EMERGENCY AND RESCUE ROUTES ACCORDING TO EltVTR

Guidelines on electrical locking systems for doors in escape routes – M-EltVTR (Version December 1997) 

Doors in escape and rescue routes can be secured with electrical door locks. Since May 1, 1999, these electrical door locks have been permitted according to the EltVTR (Directive on electrical locking systems for doors in escape routes).

The electrical locking system must not prevent or delay the unlocking of the door. The control of electrical locking systems must be designed in such a way that the occurrence of a fault does not prevent or delay the unlocking of the door (single-fault safety). After unlocking, relocking can only be done manually at the door. The electrical locking system must be equipped with signal transmitters to indicate the locking status of the door, which must be located in the immediate vicinity of the door. The electrical locking of the door is to be indicated by a red LED, and the unlocking of the door by a green LED. The emergency button must be illuminated, have a red, mushroom-shaped actuator, and feature a forcibly opening switching element. Additionally, the requirements of EN 60947-5-1: 1991 for EMERGENCY STOP command devices apply. To prevent accidental operation, the emergency button may be equipped with a transparent cover. The force required to activate the emergency button, including the force to overcome the cover, must not exceed 80 N. The mushroom-shaped actuator of the emergency button must have a diameter of at least 25 mm. Emergency buttons must be located near the door or on the door leaf. They must also be accessible to disabled people, e.g., wheelchair users, and children. The height above the floor must not exceed 1,200 mm. A height of 850 mm is recommended (see DIN 18024-2: 1996-11). The mechanical components of the electrical locking must be functional. This is demonstrated by the endurance function test. The electrical locking must be immediately released upon failure of its power supply or when the emergency button is pressed, and the door must then be able to be opened manually. The force required to release the de-energized lock must not be greater than 50 N after one second (e.g., to overcome residual magnetism). The electrical locking must not have a holding force of less than 2.0 kN. Electrical locks must also ensure unlocking under a load in the direction of escape of 90% of the existing holding force, but not more than 3 kN.

Permissible modifications and additions to fire protection closures and fire protection closures with smoke protection properties in the modified approval procedure (Status: 1.12.2009) The "Permissible Modifications to Fire Protection Closures" – Status June 1995 – are still to apply for existing approvals.

Approval-compliant modifications and additions at the place of use 

The following modifications and additions may be made – after coordination with the applicant of the approval or the manufacturer – to manufactured and already installed fire protection closures if they are listed in the annex to the general building authority approval. 

The holder of the approval/manufacturer can select the possible modifications applicable to the respective fire protection closure from the catalog provided by the DIBt. Furthermore, without further evidence, no modifications are possible in compliance with the approval. 

1. Attachment of contacts, e.g., magnetic contacts and strike plate contacts (bolt contacts) for closure monitoring, provided they can be mounted or inserted into existing recesses. 

2. Routing of cables on the door leaf (this includes drilling – Ø ≤ 10 mm – from an edge or surface of the door leaf into the lock pocket). 

3. Replacement of the lock with a suitable, self-locking lock with a latch1, provided this lock can be installed in the existing lock pocket and changes to the strike plate and door leaf are not required. The number and position of locking points must be maintained. 

4. Installation of optical peepholes in fire-retardant closures, whereby the core drilling in the door leaf must not exceed a diameter of 15 mm. 

5. Screwing, riveting, or gluing of signs on the door leaf. 

6. Screwing, riveting, or gluing of strips (up to 250 mm width or height), mounted up to lever height, made of max. 1.5 mm sheet metal, e.g., kick or edge protection. 

7. Attachment of protective bars, provided suitable attachment points are available. 

8. Addition of Z- and steel corner frames to steel wrap-around frames and attachment of wall connection strips for wooden frames. 

9. Gluing of strips made of wood, plastic, aluminum, steel in any shape and position on glass panes. 

10. Gluing and nailing of wooden strips up to approx. 60 mm x 30 mm on fire protection closures made of wood, however max. 12 dm³ per side, and attachment of decorative strips on wooden frames. 

11. Attachment of holding plates for retaining magnets of hold-open systems1 at the existing attachment points in the door leaf. 

12. During renovation (refurbishment) of existing fire doors, the steel frames of these doors – provided they are sufficiently firmly anchored – may remain installed. The frames of the newly to be installed fire doors may be attached to the existing frames – possibly via corresponding connecting parts. The new frames must completely encompass the old, remaining frames. Cavities between the frames or between the frame and wall are to be filled with mortar or suitable non-combustible mineral materials, e.g., plasterboard and calcium silicate boards. In general, for smoke protection properties, the gaps and joint seals of the fire protection closure must be permanently elastic sealed.

POSSIBLE APPLICATIONS

Use in objects with high requirements for