BCA D2.21 Exit Door and Fire Door Lock Regulations (Building Codes of Australia)
Exit Doors are a critical part of the fire and safety infrastructure of a building. By law there are very specific locking requirements required for Exit Doors.
Locks used on Exit Doors – which also include Fire Doors and Path of Travel Doors - are governed by Building Codes of Australia (BCA) Ordinance D2.21. Mostly (but not always) these doors are identified by an illuminated green "EXIT" sign above (or leading to) the Exit Door.
Exit safety is paramount, and includes not only fires, but all manner of emergency situations. Situations such as (but not limited to) fires, gas leaks, toxic chemical spills, personal safety, and even bomb threats.
Local Council Building and Fire Inspectors, and the Fire Brigade, are the most common authorities that police compliance of this regulation. The regulation is complex, with numerous legal grey areas, with the ultimate interpretation falling with the inspecting authority.
There are also requirements within workplace OH&S policy to meet this regulation.Local councils also require compulsory annual fire safety certificates, which also encompass compliance with regulation D2.21.
