If you’re designing or reviewing a fire alarm system, one of the most common questions is: “Fire alarm break glass points are commonly located where?” The short answer: they’re positioned on escape routes and beside exit doors, placed so you cannot leave a floor or building without passing a manual call point.
This placement is not random. Break glass call points (also known as MCPs or manual call points) allow people to raise the alarm faster than detectors can react, which saves crucial seconds during a fire. Where you put them determines how quickly a fire is reported, how fast people evacuate, and how reliable your emergency response really is.
This guide explains the standard locations, distance rules, mounting height, stairwell placement, and how things change on construction and temporary sites.
Summary
This blog covers:
- Quick Answer: The Most Common Break-Glass Locations
- The Core Placement Rule
- Break Glass Points on Escape Routes and Exits
- Stairways and Landings: Where Exactly Do They Go?
- Travelling Distance to the Nearest Break Glass Point
- Mounting Height and Visibility
- Special Areas: Where to Add Extra Break Glass Points
- Construction Sites and Temporary Premises: How Placement Changes
- Reducing Accidental or Malicious Activation
- Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Key Takeaways
- How We Can Help
Quick Answer: The Most Common Break-Glass Locations
Before diving into the details, here is the fast-read list of where break-glass call points should be situated:
- Next to final exits and storey exits (you should pass one before leaving the floor).
- On escape routes and corridors leading toward exits.
- At stairwell landings and at the exit from a staircase.
- Near doors to high-risk rooms or zones like plant rooms, kitchens, fuel stores, hot-work stations, and workshops.
These are the core locations; we explain the logic behind each.
The Core Placement Rule
UK fire alarm standards use a simple principle that’s easy to apply:
You shouldn’t be able to leave a storey or the building without passing a manual call point.
This means MCPs go on the way out, not hidden inside rooms, and not positioned where only certain staff will see them. They should be obvious, accessible, and placed where evacuees naturally move during an emergency.
Break Glass Points on Escape Routes and Exits
At Final Exits and Storey Exits
Break glass points are almost always located next to:
- Final exit doors leading outside, and
- Storey exit doors between floors or fire compartments.
Why? Because when people spot fire or smoke and head for safety, the MCP must be right there, reachable as you approach the exit, not past it. This ensures no one leaves a floor without having had the opportunity to raise the alarm.
Along Corridors and Common Escape Routes
Corridors form the main escape path in most buildings. MCPs are therefore positioned:
- At corridor intersections
- Along long corridors
- Near doorways that lead toward exits
Practical Tip: MCPs shouldn’t be placed where they’re easily blocked by:
- Swinging doors
- Storage trolleys
- Display materials
- Stacked site materials (on construction sites)
Stairways and Landings: Where Exactly Do They Go?
Recent guidance (BS 5839-1:2025 clarity updates) states that MCPs should be positioned:
- At each stair landing where people join the escape route, and
- At the exit from the stairs, usually found inside the final exit door.
Why this matters:
- Staircases are primary escape “arteries.”
- People join them from different floors and must have access to a call point at that transition point.
- It ensures the alarm can be raised quickly, even if someone encounters smoke mid-way down a stairwell.
Travelling Distance to the Nearest Break Glass Point
People often ask, “How far apart should break glass points be?” Here’s the standard rule of thumb:
- In spacious or open-plan areas, the straight-line distance to the nearest MCP should typically be no more than approximately 30 metres.
This doesn’t mean a ruler measurement; it refers to the maximum distance a person should reasonably need to travel to reach a call point to raise the alarm.
If your floor is big, open, or complex, add more call points. Don’t rely on detectors alone; MCPs must still be reachable quickly from anywhere people work.
Mounting Height and Visibility
Alongside location, one of the most common SERP questions is manual call point height.
The recommended height is:
- The centre point of the element at around 1.4 m above finished floor level.
- Approximately 1.1-1.6 m.
Why this height works:
- Easy for most adults to reach
- Accessible to wheelchair users
- Highly visible at eye level
- Reduces the risk of obstruction by furniture, displays, or equipment
Visibility rules also apply:
- MCPs must remain unobstructed.
- Use signage where sightlines are long or cluttered.
- Avoid installing behind door swings or recesses.
Special Areas: Where to Add Extra Break Glass Points
Break glass points should be added near higher-risk internal areas, including:
- Plant rooms
- Kitchens and canteens
- Fuel or chemical stores
- Timber stores
- Workshops
- Hot-work permit zones
- Generator and mechanical rooms
The logic is simple. People working closest to the risk should not have to run outside or down a corridor to raise the alarm.
Construction Sites and Temporary Premises: How Placement Changes
Construction and temporary sites function differently from finished buildings, so manual call point location rules adapt.
Key considerations:
- Routes Change Weekly: MCPs must be relocatable to follow new escape routes.
- Outdoor Exposure: Use weatherproof or rugged MCPs.
- Temporary Systems: Wireless MCP-sounder units are often used so they can be redeployed quickly.
- Site Hoarding and Materials: Ensure MCPs aren’t blocked by fencing, piles of timber, or machinery.
- Vertical Access Towers/Stair Cores: Install MCPs at landings just like permanent structures.
Common construction-site placement examples:
- At site entry/exit gates
- On stair cores in new-build shells
- At welfare cabins and temporary offices
- Near hot-works zones
- Along the scaffold escape routes
- In large open work areas (with spacing ≤30 m)
Reducing Accidental or Malicious Activation
Busy environments (public areas and construction sites) face a higher risk of unwanted MCP activations.
Useful mitigations include:
- Protective hinged covers to deter accidental bumps or misuse
- Placement away from forklift routes, narrow corridors, and plant paths
- Weatherproof housings for exposed outdoor areas
- Clear signage, especially where multiple MCP types (wired, wireless) are in use
Standards allow protective covers, but note that they should be logged as a variation on the fire alarm certificate.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
To keep your system safe and compliant, avoid these frequent errors:
- Installing MCPs inside rooms instead of on escape routes
- Hiding call points behind doors, equipment, or stacked materials
- Failing to add enough call points in open-plan spaces
- Mounting too high or too low
- Not relocating MCPs as construction sites evolve
- Forgetting stair landings where escape routes merge
Key Takeaways
Break glass points are placed where they’ll make the biggest difference: on escape routes, at exits, on stair landings, and near higher-risk areas. By following the core principles, visibility, accessibility, correct height, and appropriate spacing, you ensure that anyone can raise the alarm instantly. Whether you’re working in a completed building or a temporary construction site, correct MCP placement supports faster evacuation and safer outcomes.
How We Can Help
We support contractors, site managers, and fire alarm installers with compliant, hard-wearing manual call points for both permanent buildings and temporary construction systems. We offer clear guidance on placement, spacing, and height, plus reliable equipment suited to indoor, outdoor, and evolving site environments. Get in touch for expert advice.
Explore our fire alarm products today.
FAQ
Are break glass points always next to exits?
In most cases, yes. Break glass call points are positioned where people naturally evacuate, next to final exits, storey exits, and stair exits. You should encounter one on the way out, not after exiting. High-risk rooms may also have a call point directly outside the door for rapid activation.
Do you need call points on every floor?
Yes, fire alarm standards require that you cannot leave a storey without passing a manual call point. Every floor, regardless of use, must have MCPs placed on the escape route so anyone evacuating can raise the alarm immediately and reliably.
How far apart should break glass points be?
A common guideline for non-domestic buildings is that people should be within 30 metres straight-line distance of the nearest MCP in open or early-stage design layouts. If your floor is large, open-plan, irregular, or has multiple work zones, additional call points will be needed.
At what height should break glass points be installed?
Break glass points are typically installed at around 1.4 m to the centre of the element, with an acceptable range of 1.1-1.6 m. This height ensures good visibility, easy reach for most users, and accessibility for wheelchair users while avoiding obstruction by furniture or materials.
Where do break-glass points go on staircases?
They should be placed at each stair landing where people join the escape route, and at the exit from the stairs. These junction points are where evacuees converge, so call points must be available to raise the alarm before continuing down or leaving the stairwell.