Fire Safety Guidance for Schools
Recent fire risk assessments have identified schools where vision panels in fire exit doors have been fitted with blinds as part of lockdown arrangements.
While blinds may form part of a school’s lockdown arrangements, they must not compromise the safe and immediate use of the door as a means of escape in the event of a fire.
Important
Where blinds are fitted to fire exit doors, they should be attached directly to the door rather than above the door frame or positioned in a way that could obstruct, restrict or delay the opening of the door during an emergency evacuation.
Schools should ensure that:
- Fire exit doors can be opened easily and immediately when required.
- Blinds, cords and other fittings do not obstruct the operation of the door, panic or emergency exit hardware, or the escape route.
- The blind and its fixings do not compromise the fire safety performance of the door.
- Lockdown arrangements do not prevent or delay emergency evacuation.
- Lockdown and fire safety arrangements are considered together and reviewed following any changes to doors or security measures.
If you have blinds fitted to vision panels in fire exit doors, we recommend checking the arrangements to make sure they do not interfere with the safe operation of the door.
Acceptable: Blind fixed directly to the door and does not interfere with the operation of the fire exit.
Not Recommended: Blind fixed above the door frame where it may obstruct or restrict the opening of the fire exit door.
