T 4.3 Failure of existing safety devices

Technical defects or external factors (such as ageing, improper operation, poor maintenance, manipulation, or power failures, for example) can cause safety devices to malfunction and reduce or entirely eliminate the protection they offer. Furthermore, inspection and maintenance intervals for problematic areas, i.e. areas subject to environmental factors or that are used frequently, are often not adapted accordingly. This can also lead to the failure of safety devices.

Examples:

• Locks on doors can become damaged due to ageing or improper use.
• Fire extinguishers that are not properly maintained may not function correctly when needed.
• Dirty fire detectors may not be able to detect a fire properly and can also trigger false alarms.
• Keys or ID cards can become damaged due to improper storage or heavy use.
• Door bolts can get stuck.
• Still images can burn in to the screen of a surveillance camera.
• Fire doors are often held open illegally using a wooden wedge.
• Smoke detectors in no-smoking zones are often tampered with.