At home
Escape routes are usually the front and back doors and, in some houses, upstairs windows designed as emergency escape windows. If a shutter covers one of these, it must be possible to open it quickly from inside, in the dark and without a key.
For powered shutters that means an inside switch plus a manual override or a battery-backed motor, so a power cut during a fire does not trap anyone. For manual shutters it means a crank or push-up operation that works from inside.
Talk to everyone in the house about how the shutters open, and keep cranks or override tools where they can be found.
At work
Shutters on fire exits must not be closed while the premises are occupied. Your fire risk assessment should cover how shutters are operated at opening and closing, who is responsible, and what happens if someone is still inside.
Where a shutter is on an escape route, controls, interlocks or signage may be needed, and the person responsible for fire safety should agree the procedure.
Fire shutters are different
Fire-rated shutters close automatically to protect a compartment, not to secure a building. They are part of the fire strategy, they must be tested products installed to the manufacturer's instructions, and they must be maintained, usually with an annual service and drop test.
Choosing the right controls
An inside switch or a remote kept in the room, a manual override such as a crank or emergency release, and a battery-backed motor that can open the shutter in a power cut are the usual ways to keep an escape route usable.
Timers and app control are convenient, but they should never be the only way to open a shutter over an escape window or door.
Flats and shared buildings
In blocks of flats, shutters on communal doors, bin stores or bike stores must not obstruct escape routes. Check with the managing agent or the person responsible for fire safety in the building before fitting anything to a shared area.
Sources
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Rules can change; check with the relevant authority for your property.