02/05/2026
When a Fire Exit Becomes a Trap: The Dangers of Incompetence
Can a manual door be more dangerous than an automated one? Absolutely.
While automated doors often get the most attention, manual doors can become significant hazards through poor design, substandard installation, or "quick-fix" repairs by incompetent contractors. We recently saw this firsthand at a local school.
A Critical Mechanical Failure
The school contacted us to investigate a door that had detached from its hinges. Seeking a second opinion after ongoing issues, they brought us in to assess the situation.
We quickly discovered that a previous contractor had installed the wrong replacement transom closers for this specific aluminium door. The top spindle did not protrude far enough to provide a secure fixing point. As a result, a heavy door in a high-traffic school environment was being held by only a few millimetres of metal. It was a disaster waiting to happen.
The Conflict: Access Control vs. Life Safety
To make matters worse, this was a designated emergency/panic exit. While the push bar was installed to EN 1125 standards (allowing free exit), an access control company had later installed magnetic locks.
To exit the building, a user was required to press a "Request to Exit" button and then hit the push bar. In an emergency, simply pushing the bar would not open the door. This is a direct violation of safety standards. It was clear the previous installers were either unaware of EN 13637 (which governs electronically controlled escape systems) or chose to ignore it.
The Result: Compliance Restored
Fortunately, the school was receptive to our assessment. We took immediate action:
Mechanical Safety: Replaced the transom closers with the correct specification and safely rehung the door.
Fire Safety: Disabled the magnetic locks until they could be integrated correctly with the fire alarm or updated to meet escape regulations.
The door is now safe, operational, and—most importantly—compliant with panic escape regulations.
Our Advice
Do not ignore your manual doors. They require the same level of professional scrutiny as any other safety system. Ensure your contractors understand the specific regulations (EN 1125 / EN 13637) that protect your staff and students.
Get them checked, maintain them regularly, and always use professionals.
