Double fire-rated door assemblies must close, secure and perform exactly as intended during a fire. That is why the hardware fitted to these doors is critical to compliance and life safety.
On double fire doors, manual panic bolts and drop bolts are not considered appropriate for the non-active leaf because they rely on someone manually engaging or releasing them. This creates a risk that the doors will not operate in the way the fire-rated assembly was designed and tested to perform.
Under AS 1905.1:2015, fire-resistant doorsets are treated as complete systems, and the relevant standard includes definitions and requirements for hardware used on these assemblies, including flush bolts. The standard is also listed as a current referenced document within the NCC framework.
For double fire doors, the better solution is an auto-flush bolt or another approved automatic locking mechanism on the non-active leaf. These systems secure the leaf automatically when the doors close, helping maintain the correct closing sequence and supporting reliable latching performance.
This matters because fire doors are installed to protect exits, compartmentation and occupants. If unsuitable manual hardware is added, the doorset may no longer operate consistently with its tested configuration, which can compromise fire safety and compliance. The NCC requires fire doors to meet Specification 12, which governs fire doors, smoke doors, fire windows and shutters.
In simple terms, manual drop bolts are a defect risk on double fire-rated doors, while auto-flush bolts or approved automatic locking hardware are the compliant pathway for securing the non-active leaf as part of the complete fire door assembly. This approach aligns with the broader Australian framework in which fire doorsets are regulated through the NCC and supported by referenced standards such as AS 1905.1 and AS 1530.4 fire-resistance testing.
Where a double fire-rated door assembly requires the non-active leaf to be secured, the correct approach is to use:
Any such hardware should be:
