A retired fire marshal sent me today’s Wordless Wednesday photos of yet another retail exit…once an AHJ, always an AHJ. When you hit the stores this holiday season, check the exits – and send me photos! 🙂
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Example: Many, many, many exterior doors have a latch and deadbolt on them (with possibly an exit sign or not) in existing buildings. Examples are small F-1 strip mall types, S service centers, older Merchantiles, and older B offices with rear delivery or non-public utility access doors.
Question: Do you recommend the AHJ start a campaign to change all of those into single operation unlatching doors or balance that approach in each instance with the exit number required (occupant load and common path of egress travel distances)?
(in this example, none of the latches/locks are keyed on the egress side and are in a standard R dwelling unit setup)
The model codes have required one releasing motion for as long as I can remember, so it’s very likely that the double lock was not compliant when it was installed. One problem with not addressing existing problems is that the non-compliant application becomes the norm, and it continues to happen. If the door is required for egress, or if it is provided for egress purposes, it is supposed to comply with the code requirements – this would be the first step for the AHJ to determine. If the door is not required for egress nor provided for egress purposes, maybe it should be marked “not an exit” if it is not compliant. If it must comply, one of the locks needs to go.
– Lori