Exit devices are life-safety hardware rather than convenience hardware. Consequently the rules around them are stricter than most business owners realise, and several common habits are outright compliance failures.
What an exit device must do
It must release with a single motion, using body weight if necessary, from someone who has never used it before and cannot see. Consequently anything requiring a twist, a key or a second action fails the test. Furthermore, the device must work when the building is dark and crowded. Therefore the standard is deliberately unforgiving.
Things people do that are not permitted
Chaining or padlocking an exit overnight is the obvious one, and it is genuinely dangerous rather than merely non-compliant. Similarly, propping a fire door with a wedge defeats its entire purpose, because a fire door only works when closed and latched. Additionally, dogging the latch open is not permitted on fire-rated doors.
The legitimate alternative
A hold-open device linked to the fire alarm keeps the door open during trading and releases it automatically on alarm. Consequently you get the convenience without the failure.
Keeping the rating intact
Fire-rated doors need fire-rated hardware, and the assembly must stay certified. Consequently a generic replacement latch on a rated device can void the certification entirely. Therefore repairs must use correct components, which occasionally means ordering a part rather than finishing the same day. However, that is preferable to a door that is no longer rated.
Why servicing matters
Exit devices take heavy use and drift out of alignment. Consequently latches stop engaging, or the bar develops travel before it releases. Moreover a door that does not latch is not secure even though it looks shut. Therefore an annual check is worth booking, because a failed exit device is either a security problem or a safety one.
Questions we get about this
Can we chain an exit door at night?
No. It is dangerous and a compliance failure.
Can we prop a fire door open?
Only with a hold-open device linked to the alarm.
What is dogging?
Holding the latch retracted during trading. However, it is not permitted on fire doors.
Will a repair void our fire rating?
Not if correct parts are used. Therefore we source properly rather than improvising.
How often should exit devices be checked?
Annually, to catch alignment drift before it fails.
