I have an article in the Winter issue of Life Safety Digest that discusses two categories of electrified hardware applications.  This has to be one of the most misunderstood and often misapplied sets of code requirements related to door openings, but changes to the codes have helped to clarify the intent.

Special Locking Arrangements vs. Normal Locking Arrangements – What’s the difference?

Electrified door hardware has become more common in every type of building.  Whether it’s a battery-operated lock on an apartment entry door, a controlled egress lock in a memory care facility, a delayed egress lock on a retail exit, or a fail-safe lock used for stairwell reentry, doors with access control hardware are becoming part of our daily lives.

The model codes address various types of special locking arrangements; these are typically electrified hardware applications that could affect egress in some way.  But the most common type of electronic access control is not a special locking arrangement.  On these doors, instead of allowing access with a metal key, access is controlled with a reader and electronic credential, and egress is not affected.  This application could be considered a “normal locking arrangement.”

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Cover Image: Life Safety Digest

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