Panic bolt
The Guild of Architectural Ironmongers publication Glossary of architectural hardware terms defines a panic bolt as a 'A surface mounted device normally fitted to the inside of an external door to allow immediate escape using a single action in an emergency. This unit can be held back to allow free entry/exit by use of a key operated “dogging device”.
A dogging device or dogging mechanism is defined by the Code of practice: Hardware for fire and escape doors, Issue 5, published by DHF and GAI in November 2024, as ‘mechanism fitted to an emergency/panic device for holding the bolt head(s) in the withdrawn position until manually or electronically reset.’
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