Escape door locks

Doors in the course of escape routes must be able to be opened from the inside at any time in full width and without further aids. In most cases, however, there are other requirements for the door: For example, it must usually be locked to the outside, also in the insurance sense, in order to make it more difficult for unauthorized persons to enter. In special cases, passage from the inside to the outside must also be made more difficult for certain groups of people, e.g. small children in a daycare centre, despite the escape route requirement. Or a door should only be entered in the event of an escape and then automatically trigger an alarm when it is used. If panic situations are to be expected, doors with special fittings may be required that can be operated safely even in the event of panic.

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More about escape door locks

In addition to the requirements of the respective state building code, including its enforcement instructions in this regard, other legal requirements may apply to an escape door lock, which result, for example, from a special building ordinance, such as a school building ordinance, a meeting place ordinance or a hospital building ordinance.

The applications of DIN EN 179 and DIN EN 1125 are not regulated by law, as both standards do not constitute a legally introduced technical building regulation, so their application is not binding. However, as a generally accepted state of the art, they represent proven and recognized solutions for the production of escape door locks. The planner must check, if necessary in coordination with the building supervisory authority or the fire protection planner, whether panic situations are to be expected in the event of danger in an affected escape door (→design according to DIN EN 1125) or not (→design according to DIN EN 179).

Notes on planning

escape

door locks in workplaces: Specific requirements for escape door locks in workplaces result from the Technical Rule for Workplaces ASR A2.3 (Escape routes and emergency exits, escape and rescue plan):

• Surcharge of manually operated doors in emergency exits in the direction
• of escapeDirection of impact of other doors in the course of escape routes depending on the result of a risk assessment to be carried out if necessary
• Inadmissibility of exclusively manually operated revolving and sliding doors
• Limited admissibility of automatic doors
• Easy opening of the doors in the event of danger, without special aids (i.e. opening device of the door, e.g. handle, easily recognizable and easily accessible, type of operation easy to understand, opening
• Requirements for lockable doors: easy opening from the inside at any time without special aids, e.g. by means of mechanical unlocking devices (emergency exit locks or panic door locks) or an electric locking system approved by building regulations with automatic unlocking in the event of a power failure (according to EltVTR)
• clear minimum dimensions of escape routes and doors depending on the maximum number of persons dependent on them in the event of danger, see lexicon article ► Escape route dimensions according to workplace law.

Escape door locks on fire and smoke protection doors: Escape door locks for fire and smoke protection doors require a separate test/approval for use on the specially intended door. Requirements for this are laid down in Annex B of DIN EN 179 and DIN EN 1125 respectively. Both standards point out that fire protection requirements are considered subordinate to the safety aspect of personal protection, i.e. the easy escape option.

Burglary protection: Requirements for increased burglary protection in conjunction with an emergency exit lock in accordance with DIN EN 179 require additional measures. For example, an additional lock bolt with appropriate approval is permissible, which is advanced at certain times and which must not hinder or delay the release function of the door when the handle or the bumper plate is operated. Panic door locks according to DIN EN 1125 can only guarantee a minimum degree of burglary protection from the outside.

Both standards point out that requirements for burglary protection are considered subordinate to the security aspect of personal protection, i.e. the easy possibility of escape.

In the case of increased requirements for burglary protection, it should therefore be examined whether an electrically controlled escape door system according to prEN 13637 should be provided instead of an emergency exit lock according to DIN EN 179 or an electrically controlled panic door system according to prEN 13633 instead of a panic lock according to DIN EN 1125, which combine the respective escape route requirements with increased burglary protection.

Escape door locks for double-leaf doors: The design of the central joint of a double-leaf door is possible in accordance with DIN EN 179 and DIN EN 1125 both blunt and rebent

.

If only the corridor leaf has an emergency exit lock in accordance with DIN EN 179 , the door is considered a single-leaf emergency exit door in accordance with DIN EN 179. In the case of double-leaf emergency exit doors in accordance with DIN EN 179, the stationary leaf can be designed with a horizontal handle analogous to the aisle leaf as well as with a vertical stationary leaf set.

In the case of a double-leaf door, it is also possible to combine an emergency exit door in accordance with DIN EN 179 with a panic escape door in accordance with DIN EN 1125: the aisle leaf is designed as a panic lock in accordance with DIN EN 1125 and the stationary leaf as an emergency exit door in accordance with DIN EN 179 , the door is then considered a double-leaf emergency exit door in accordance with DIN EN 179 or as a single-leaf panic escape door in accordance with DIN EN 1125. The manufacturer's installation instructions must clearly state which special panic door lock for the aisle leaf may be combined with which special emergency exit lock for the stationary leaf .

Both emergency exit doors according to DIN EN 179 and panic escape doors according to DIN EN 1125 are referred to as

• a full panic design (as a rule) for double-leaf elements if the aisle leaf and stationary leaf are classified according to the respective standard, or
• of a partial panic version if only the gear wing is classified accordingly.

Full panic escape doors are also differentiated with regard to the effectiveness of their escape door function:

• double-acting escape door function (as a rule): Both the actuation of the aisle sash fitting and that of the stationary sash fitting open abruptly and simultaneously both opening leaves, i.e. the escape door function can be triggered independently of each other by both door leaves.
• Escape door function: the operation of the aisle sash fitting only opens the sash, the stationary sash must be unlocked separately. This limited escape door function can only be used if there are no concerns about fire protection, e.g. if the aisle wing alone provides the required escape route width.

Inspection

/maintenance: Unless otherwise stated by the manufacturer, the following maintenance checks must be routinely carried out on doors with emergency exit locks in accordance with DIN EN 179 or with panic door locks in accordance with DIN EN 1125 and the results documented:

• Verification of the proper operating condition of the lock by visual inspection and operation, including verification of whether the control element is properly tightened
• Documentation of the operating forces for releasing the escape door lock (after measurement with a force gauge), check for significant changes compared to the initial installation
• Checking of the locking counterparts for blockage or blockage
• Checking the lubrication of the emergency exit valve in accordance with the manufacturer's specifications
• Checking whether all existing components are included in the list of approved components handed over at the time of delivery, in particular whether locking devices have been added at a later

date In the case of

electrical locking systems, the operating instructions to be enclosed by the manufacturer in accordance with the EltVTR must contain a functional description of the system as well as information and deadlines for the maintenance and testing, on measures to be taken in the event of malfunctions and on servicing.

Proof of usability: Of the escape door locks discussed here, only the electrical locking systems are regulated construction products according to the building rules list. In these cases, the EltVTR represents the proof of usability, provided that the construction product does not deviate significantly from it. For all other closures, the manufacturer's general technical approval (abZ) serves as proof of usability.

Standards and literature

DIN 18252 Profile cylinders for door locks - Terms, dimensions, requirements, marking

DIN EN 179, Locks and building fittings - Emergency exit locks with handle or push plate for doors in escape routes - Requirements and test methods

DIN EN 1125, Locks and building hardware - Panic door locks with horizontal operating rod for doors in escape routes - Requirements and test methods DIN EN 1125, Locks and building fittings - Panic door locks with horizontal operating rod for doors in escape routes - Requirements and Test methods

DIN EN 1303 Locks and building fittings - Lock cylinders for locks - Requirements and test methods

DIN EN 13637, Locks and building fittings - Electrically controlled escape door systems for doors in escape routes - Requirements and test methods

EltVTR Directive on electrical locking systems for doors in escape routes

Technical rules for workplaces ASR A2.3, Escape routes and emergency exits, escape and rescue plan

Source: bauwion