Martyn’s Law will require venues to think carefully about how they respond to a range of potential threats. Unlike fire safety, where the response is almost always evacuation, a terrorism-related incident may require a different Martyn’s Law lockdown procedures, depending on the nature and location of the threat.
For Responsible Persons, the challenge is not just having a plan but ensuring that the building, its doors, and its access control systems can support that response in real time.
Why Response Planning Matters
At its core, Martyn’s Law is about preparedness. That means understanding how a building will react under the pressure of an attack.
In a hostile situation, the wrong response could increase risk rather than reduce it by evacuating into danger for example. Failing to secure entrances, or delaying action can all have serious consequences. This is why the legislation emphasises clear procedures, staff awareness, and proportionate planning.
What Is Lockdown?
Lockdown is the process of securing a building or part of a building to prevent access or movement. This is typically actioned when the threat is external or where controlling the movement of people in the building will reduce risk.
In practice, Martyn’s Law lockdown procedures may involve securing external doors, restricting movement between internal areas, preventing access to specific zones, and isolating parts of the building.
Modern access control systems can support lockdown procedures by allowing doors to be secured quickly and, in some cases, centrally and remotely. But lockdown is not simply about locking doors; it must be coordinated with communication systems, staff training and actions, and safe refuge strategies.
What Is Invacuation?
Invacuation refers to moving people to a safer location inside the building, rather than evacuating them outside. This may be the right approach when:
- the threat is outside the building
- evacuation routes are unsafe
- secure internal areas that can provide adequate protection are in easier and safer reach
In these situations, the building’s layout and doors become critical in creating compartmentalised protected areas where occupants can remain safe until the situation is resolved. This requires careful consideration of how spaces are divided, how doors perform, and how access is controlled between zones.
When Is Evacuation the Right Response?
Evacuation remains essential in many scenarios, particularly when there is an internal threat, a risk of explosion or fire, and occupants cannot be safely contained within the building.
However, unlike fires, evacuation under Martyn’s Law may need to be more controlled and directional. This means guiding people away from the threat, managing exit routes carefully, and avoiding bottlenecks or exposure to the threat. That means that doors, escape routes and exit hardware must all function reliably under these conditions.
Why Doors and Access Control Matter for Martyn’s Law Lockdown Procedures
All three response strategies (lockdown, invacuation and evacuation) rely heavily on how doors and exit routes behave in an emergency. In practice, this includes:
- how quickly entrances can be secured
- whether internal areas can be isolated
- how easily occupants can exit
- how systems respond when alarms are triggered
A strategic access control system will help secure entrances rapidly, control doors remotely and/or centrally, and zone buildings into secure areas while monitoring people’s movement during an incident.
At the same time, doors must still allow safe and immediate escape where required. This balance between security and life safety is one of the most important aspects of compliance with Martyn’s Law.
Planning for Real Buildings
There is no single response that applies to every building. A school, hospital, hotel, arts venue or office will each require a different approach based on:
- the layout and number of entrances and exits
- occupancy levels and patterns of use
- the type of users and visitors: people who work daily in a building will react differently n in an emergency situation in a building they are familiar with, as opposed to an occasional visitor, for example
- the operational requirements of the building
For example, a busy co-working space may need to manage a constant flow of users with varying access permissions, while still being able to secure entrances quickly if required. Systems designed for these environments often allow building managers to control access remotely and respond in real time to changing conditions. Similarly, in schools or healthcare settings, response planning must consider safeguarding, accessibility and the need for clear, intuitive procedures.
The Role of Training and Procedures
Even the most advanced systems are only effective if people know how to use them, so Martyn’s Law places a strong emphasis on staff awareness and training, as well as clear procedures that everyone understands. Occupants need to understand when to evacuate versus when to remain in place, how to follow instructions and from whom, and how to operate doors and systems if required. These procedures should be simple, clear and realistic.
Preparing for Martyn’s Law Lockdown Procdures
Although the legislation outlining Martyn’s Law Procedures is not yet in force, Responsible Persons can start preparation now. This might involve an audit of existing emergency procedures, including an assessment of how door, security, and access control systems might perform in an emergency. This gives the team a chance to identify vulnerabilities in the building layout or access and ensure that Martyn’s Law procedures align properly with security and fire safety requirements. In most cases, this process starts with a site-specific expert assessment.
How Em-B Supports Response Planning
At Em-B, we work with clients to ensure that buildings are not only secure, but also capable of responding effectively in an emergency. This work might include
- reviewing door hardware and escape routes
- assessing access control systems
- advising on zoning and compartmentation
- ensuring compliance with fire and safety standards
Because every building operates differently, the most effective solutions are always tailored to the site’s specific risks and requirements.
Speak to Em-B About Martyn’s Law Procedure Readiness
If you are responsible for a publicly accessible building, it is worth reviewing how your site would respond to a range of potential scenarios. Understanding the difference between Martyn’s Law lockdown procedures, invacuation and evacuation is a key part of that process.
If you would like support assessing your building’s readiness, the Em-B team can provide practical, site-specific advice.
This article forms part of Em-B’s Martyn’s Law guidance series for building owners, facilities managers and design teams.
You can also read our overview of how Martyn’s Law affects doors and access control, understand compliance responsibilities, and download our readiness checklist to assess how prepared your building is.
Martyn’s Law Procedure FAQs
Lockdown is the process of securing a building or area to prevent access or movement during a security incident.
Invacuation means moving people to a safe place within a building instead of evacuating them outside.
Evacuation moves people out of a building, while lockdown secures the building to keep threats out or contained.
Yes. Venues will be expected to have clear procedures for responding to incidents, which may include lockdown, invacuation or evacuation depending on the situation.
Access control systems allow doors to be secured quickly, restrict movement between areas and support controlled evacuation or refuge strategies.
