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It is not uncommon for a building classified as another occupancy type to include an area used for assembly. For example, a nursing home would typically have a dining room, an office building might have a large conference center, or an apartment complex could have a function room that can be used for parties...
My next Decoded column looks at how assembly occupancies are addressed in the model codes, as well as some of the assembly-specific requirements related to door openings. Let me know if I missed anything! :)
Many classrooms have a door connecting to the adjacent classroom. Correct me if I'm wrong, but since most classrooms do not require a second means of egress, I think those doors are typically there for convenience. I tried to find something in past codes that would have required the second door, but so far I only see the requirement for a second means of egress when the occupant load reaches 50 or more. (Note: There are some situations where a classroom may need to have a second means of egress because it is not located on the ground floor.)
I don't know for sure what happened in these Fixed-it Friday photos, but my guess is that this property was split due to an unresolved inheritance, and the doors were part of the fix. What do you think? Do you have another theory?
This post was printed in the January 2013 issue of Doors & Hardware
My next article for Door Security + Safety Magazine addresses the signage required for automatic doors. It will appear in the April edition.
We interrupt this road trip to announce that this website has received visitors from 50 different countries!!
I'm continuing to revise my Decoded articles to maintain them as an up-to-date resource for the industry...familiarity with use groups and occupancy classifications is crucial to understanding and applying the codes.
This grocery store's manager stated that the justification for this closed exit was that people were walking out of these doors without paying for their merchandise. I have my own thoughts about this situation, but I'm wondering...WWYD?
Ellen DeGeneres cracks me up - even though she never talks about doors and I never have time to watch her show any more. Recently, Ellen and I became Facebook friends, so I get random status updates from her show which often include videos. I happened upon a video of when she sent one of her writers through a haunted house, and about 25 seconds into the video, I noticed a set of emergency exit doors (which have LCN 4110s and Von Duprin 99s if I'm not mistaken). Yes, I do realize that I'm a weirdo, but you should know that by now.
If these criteria are met, the fence surrounding the building would not be required to have gates that allow free egress, as the building occupants can gather safely in the enclosed area and wait for emergency responders to arrive...
Every so often, I'm asked whether a double-acting door can be used in a location where egress is required in both directions. A double-acting door is one that swings in and out...
The codes and standards limit the opening force for interior, non-fire-rated, manually-operated doors to 5 pounds, hence the question...
Today's Quick Question: In an office building with an occupant load of 400 people, is a paddle latch code compliant for the main entrance door? Or is panic hardware required?
Although the model codes do allow turnstiles if certain criteria are met, egress and accessibility requirements must be addressed in order to ensure adequate life safety and access for all building occupants.
There is a change coming in the 2024 IBC related to doors that are required to have panic hardware and are also equipped with electromagnetic locks. I have updated the past post on this topic to include the change.
Since I started this blog I've often thought how great it would be if JQP (John Q Public) knew the basic requirements of fire and egress doors. What if everyone who saw a locked egress door or a propped-open fire door had a way to change the situation? Imagine the effect this could have on life safety! In my imaginary world, I think of these informed people as door minions, except instead of serving an evil SuperVillian, they're helping to save the world. OK, it might be a stretch, but I saw this article the other day, giving me hope that there ARE door minions out there...
Late in 2010 when this blog was about a year and a half old, the editor of Doors & Hardware asked if they could publish one of my blog posts in each issue as a monthly column...
Charles Anderson sent me this photo of a horizontal sliding door he found on a marked exit in an antique store. So...is it code-compliant?
It’s time. Today.
This is THE most frequently-asked question that I receive. A specifier, supplier, architect, or end user has a retail, multi-family, office building, or other type of facility, and they want to know whether the exterior, stairwell, or emergency-exit doors need panic hardware...
Ten years ago I wrote my very first Decoded article, and the column has run continuously since December of 2010. Who knew I'd have so much to write about??
In Chapter 3, the IBC defines each “use group” and NFPA 101 - Chapter 6 describes each “classification of occupancy.” Both terms describe how the building or a portion of the building will be used, and each of these codes contain requirements specific to certain uses...
One year ago today I wrote the first post on this blog, regarding panic hardware on electric rooms. I don't remember why I chose that topic for my first post, but I tried to post answers to some of the most commonly asked questions before I introduced the site to anyone. Since then I have published 217 posts!
This post should have been on Wordless Wednesday, because I'm not sure what to say that I haven't already said. For the 8th time in 3 years, a major fire in Kolkata, India, has resulted in multiple fatalities. At least 19 people were killed (one news report says 28) with 50 people injured, when an "illegal" market burned. This market has been in existence for over 25 years, and the building is 5 stories tall, so I don't know how the government can claim ignorance of the problems.
Check out the new resource on iDigHardware and you might win a $50 Amazon gift card for helping to validate the current codes in your area!
As I mentioned yesterday, today is my 50th birthday. It seems like a day that I should spend reflecting on my life so far, and planning what to do with the next 50 years. And eating cake...
I have read this first article several times and asked my codey friends for their thoughts. None of us could come up with any national building code requirement for a closer on a non-fire-rated exterior door. But then again...I try to avoid arguing with a building official. What say you?
Many of today’s architectural designs incorporate outdoor spaces such as balconies, terraces, and courtyards, allowing building occupants access to natural light and fresh air. How do the model codes handle these areas?
I'm working on one more whiteboard animation video for this year, and I'd love some feedback! What are the basic egress requirements for door openings?
