
Part 4, which also allows for some doorsin recognised secure areas
not to fail open onactivation of the fire alarm. There will be a
number ofareas within UCL where these doors will not fail safeon
activation of the fire alarm for security reasons.However, the
activation of the adjacent green box will
release the doors.
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UCL Fire Technical Note No:
002___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________Date
Last Amended: Jul 12 2.
Issued by the - Fire Officer, UCL Estates, Gower Street, London,
WC1E 6BT - This guide is to be regarded as a general statement of
requirements and isin addition to relevant British Standards or any
other instructions received from the Local Fire or Building Control
Authorities.
Emergency Door Furniture (Cont):
Sign / Picture Description, Uses and Conventions
ASSA DOME
Use: fitted to internal or final exit doors, which areto be
opened and used ONLY in an emergency.(Note:often a passkey can be
used to open thedoor without operating or damaging the dome).
Operation : place finger & thumb in the recess andtwist
plastic dome clockwise to break small plasticpins. (Note:plastic
cover will help give purchase tosmall latch underneath and allow
the door to beopened). Latch can often be stiff and on somedoors
the latch needs to be turned anti-clockwise tooperate.
Safety: these locks may also activate a securitywarning alarm -
ignore this alarm if a genuineemergency. Do not use tape or
adhesive to fixdome back into position - only special pinsmust be
used (available through Access Systems,the UCL Fire Officer or
through the nearest ASSAStockist Ref: 80 63 26).
Signage: Look for green 'safe condition sign,which indicates the
direction of turn for the dome toopen door.
UNION DOME
Use: fitted to internal or final exit doors, which areto be
opened and used ONLY in an emergency.Note: often a passkey can be
used to open thedoor without operating or damaging the dome.
Operation : strike plastic dome from above toremove dome &
reveal lever underneath; pushdown on latch to the open door.
Safety: latch can often be stiff to operate. Theselocks may also
activate a security warning alarm -ignore this alarm if a genuine
emergency. Do notuse tape or adhesive to fix dome in place, thedome
needs to be replaced once used (availablethrough Access Systems,
the UCL Fire Officer orthrough the nearest Union Stockist Ref:
J8070-1).
Signage: Look for green 'safe condition sign,which indicates the
direction of turn for the dome toopen door.
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UCL Fire Technical Note No:
002___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________Date
Last Amended: Jul 12 3.
Issued by the - Fire Officer, UCL Estates, Gower Street, London,
WC1E 6BT - This guide is to be regarded as a general statement of
requirements and isin addition to relevant British Standards or any
other instructions received from the Local Fire or Building Control
Authorities.
Emergency Door Furniture (Cont):
Sign / Picture Description, Uses and Conventions
THUMB TURNS (ALL TYPES OF DOORS)
Use: fitted to internal or final exit doors and providesescape
in one direction at all times, without the need fora key. (Note:the
'Thumb Turn'comes in many shapesand styles, but the basic principal
of operation are allsimilar).
Operation : turn 'thumb turn' latch using finger and thumbin a
'clockwise' (or sometimes anti-clockwise) directionto unlock the
door and open the door as normal.
Safety: sometimes the latch can be stiff to turn; trypushing /
pulling against the door to release pressure onlock tongue, and
then turn latch. Note:this type of latchis not to be used where
large numbers of occupants(60+) are likely to use the door.
Signage: Look for green 'safe condition sign, whichindicates the
'direction of turn to release the lock to open
the door; signage see below:
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UCL Fire Technical Note No:
002___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________Date
Last Amended: Jul 12 4.
Issued by the - Fire Officer, UCL Estates, Gower Street, London,
WC1E 6BT - This guide is to be regarded as a general statement of
requirements and isin addition to relevant British Standards or any
other instructions received from the Local Fire or Building Control
Authorities.
Emergency Door Furniture (Cont):
Sign / Picture Description, Uses and Conventions
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 thedirection 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. Thistype of furniture is not
suitable for continuous / everyday use by occupants, but designed
foroccasional emergency use only.
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UCL Fire Technical Note No:
002___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________Date
Last Amended: Jul 12 5.
Issued by the - Fire Officer, UCL Estates, Gower Street, London,
WC1E 6BT - This guide is to be regarded as a general statement of
requirements and isin addition to relevant British Standards or any
other instructions received from the Local Fire or Building Control
Authorities.
Emergency Door Furniture (Cont):
Sign / Picture Description, Uses and Conventions
PUSH PADDLES
Use: fitted to internal or final exit doors that are to beopened
and used ONLYin an emergency.
Operation: push the 'plate or paddle' with palm ofhand, to open
the doors. This type of furniture is notsuitable 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 usefulfor
opening the door by providing purchase (pulling orpushing) the door
to take tension of latch mechanism.These handles can also be used
to give control onheavy doors, or to allow door to be pulled
shut.
ASSA / UNION DOMES - SIGNAGE
New Signage: Look for green 'safe conditionsignsthat indicate
whether you need to strike, break or twistthe dome cover to reveal
latch below.
Turn latch to release and open door.
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UCL Fire Technical Note No:
002___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________Date
Last Amended: Jul 12 6.
Issued by the - Fire Officer, UCL Estates, Gower Street, London,
WC1E 6BT - This guide is to be regarded as a general statement of
requirements and isin addition to relevant British Standards or any
other instructions received from the Local Fire or Building Control
Authorities.
Emergency Door Furniture (Cont):
Sign / Picture Description, Uses and Conventions
WINCHESTER BREAK GLASS - EMERGENCYRELEASE
Use: these older types of release furniture are stillused in a
number of locations on both internal andfinal exit doors and are
used ONLYin an emergency.
Operation : breaking the glass will release a lockingtongue, but
you may need to the push or pull the door
to release tension on lock tongue.
Safety: beware of glass shards when glass panelsare broken. A
hammer should be provided to assist inbreaking the glass and to
protect user from cuts andabrasions.
Signage: look for green 'safe condition sign thatindicates
'break glass to open door'.
Safety Note: if you discover a similar type of lockwithout a
hammer attached then contact the UCL Fire
Officer at [email protected] for hammer to bereplaced.
Replacement Wincher Glasses from:
T& A Architectural IronmongersUnit 9The Gryphon Industrial
ParkPorters WoodSt AlbansHerts, AL3 6XZ
Tel: 01727 - 867887
Fax: 01727 - 867666
Email: [email protected]
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UCL Fire Technical Note No:
002___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________Date
Last Amended: Jul 12 7.
Issued by the - Fire Officer, UCL Estates, Gower Street, London,
WC1E 6BT - This guide is to be regarded as a general statement of
requirements and isin addition to relevant British Standards or any
other instructions received from the Local Fire or Building Control
Authorities.
Emergency Door Furniture (Cont):
Sign / Picture Description, Uses and Conventions
RADLAM BOLT
Use: fitted to internal or final exit doors to be openedand used
ONLYin an emergency.
Operation : strike glass/ceramic tube with hammer orother heavy
object to break the glass / ceramic tube,which then allows the lock
tongue to release. Thedoor may need to be pulled or pushed to
releasetension on the bolt and open.
Safety: beware of glass shards when glass panelsare broken. A
hammer should be provided to assist inbreaking the glass and to
protect user from cuts and
abrasions.
Signage: Look for green 'safe condition sign thatindicates
'break glass to open door'.
Safety Note: If you discover a similar type of lockwithout a
hammer attached then contact the UCL FireOfficer at
[email protected] for hammer to bereplaced.
Supplied by Imperial Locks - See UCL FireSafety 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 anumber of
locations on internal or final exit doors thatare used ONLYin an
emergency.
Operation : on breaking the glass, a door releaselever will be
exposed. The lever needs to be movedto release the door, then push
door to open.
Safety: beware of glass shards when glass panelsare broken. A
hammer should be provided to assist in
breaking the glass and to protect user from cuts
andabrasions.
Signage: look for green 'safe condition sign thatindicates
'break glass to open door'.
Note:on some older door units, the glass is colouredOrange or
Opaque - not Green.
Safety Note: if you discover a similar type of lockwithout a
hammer attached then contact the UCL FireOfficer at
[email protected] for hammer to be
replaced.
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UCL Fire Technical Note No:
002___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________Date
Last Amended: Jul 12 8.
Issued by the - Fire Officer, UCL Estates, Gower Street, London,
WC1E 6BT - This guide is to be regarded as a general statement of
requirements and isin addition to relevant British Standards or any
other instructions received from the Local Fire or Building Control
Authorities.
DIGITAL SECURITY LOCKS (GENERAL)
Sign / Picture Descript ion, Uses and Conventions
1. 2.
SECURITY LOCKS (GENERAL)
Use: fitted to internal or external doors toprevent unauthorised
access and security.
Operation:
1. Security combination number required togain access, once
digits entered twist handleto open door.
2. To open on the inside in direction of exit /
escape, twist handle to open door. ThumbTurn used to secure
Tongue back todisengage lock.
Safety: arrangement No 1 is NOTACCEPTABLEon doors that form part
of anEscape Routeand where a code is required,to allow escape.
End
