Now that I’ve spent years teaching all of you which occupancy classifications / occupant loads require doors with panic hardware*, a change to the 2021 IBC will add a new location where panic hardware is required.
The 2021 edition of the International Building Code (IBC), includes a change that will require panic hardware on doors serving refrigeration machinery rooms over 1,000 square feet in area. The change proposal was submitted by a representative of the International Institute of Ammonia Refrigeration and was approved as modified by public comment (the final action results are here). The complete documentation including the reason statement and public comments (E15-18) begins on page 584 of the 2018 Group A Public Comment Agenda.
The 2021 edition of the IBC includes the following language:
1010.2.9.1 Refrigeration machinery room. Refrigeration machinery rooms larger than 1,000 square feet (93 m2) shall have not less than two exit or exit access doorways that swing in the direction of egress travel and shall be equipped with panic hardware or fire exit hardware.
This change will help to protect occupants from the risk of a rapid release of hazardous or asphyxiant gases from the refrigeration equipment. This application is similar to the protection needed for Group H (High Hazard) occupancies; Group H doors require panic hardware regardless of the occupant load.
*If you’ve forgotten where panic hardware is required, here is a video that covers this topic, along with a supplementary article about panic hardware on electrical rooms.
In another iDigHardware “small world” story (remember this one?), I originally published this post with a photo of a refrigeration machinery room that I credited to Process Cooling. Carl Kwechin of JLL / Southeast Financial Center read the post and recognized his building’s plant! What are the chances?? Carl sent me a new photo which now appears in this post.
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The article does not address if my current hardware will be grandfathered in, or will I have to up-grade to panic devices? We have 4 exit doors (2 lead directly outside) so we meet that requirement.
A bigger question is where did you get that photo? That is my plant. I’m guessing it was provided by one of the many Allegion rep’s that have visited me over the years. The plant has 4000 tons of refrigeration, chiller #1 is 900 tons on it’s own. If your ever in Miami let me know and I will give you a tour of the plant and the building it serves. the view from our roof is amazing.
REALLY?? That’s a photo of your plant?? I got the photo from a magazine article that I linked to at the bottom of the post. If you want to send me a more comprehensive photo of your space, I’d love to replace it. 🙂
Normally a change in the codes does not require existing hardware to be changed, BUT – when panic hardware was added to the NEC for some electrical rooms, there were some AHJs who required existing doors to be updated because there had been several accidents/explosions where technicians could not leave the electrical room because their injuries prevented them from using the existing hardware.
– Lori
Yes, Really. Its an older photo, the plant has been painted recently so the chrome name plates have not yet been replaced. I will take some new photo’s and send them to you, but the one you posted is fine.
My questions is… What type of Buildings have Refrigeration Machinery Rooms? I do not recall seeing a room by this name.
Hi Jody –
The one in the photo is a high-rise office building in Florida. I think they are often related to the air conditioning system.
– Lori
Most are labeled as the “Central Plant”
In our area we have many refrigerated warehouses for the preparation and storage of crops. Lots of refrigeration machinery rooms of varying sizes for these buildings.