A fire door needs to be quick and easy for anyone to find and open. To be ideal for hurried use, they generally have something which opens the door when pushed on.
Fire doors should open outwards, which means they flow with the direction of travel and don’t slow people down.
Doors tend to serve a variety of different purposes.
That’s why there are two different types of push bar door lock mechanisms, and a variety of handles to operate them with.It means you should have no trouble finding one which will meet the needs of your fire door.
It becomes difficult trying to find one appropriate, as you try to secure your building whilst maintaining fire safety. The more points of contact the mechanism has with the frame, the more secure your door will be.
With that in mind, you would ideally use a multi-point latch or bolt-end for an external door, whereas for an internal door, you would only need one so a single latch mechanism would suit.
Latch Mechanism
This works in a similar way to a standard door latch, so when pressing down on the handle, the latch releases and opens the door.
These can come as a single latch in the centre of the door, or with three latches including ones at the top and bottom.
Bolt Mechanism
This is when you have a long bolt going up the side of the door, which secures at the top and bottom of the door.
They work by pulling in the bolts when someone pushes the bar, which means the door will open. And because doors are different sizes, you can cut the bolts down so they can fit your door.
After you’ve decided how best to secure your door, you now need to decide the best type of handle for you.
Push Bar
Their design allows members of the public in places such as shops, restaurants, schools and hospitals to use them. This means that people who are unfamiliar with the building will be able to make a swift exit.
This is in part because they can also be recognised as a fire exit in an instant. Not only that, but because of how easy they are to use, someone panicking can still operate them.
They are effective for when there are large numbers of people all trying to make their exit at the same time.
And like bolts, these can be cut down to fit the width of the door you’re installing them on.
Touch Bar
A touch bar works in a similar way, and looks fairly similar. Instead of pushing down on a bar, the bar in this instance works like a giant button.
They can also work on either the latch or bolt mechanism.
So when pressed, it electronically releases the door as opposed to using a mechanical system.
Push Pad
The push pad system is more discreet than having a bar across the door.
This does make the door less appropriate for use in public spaces, and more suited for places such as warehouses. As they are not as obvious, their use should be in areas where staff are familiar with the layout and less likely to panic.
External Latch
These will fit onto the outside of any fire door, no matter what type of push bar door lock mechanism you’re using. This will provide you with access through doors fitted with emergency or panic exit hardware.
The security of your building is still maintained as the door can only be opened from the outside with a key.
These are available with either a knob or a pull-down handle.
Additional Fire Door Safety
Whatever you pick, they should work on double door configurations, and the bolt/latch is easy to change to left or right. Once you’ve fitting your push bar door lock mechanism and handles, you need to ensure you have the correct signage visible.
Push bars and push pads have different signs, which tell the user how to operate the door in an emergency.
You also need to make sure they’re kept clear so people can make a quick and safe exit, and you should also check the doors are in working order regularly.