Eliason Double Acting Door - Exit Signs

[EliseRM10]

I have a site that has an eliason door (kitchen door) that does not lock and is not intended to. However, I have a partner who is working on a solution for a way to temporarily lock the door so employees can shelter in place in their back room. This particular location has an exit sign above the Eliason door.
- If there is another exit path, is it against code to utilize a lock in specific emergency situations only?
- If only employees use it, is it considered "trained traffic" and falls in that gray area of whether it can be used?

Thank you for the help!

 

[steveray]

Locks are very picky for egress doors...The first step would be determining if this door is required or provided for egress....With a sign over it, it likely is...

 

[EliseRM10]

Thank you! Does it matter if it's an employee only door?

 

[steveray]

Thank you! Does it matter if it's an employee only door?

no....we don't want them to die either...

 

[tmurray]

Just a note, this was posted in the Canada section. If is not in Canada, you may request a mod to relocate it to ensure responses are based on US codes.

 

[Yankee Chronicler]

Thank you! Does it matter if it's an employee only door?

If it is marked as an exit, it is not an employee-only door -- it is an exit access door. Doors serving means of egress cannot be locked against egress at any time a building or space is occupied.

What you need to do is perform a complete egress review to determine whether or not that path of egress travel is needed to satisfy the code. If not, you will need to prepare a new egress plan and submit a building permit application to the building department and (probably) the fire marshal, seeking permission to alter the approved means of egress for the building.

 

[Joe.B]

so employees can shelter in place

Shelter from what?

 

[steveray]

Shelter from what?

Active shooter....We have another bill going to legislature to allow school doors to lock in the direction of egress again...

 

[Joe.B]

Ah. I see.

 

[Inspector Gadget]

Would have to be NAFS compliant for a bunch of things, including thermal resistance, water penetration .... etc.

 

[Yankee Chronicler]

Active shooter....We have another bill going to legislature to allow school doors to lock in the direction of egress again...

What's that going to solve? Do they want to lock a shooter in a classroom?

 

[Inspector Gadget]

Active shooter....We have another bill going to legislature to allow school doors to lock in the direction of egress again...

Y'ever thought about ... taking away the guns from the nutcases?

Just a radical thought.

 

[steveray]

Y'ever thought about ... taking away the guns from the nutcases?

I've thought about drawing and quartering anything above grand theft....So I might not be the one to ask....And probably why I am not emperor...

 

[Yankee Chronicler]

Y'ever thought about ... taking away the guns from the nutcases?

Just a radical thought.

Not radical at all. The problem is how to identify the nutcases before they reveal themselves as nutcases.

Let's not detour into political discussions that belong on other sites. The issue here is doors, paths of egress travel ... and locks.