In a building, escape routes are designed to be used in both emergency and panic situations.
In panic situations, where large numbers of people are unfamiliar with the building (for example a fire in a nightclub) the escape hardware must be designed so that people can find the hardware on the exit door and know how to operate it quickly and easily.
This contrasts with emergency situations, where people are familiar with the building, its emergency exits and its hardware (such as employees in an office).
When choosing escape hardware ease of escape is always the first priority, but resistance to unauthorised entry should not be compromised, partly because it could have a negative effect on safety.
The escape hardware we supply conforms to current European standards:
BS EN 179:2008 Emergency Exit Devices Operated by a Lever Handle or Push Pad.
BS EN 1125:2008 Panic Exit Devices Operated by a Horizontal Bar.
Our technical representatives are fully conversant with a wide range of emergency and panic egress systems. They will be able to advise you on which devices to use in various scenarios including corridor escape routes and main fire routes together with recommending solutions to any outside access devices and alarm activation requirements.
Detailed product information is available from our Escape Hardware Brochure. This can be viewed by clicking on the image below.