This is one of those openings that makes me cringe…yuck!  But I can’t let a teachable moment go by.  Yesterday I got a call from an architect who asked whether it was acceptable to put a panic device on one leaf of a pair when only that leaf is required for egress width.  The codes aren’t 100% clear on this, but I have had code officials require panics on both leaves of a pair even if only one leaf is required for egress.  You also need to consider the alternative to using panics on both leaves…a panic on one leaf and auto flush bolts on the other.  This application also requires a coordinator and overall it’s a problematic application.

Given the possibility that the code official may require panics on both leaves and the fact that the other option can be a maintenance and security problem, my advice is to use panics on both leaves.

Thank you to my pal George Cutler of Quarters Hardware for this photo!

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