Article
Martyn’s Law: What It means for schools and the people who run them
By Harry Harrold, Director at H Harrold & Sons.
EN 1125 (panic exit devices for public use areas) and BS EN 179 (emergency devices for areas where staff are familiar with escape routes) so, reassuringly, a lot of the thinking will have already happened. These standards have existed for years and are not new requirements introduced by Martyn’s Law.
Martyn’s Law doesn’t replace these requirements – it underscores their importance, fitting alongside existing safeguarding and emergency procedures.
Implications for School Leaders and Estates Teams
Government guidance sets out two levels of responsibility:
T
he introduction of Martyn’s Law marks a renewed focus on how public buildings, and the people who run them, prepare for high-pressure incidents. Schools, as some of the UK’s most complex and populated public spaces, will feel this change especially.
While much of the national conversation focuses on risk assessments, staff procedures and emergency planning, the physical routes pupils and staff use to leave a building when it matters most, deserve extra attention.
In a school environment, where safeguarding, wellbeing and safety already sit at the centre of daily operations, the updated requirements mean that premises management teams must take a renewed look at how escape routes function in real life.
A Law Designed Around Real World Behaviours
Martyn’s Law is being introduced in stages, with full implementation expected by April 2027. Its aim is simple: to ensure public spaces are prepared for fast moving, high stress situations, and that buildings and procedures support safe evacuation rather than obstructing it.
For schools, this reinforces something facility managers already know: in an emergency, door hardware must work instantly and predictably. Children will not stop to interpret unclear instructions, and staff will not have time to troubleshoot mechanisms. Every second counts.
Panic and emergency exit devices have always played a critical role in fire safety and are governed by standards such as BS
• Standard tier (200–799 people): No requirement to install new physical security measures. But must ensure a baseline level of procedures are maintained.
• Enhanced tier (800+ people): A duty to consider, where reasonably practicable, physical measures that may reduce risk.
For many schools, particularly those in the standard tier, Martyn’s Law does not require physical changes to buildings.
The emphasis for most schools and premises managers is on simple preparedness; knowing when – and which – doors should be locked, understanding safer areas on site and ensuring staff are prepared to act quickly and calmly if needed.
However, some secondary schools, larger primary schools and multi-building campuses may fall into the enhanced tier. Even those that do not will still benefit from reassessing how their escape infrastructure performs under pressure.
Where schools do rely on escape routes and panic hardware it’s essential that everything works, after sustained and prolonged everyday wear-and-tear, especially when compounded by high-pressure situations.
Key considerations include: 1. Do doors behave consistently?
Misaligned bars, worn hinges, sticking leaves or ageing door closers can all turn a safe exit into a hindrance, increasing user stress and wear-and-tear, and in the worst case preventing the door from operating properly in a panic situation.
2. Have retrofits or repurposing introduced new problems?
Schools frequently reconfigure spaces – creating new classrooms, altering circulation routes or adding secure lobbies. It is essential that hardware still meets the needs of the building after such changes.
3. Do fire safety and security measures work together?
Escape hardware and fire integrity must complement each other. Quick escape routes must never impair the ability to contain fires.
4. Are staff confident that exits will work the same way every time?
In a crisis, unpredictability is a risk in itself. Just like with fire training, staff must be confident that escape hardware will behave as expected and that routes are clear.
Why Proper Installation and Maintenance Matter
School facilities teams already maintain diverse and demanding estates. Escape doors are one area where seemingly small faults can have outsized consequences. Issues often only reveal themselves under force.
It is for this reason that experience matters when panic and emergency hardware is installed or maintained – to ensure everything works how it should in every situation.
It’s also important to note that Martyn’s Law does not introduce a compliance certificate or approved installer scheme
A Moment for Schools to Reassess Their Estate
Martyn’s Law gives schools an opportunity to reassess escape routes and ensure they meet real world needs.
By 2027, schools will be expected to demonstrate a clear understanding of their risks and how they are managed. Beginning that work now means schools can identify any issues with the current escape facilities and rectify them before Martyn’s Law comes into operation.
For school leaders and facility managers, Martyn’s Law provides an opportunity to look beyond current compliance checklists and assess the real-life suitability of their emergency exits. Ensuring that panic hardware works smoothly, consistently and as intended is not just part of future legislation, it is a fundamental aspect of creating safer learning environments today.
www.hharrold.co.uk Winter 2026 issue 4182 23
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