Which type of lock is used on fire exit doors?

Fire exit doors are generally fitted with fail safe locking arrangements so the door can be opened during a power failure, but the exact requirement depends on the specific door, the building's escape strategy and what your fire risk assessment sets out.

Is a maglock always fail safe?

The vast majority of magnetic locks are fail safe by their nature, releasing when power is removed. This is one reason they are commonly chosen for doors on escape routes, though the wider release arrangement still needs to be assessed as a whole.

Can one building use both fail safe and fail secure locks?

Yes, this is common and often correct, since different doors serve different purposes. A store cupboard might reasonably use a fail secure lock while a corridor door on an escape route uses fail safe hardware.

What happens to a fail secure lock during a power cut?

It remains locked until power is restored or a manual override is used. This suits doors where security matters more than free egress, but is not usually appropriate on an escape route without additional release measures.

Who decides which lock type should be fitted where?

This should be guided by your fire risk assessment, the responsible person for the building, and a competent access control engineer working together, rather than being chosen purely on cost or appearance.

Can I check which type my current lock is without an engineer?

You can often tell by asking your installer or checking installation paperwork, but confirming this with certainty and making any changes should involve a competent engineer, particularly where the door forms part of an escape route.

Fail Safe Versus Fail Secure Locks Explained

What happens to each lock type when power is cut, and why the choice depends on the door

Get a Free Quote Call Now

Not sure if your locks are fail safe or fail secure?

We support sites across Gillingham, Tonbridge, Chislehurst and the wider Kent and Medway area, helping confirm lock behaviour against your fire risk assessment and fitting the right hardware where changes are needed. Call 01634 944161.

No call centres, a real engineer answers.

01634 944161 WhatsApp Book an engineer

One of the most important decisions in any access control installation is not the fob reader or the keypad, it is what the lock does the moment power is removed. Fail safe and fail secure describe two opposite behaviours, and mixing them up on the wrong door can create either a security gap or, more seriously, a barrier to escape.

The terms sound similar but mean almost opposite things. A fail safe lock releases and allows the door to be opened when power is lost, while a fail secure lock stays locked until power is restored. Both are correct choices in the right situation, and the same building often uses a mix of the two depending on what each door is protecting and how it fits into the escape strategy.

This page sets out the practical differences in plain terms, gives examples of where each type is typically used, and explains why the final decision on a fire escape door should always sit with your fire risk assessment and a competent engineer rather than being guessed at.

What This Decision Comes Down To

Uncertainty over why a door unlocks itself during a power cut

A door that stays locked during a power failure when it was expected to open

Confusion when comparing a maglock to an electric strike on different doors

A fire risk assessment flagging a lock type as unsuitable for its location

New tenants or staff asking why doors behave differently around the building

How to Decide for Your Property

Identify which locks are on which doors

Walk around the building and note where maglocks, electric strikes or motor locks are fitted. This gives you a starting point for discussing with an engineer whether each is set up appropriately for its location.

Check your fire risk assessment for guidance on escape doors

Your fire risk assessment should indicate which doors form part of an escape route and any requirements around how they release. If this has not been reviewed recently, it is worth raising with whoever holds responsibility for it.

Ask your access control provider which type is fitted where

A straightforward question to your installer or maintenance contractor, asking them to confirm fail safe or fail secure status for each controlled door, gives you a clear record without needing to test anything yourself.

Note any doors where the behaviour seems unexpected

If a door unlocks when you did not expect it to, or stays locked when you thought it should release, write down which door and when this happened so an engineer can investigate the cause.

Where Each Option Wins and Loses

A maglock fitted where fail secure behaviour was needed

Magnetic locks are almost always fail safe by design, meaning they release on loss of power. This is usually the right choice for a fire escape door but can be an unwanted gap in security on a door meant to remain locked at all times.

An electric strike or motor lock chosen for the wrong purpose

Electric strikes and many motorised locks can be configured as fail secure, staying locked without power. This suits a store room or plant area but is generally unsuitable for a designated escape route unless other release provisions are in place.

A building with a mix of lock types and no clear record

Larger sites often use different lock behaviours on different doors, which is entirely normal, but without an up to date record it becomes difficult for staff or a fire risk assessor to confirm each door is set up correctly.

Confusion between fail safe and fail secure terminology

The two terms are easy to mix up because they sound like opposites of the same idea rather than describing two entirely separate default states. This confusion sometimes leads to the wrong lock being specified during a refit.

Local authority or insurer requirements affecting certain doors

Some premises, particularly those with specific security or fire safety obligations, have requirements about how particular doors must behave on power loss, which should be reflected in the lock choice made at installation.

When to Get an Engineer's Opinion

Any door forming part of an escape route needs its lock type confirmed and, if necessary, changed by a competent engineer, never adjusted informally

You are unsure whether a fitted lock is fail safe or fail secure and need this confirmed before a fire risk assessment review

A refit or refurbishment is changing how a door is used, which may mean the existing lock type is no longer appropriate

You want to add or change a lock on a door and are not sure which behaviour it should have

A fire risk assessor or building control inspector has raised a query about a specific door's lock behaviour

Getting it right first time

Decisions about fail safe versus fail secure locks on escape routes sit with your fire risk assessment and the responsible person for the building, so always have these confirmed and, where changes are needed, installed by a competent engineer rather than assumed from the lock's appearance.

Book an engineer Or call 01634 944161

Access control installation Locks and access control in Tonbridge Access control in Chislehurst Browse more guides

Other Guides You May Find Useful

Frequently Asked Questions

Fail Safe Versus Fail Secure Locks Explained: common questions

Need Security or WiFi Help Fast?

Alarm installation, CCTV, access control, WiFi and repairs across Kent & South East London. Call, WhatsApp or send a message for a free quote.

Call 01634 944161 WhatsApp Free Quote