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FIRE SERVICE AND GENERAL FIRE SAFETY TOPICS => Technical Advice => Topic started by: Revol on December 04, 2015, 11:16:00 AM

Title: Colour of 'Green' door release
Post by: Revol on December 04, 2015, 11:16:00 AM

Has anyone come across a 'manual door release unit', i.e. green brake-glass that isn't green?

I have a building where every single one is white (on white walls) but with a small green sticker containing the wording 'EMERGENCY DOOR RELEASE'. BS 7273-4 states that these units should be, 'predominantly green'. 

Title: Re: Colour of 'Green' door release
Post by: kurnal on December 04, 2015, 11:47:58 AM

There were many white ones fitted in the 1990s before BS7273-4 was even a gleam in the authors eye. As these are predominantly in commercial buildings with few if any members of the public present I usually raise the colour as a staff induction and training issue. Or a sign adjacent to the box may be another but more  unsightly sulution.

At risk of preaching to the converted it is worth checking whether the devices are double pole and whether electro mechanical locks if fitted unlock on power failure, some which require power to open are not sufficiently resilient as the break glass has to communicate with the control module rather than being directly connected to the latch.