Can the emergency release button be removed?

[Mahammad]

The flat I live in has 3 exits, 2 exits have emergency release buttons, the car park exit doesn't. 

 

The flat has 2 blocks, it's possible the other block has a fire alarm system, I don't live there so I wouldn't know. 

 

My block doesn't have any sort of fire alarm system. 

 

For the past month someone has been continuously pressing the emergency release button disabling the electromagnetic locks on the gate. 

 

I've been resetting it for almost everyday and now recently it's being pushed more than 2 or 3 times a day which is causing people to enter and loiter around the flat. And I'm a bit frustrated and cannot continue to reset it. 

 

I've contacted my landlord 2 weeks ago asking for there to be a cover to be placed on top of it and the electrician contractor is due to come next Thursday. I thought that was a good idea at the time but now that it's being vandalised more than 3 times a day it's clearly a horrible idea. 

 

Could I ask the contractor to remove the emergency release button completely? So then only 1 exit (which is 15 seconds walk away) would be the only one to have the emergency release. 

I came across a post years ago where someone stated "The fire risk assessment should consider whether

a. A green emergency release unit is required and

b. Whether the magnetic lock is required to release automatically on operation of the fire alarm." 

 

So it seems like it's not mandatory? 

 

 

[AnthonyB]

It's all required unless the fire risk assessment can put forward a case as to why omitting one method is still safe. You aren't legally responsible for the exit so have no authority to request the contractor does anything - it has to come from the landlord.

I'm not saying its impossible, just there is a process to go through.