Management Company / Fire Exit

Banana1983782

I live in an apartment in a building of around 200 others. It’s split into four sections (quite old building on various elevations/levels and not your typical “block of flats”) with four main entry/exits.

In my section we have one door with a mag lock, activated with a fob on the outside and exit switch indoors. The indoor exit switch keeps breaking and so nobody can get out without using another exit in the building.

It’s mildly inconvenient as it’s a large building but the concern is that it’s the only entry/exit in this section of the building and is a fire exit. There are no other fire exits.

The building is managed by a company but they don’t regard this as an urgent repair and last time broke they took over a week.

Is there anything HSE wise that this could be considered a breach of H&S / Fire Regulations?

katejo

Have you tried contacting your local Fire station/rescue service? They may be willing to inspect or should be able to tell you how to report it. It definitely seems to be in serious breach of requirements. I had a fire training  day at work recently and we were shown videos of fire inspections at buildings which failed requirements and were ordered to make major changes

Jonboy_1984

How does it keep breaking? A full new switch is £20-£40 depending on the model. 

Presumably it has a green break glass panel near the switch for real emergency use?

Banana1983782

It keeps breaking as it’s high-traffic and just looks like a domestic light switch albeit it doesn’t switch on/off, it’s springy.

There isn’t a green break glass box and when the power has gone out the door has been stuck shut, which leads me to suspect it’s a “fail secure” mag lock.

grumbler

https://www.screwfix.com/c/security-ironmongery/push-to-exit-buttons/cat14370001

£33-£37 and virtually unbreakable, I think.

Banana1983782

Sadly not in my control to install one…

ArbitraryRandom

katejo said:

Have you tried contacting your local Fire station/rescue service? They may be willing to inspect or should be able to tell you how to report it. It definitely seems to be in serious breach of requirements. I had a fire training  day at work recently and we were shown videos of fire inspections at buildings which failed requirements and were ordered to make major changes

Seconded - and firefighters are great people in my experience; their priority is keeping people safe. They'll produce a fire safety report, which will be shared with your council, and the council can order work carried out.

The issue might be that the part doesn't need repairing as much as replacing, but if you explain the problem (that it's repeatedly failed) they can advise if the part that's currently in place is fit for purpose given the expected use and if it's installed correctly.