Emergency Exit Door Hardware Requirements

Automatic doors closers are also mandatory.

Emergency exit door hardware requirements.

A path of travel door is a door in the egress pathway leading to or between a fire door or exit door. Dependant on its location it need not necessarily be fire rated or steel framed. There are specific requirements for electronically controlled egress doors. An opening into an exit must be protected by a self closing fire door that remains closed or automatically closes in an emergency upon the sounding of a fire alarm or employee alarm system.

The idea behind panic hardware is to allow a way out of the building in the case of an emergency. An exit door is a door that allows an emergency exit from a building. The sign this door to remain unlocked when building is occupied shall be posted over the main exit door as a reminder that if the exception to no special knowledge or effort hardware is utilized the door must remain unlocked when the building is occupied. Path of travel door.

Sometimes panic hardware is called fire exit hardware or they may be referred to as egress doors. Code publications define panic hardware as a door latching assembly incorporating a device that releases the latch upon the application of a force. The nfpa emergency exit door requirements code states there is a maximum travel distance allowed to find an exit. Panic hardware also known as an exit device or fire exit hardware when used on fire doors is designed to provide fast and easy egress to allow building occupants to exit safely in an emergency.

The use of panic hardware and or fire exit hardware is required by the international building code ibc and nfpa 101 the life safety code depending on which code and which edition of the code is being referenced. Path of travel door. Each fire door including its frame and hardware must be listed or approved by a nationally recognized testing laboratory. If there is a fire in the area where occupants are they are already being exposed to smoke fire and heat.

Panic hardware cannot be used on a fire door because of the danger of trapping people inside during a fire. The ibc 2006 and 2009 editions requires panic hardware and or fire exit hardware on egress doors with an occupant load of 50 people or more in the following. When panic hardware is used on fire doors it must be fire exit hardware that has been tested per ul 10c positive pressure fire tests of door assemblies or another fire test standard and the. A path of travel door is a door in the egress pathway leading to or between a fire door or exit door.

Panic hardware and fire exit hardware consist of bars that must extend across not less than one half the width of the door leaf not less than 30 inches or more than 44 inches above the floor. Dependent on its location it need not necessarily be fire rated or steel framed. An exit door is a door that allows an emergency exit from a building.