Fire doors versus fire exits?

Question

Can anyone please tell me the different laws which exsist between a fire DOOR and fire EXIT? I know a lot of people generally call them the same thing and refer t both in the same sentance but do they actually have differing laws as to how they are used? By fire doors i mean doors on the inside of a building which block the spread of a fire in comparison to an exit for escape.
If anyone knows a site which compares the 2 this would be great
Thanks

Answer 1

Well, there can be a fine line between the two as one often takes the role of the other. Let's look at the basic definitions as provided by the ICC Fire code...



"Fire Exit" or more simply "Exit" - That portion of a means of egress system which is separated from other interior spaces of a building or structure by fire resistance rated construction and opening protectives as required to provide a protected path of egress travel between the exit access and the exit discharge. [Fire] Exits include exterior exit doors at ground level, exit enclosures, exit passageways, exterior exit stairs, exterior exit ramps, and horizontal exits. (ICC 1002.1, Definitions)



WOW... that's a lot of technobable! Let me break it down for you. A fire exit is a protected means for you to escape a building from in a fire emergency. "Protected" meaning the stairway enclosure is protected from the rest of the building by fire rated construction and... (here's the link) fire rated doors.



So... some fire doors can also be part of a fire exit. However, not all fire doors are exits...



"Fire Door" - Any combination of a door, frame, hardware, and other accessories that together provide a specific degree of protection to the opening. (ICC 202)



Fire doors can be used in combinations with fire exits, but they can also be used alone to help control the spread of fire and/or smoke within a structure. Hospitals, Nursing homes, and other large buildings like schools or churches will have wings separated from adjacent corridors or wings by fire doors. These doors are often help open with magnetic door holders which will release automatically if the fire alarm system is triggered. So while they are still "Fire Doors", they may or may not be marked as an exit.



I should also add that not all exit doors are fire doors. True, many are. Take glass doors on the front of a large office building for an example. They aren't necessarily fire rated, but they are still an exit!



Sorry I couldn't come up with a site for you, but to summarize...



Fire Exit - the means out of a building



Fire Door - the means to help control the spread of fire and/or smoke.



Sometimes used together, but two different items.



Hope that helps.

Answer 2

A fire DOOR is a door designed to resist a fire for a set period of time, such as 2 hours and to keep smoke from spreading. Sometimes the doors are always closed, sometimes they are open with an automatic release in case of fire.



A fire EXIT is a designated escape route from a fire. It means that from the inside, the route is not blocked by locked doors as they can all be opened from the inside. Fire EXITS are often into stairwells, with a fire DOOR at each floor to keep the fire and smoke out of the stairwell.



In buildings, the fire EXITs always lead to outside. However, they do not always lead to the street level directly. Sometimes they lead to a roof and from there you have to find the next EXIT down to the ground.



In almost every country, it is illegal to lock or block a fire EXIT .

Answer 3

An internal fire door normally has a rating of half an hour, thats the amount of time that its supposed to stop a fire from spreading (if closed:)). (how hot??)

A fire exit is the thing that you kick down and run through, which isn't supposed to be fire resistant. just open form the inside, before the flames lick your under pants lol .

The law, all fire exits must be unlocked at all times, not be blocked by any thing.

people that block them will be liable!

Answer 4

Babes, ....a fire door is usually an internal door and gives a certain amount of time before it will burn down once lit.



A fire exit is a way out.

Answer 5

The local fire marshall can answer that question, and he/she is the person who will want to know if the mall is not in compliance. A door that is not wide enough for a double-wide stroller certainly does not seem adequate for a shopping mall, but maybe it depends on how many of them there are, and how far apart they are. Building codes are basically written at the whims of the local municipality. Anybody in the construction business can tell you, the rules change with every year, and they change with every mile. P.S., the fire marshall probably will tell you that you should've just grabbed the twins, and left the buggy behind.

Answer 6

If you're in the UK you can go to www.hse.gov.uk which will give you information about fire exits/doors.

Answer 7

The outside door is marked "Fire door - do not obstruct, do not keep open". I believe these are used to help contain a fire/smoke to within the building and not allow it to spread or stop feeding it oxygen I dunno. The one inside is simply marked "fire exit - do not obstruct". No warnings about not keeping it open.

Answer 8

I have no idea!!