These Fixed-it Friday photos are also contenders for Wordless Wednesday. Steve Quinn of The Flying Locksmiths sent me these photos of a pair of doors leading to the pool area of a hotel. When he mentioned the problem to hotel staff, he was told that the privacy latches had been installed because their security staff had been reduced.
Some of the doors have exit signs, and they are serving the hotel lobby and a large multi-room conference area – probably assembly space. Remember, even if a door opening is not required in order to accommodate the calculated occupant load, the IBC requires the door to be code-compliant if it is provided for egress purposes. All of the doors serving this area are supposed to allow free egress, unless it is clear that they are NOT exits – and the plan is approved by the AHJ.
These doors would be nearly impossible to open in an emergency – until the latches broke or came off the doors.
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What the heck kind of contraption is this? Hope someone can elaborate more on this.
Hi Jerry –
It’s the type of privacy latch that is usually used on hotel room entrance doors.
– Lori
Thanks for stirring my memory, Lori. I have seen these little beasts on some hotel guest room doors. And now, some genius put them at the top of a pair of doors. Wow. Luckily, these horrendous examples of architectural hardware applications are limited to post-construction owner modifications and not generated by hardware specifications.
If these door are exits for hotel meeting rooms, or ballroom doors lobby, that occupancy allows for Key Operated locking devices from the egress side, with the rooms are not in use. But not what they are showing. With key operated locks It would also require signage “This door to remain unlocked when this space is occupied” Not uncommon in ballroom areas of hotels Key operated deadbolts AND exit devices are ok in that situation.
1010.1.9.4
But:
If these are exits from a Public lobby, then this is really no bueno.
I sure do wish they would make these privacy locks, to match the door color!!!
We take privacy to the next level!
I doubt that they would hold back a crowd of people pushing on the door, but I don’t want to find out the hard way….