Frangible Cable Ties?

[SearcherforSafety]

We are a preschool (24 3-5 year olds) searching for an affordable solution to secure our panic bar fire exits against accidental use for small children. We ahave looked into converting to a "blocked bar" system, but this is both expensive and not to the liking of other building users.

Can anyone advise on the effectiveness of the frangible cable ties which seem to be in common use in local supermarkets to secure fire doors against non-emergency use? These, we would imagine, would be too strong for a small child to break but easy enough for adults to snap in an emergency.

Our local fire officer will not give us advice about these ties, for some reason he will not divulge!

Thanks

[kurnal]

The problem is that panic bars sound unsuitable for your situation. Or maybe you have to share your building with others - such as in a village Hall?
Many pre school groups do place an additional temporary device in addition to panic bars where the PBs cannot be removed. One such arrangement is two cup hooks linked with a short piece of chain at high level. Others provide a high level thumbturn.
Its a matter of balancing the opposing risks and using  common sense. I recollect one local playgroup losing a three year old in the way you describe - the child was not missed for about 5 minutes and by that time was on a busy street alone.
The frangible ties tend to be very easily broken- they are more to discourage unauthorised use rather than prevent it.
Heres an example.
http://www.security-int.com/categories/unisto-products-and-services/emergency-exit-control.asp

[SearcherforSafety]

Thanks, kurnal. Yes, we are in a village hall and other users customarily use the fire exits for access. We have sounders on the doors, but these will only alter us to the opening, not stop a child running onto the nearby busy road.

A key-operated blocked bar system is available (we can turn off the electrical blocking after our sessions so that other users can operate the doors as normal) but it costs in excess of £10,000. The fire officer has specifically forbidden chains and catches.

All thoughts welcome.

[kurnal]

Fire Officers will usually respond to common sense and logic.
A similar situation arises with care homes, for example one tragic accident occurred two years ago where an elderly gentleman opened a first floor exit door and fell to his death down the fire escape. The alarm on the door sounded but it did nothing to protect him. That home now has a high level thumbturn on the basis that residents are totally dependent on the staff for their evacuation in case of fire so if they cannot open the door its not a problem so long as all the staff can. Some EMI units have a door chain that needs to be manipulated in a particular way.

It seems to me that you need a similar  suitable arrangement. The complication is that it must be completely disabled whenever you hand the hall back. Thats why two cup hooks and a 4 inch piece of bathplug chain works so well. You take it away with you. Such arrangements are quite common, have been approved by Ofsted and many fire safety officers.

Your duty of care for fire and for general safety is "as far as is reasonably practicable". Cost is one of the factors you may legally consider. £10k is totally unreasonable. And not necessarily as safe as my piece of chain.

For occasional use electromagnetic door locks, with a green break glass box and linked to the fire alarm may also be beyond your reach, although should be several hundred rather than thousands to install. And may not be suitable for public entertainments.

[SearcherforSafety]

Thank you again. I will try to get something from OFSTED and go back to our Fire Officer again.

[Robert Bacon]

http://www.encrypta.com/cgi-bin/encrypta/baseweb2.exe?vid=6298&src=1262
check out the link above they even sent me a free sample containing eight seals. these could be your answer