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Providing a safe way for people to leave a building during an emergency is a fundamental part of building safety. In workplaces, public buildings, warehouses, schools and many other premises, this means ensuring that suitable escape routes and exits are available, clearly identified and kept accessible.

The terminology surrounding emergency exits can sometimes cause confusion, particularly when fire exit doors and fire doors are discussed as though they perform the same function. Understanding the distinction is an important starting point when deciding what your building requires.

What Is a Fire Exit Door?

A fire exit door is positioned on an emergency escape route and allows occupants to leave a building quickly and safely. It will typically lead directly outside or towards a place of safety.

Depending on the premises and its intended users, the door may incorporate panic or emergency exit hardware designed to enable straightforward opening from inside. Appropriate steel fire exit doors can also provide a robust external barrier against unauthorised access while allowing occupants to escape when necessary.

Importantly, a fire exit door does not automatically need to provide a specified period of fire resistance simply because it is used as an emergency exit.

How Is a Fire Door Different?

A fire door is designed primarily to resist the spread of fire and, where applicable, smoke between different parts of a building. It forms part of the property's passive fire protection measures. Fire doors may therefore be installed along corridors, around stairwells or between areas that need to be separated in the event of a fire.

The two functions can sometimes overlap. A particular doorset may need to provide both fire resistance and emergency escape functionality, depending on its position and the building's fire strategy. This is why doors should always be specified according to their precise location and required performance.

Which Buildings Need Emergency Exits?

The number, size and position of emergency exits required will depend on the individual premises. Factors such as occupancy, layout, travel distances and how the building is used all need to be considered.

A small workplace with relatively few occupants may have different requirements from a large warehouse, entertainment venue, school or manufacturing facility. Rather than applying a single rule to every property, responsible persons should use the building's fire risk assessment and applicable regulations to establish whether the available exits are adequate.

Choosing Suitable Exit Hardware

The hardware fitted to an emergency exit door is another important consideration. A door needs to be capable of being opened easily from the escape side without delaying people during an emergency.

In premises generally occupied by people who are familiar with the building, emergency exit devices may be appropriate. In locations used by members of the public, panic exit hardware can be necessary because occupants may be unfamiliar with the escape routes or door operation. Any locking arrangements must be compatible with the requirement for safe escape.

Security Still Matters

Emergency exits can create a security challenge. While occupants need to be able to leave quickly from inside, businesses understandably want to prevent intruders from entering through the same doors from outside.

Steel construction, suitable locking arrangements and correctly specified external hardware can help balance these requirements. Alarm systems may also be used to alert staff when designated emergency exits are opened. Security measures must never prevent the door from performing its essential escape function.

Keep Emergency Doors Accessible

Installing appropriate doors is only part of the responsibility. Emergency exits must remain usable throughout the life of the building. Routes leading to them should be kept clear, while doors should not become obstructed by stock, furniture or equipment. Signage and emergency lighting should also be maintained where required.

Regular inspections can identify problems such as damaged hardware, sticking doors or other defects that could make an exit difficult to use.