UCL Fire Technical Note No: 002

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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 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


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. It has been found that staff, students and visitors that are unfamiliar with the design and
purpose of these door releases, often finding it difficult to operate these devices in the
event of an emergency. The purpose of this guidance note is to provide staff, students and
visitors 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 Locks
are fitted to internal or final exit doors, and the door
cannot be opened without using a swipe card, code or
by operating a 'normal' release button. Normally
positioned by the door in the direction of escape.
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: Part 4.
Information: design, wiring and maintenance is to be
to BS 7273: Part 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.
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 is
in 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 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 - ignore this alarm if a genuine
emergency. Do not use tape or adhesive to fix
dome back into position - only special pins
must be used (available through Access Systems,
the UCL Fire Officer 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 -
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 (available
through Access Systems, the UCL Fire Officer or
through the nearest Union Stockist Ref: J 8070-1).
Signage: Look for green 'safe condition sign,
which indicates the direction of turn for the dome to
open door.
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 is
in 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 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.
Signage: Look for green 'safe condition sign, which
indicates the 'direction of turn to release the lock to open
the door; signage see below:




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 is
in 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 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.



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 is
in 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 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.

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 is
in 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 - 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 then contact the UCL Fire
Officer at fire.officer@ucl.ac.uk for hammer to be
replaced.

Replacement Wincher Glasses from:
T& A Architectural Ironmongers
Unit 9
The Gryphon Industrial Park
Porters Wood
St Albans
Herts, AL3 6XZ
Tel: 01727 - 867887
Fax: 01727 - 867666
Email: sales@ta-architectural.co.uk


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 is
in 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 opened
and used ONLY in an emergency.
Operation: strike glass/ceramic tube with hammer or
other heavy object to break the glass / ceramic tube,
which then allows the lock tongue to release. 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.
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 then contact the UCL Fire
Officer at fire.officer@ucl.ac.uk for hammer to be
replaced.

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 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'.
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 then contact the UCL Fire
Officer at fire.officer@ucl.ac.uk for hammer to be
replaced.
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 is
in addition to relevant British Standards or any other instructions received from the Local Fire or Building Control Authorities.

DIGITAL SECURITY LOCKS (GENERAL)

Sign / Picture Description, Uses and Conventions


1.


2.
SECURITY LOCKS (GENERAL)

Use: fitted to internal or external doors to
prevent unauthorised access and security.

Operation:

1. Security combination number required to
gain access, once digits entered twist handle
to open door.

2. To open on the inside in direction of exit /
escape, twist handle to open door. Thumb
Turn used to secure Tongue back to
disengage lock.

Safety: arrangement No 1 is NOT
ACCEPTABLE on doors that form part of an
Escape Route and where a code is required,
to allow escape.


End