can you lock a means of egress door after hours?

[ccollings]

I have a second story terrace space which requires 2 means of egress. one means of egress is a stairwell and the second means exits through the building. Can the door that exits into the building have both panic hardware and also be able to be locked after hours? The concern that someone can climb up onto the terrace and be able to break into the building.

 

[steveray]

I believe this got "fixed" in the 2021 IBC...See #8:

1010.2.4​

Locks and latches shall be permitted to prevent operation of doors where any of the following exist:

1. 1.Places of detention or restraint.
2. 2.In Group I-1, Condition 2 and Group I-2 occupancies where the clinical needs of persons receiving care require containment or where persons receiving care pose a security threat, provided that all clinical staff can readily unlock doors at all times, and all such locks are keyed to keys carried by all clinical staff at all times or all clinical staff have the codes or other means necessary to operate the locks at all times.
3. 3.In buildings in occupancy Group A having an occupant load of 300 or less, Groups B, F, M and S, and in places of religious worship, the main door or doors are permitted to be equipped with key-operated locking devices from the egress side provided:
   
   1. 3.1.The locking device is readily distinguishable as locked.
   2. 3.2.A readily visible durable sign is posted on the egress side on or adjacent to the door stating: THIS DOOR TO REMAIN UNLOCKED WHEN THIS SPACE IS OCCUPIED. The sign shall be in letters 1 inch (25 mm) high on a contrasting background.
   3. 3.3.The use of the key-operated locking device is revocable by the building official for due cause.
4. 4.Where egress doors are used in pairs, approved automatic flush bolts shall be permitted to be used, provided that the door leaf having the automatic flush bolts does not have a doorknob or surface-mounted hardware.
5. 5.Doors from individual dwelling or sleeping units of Group R occupancies having an occupant load of 10 or less are permitted to be equipped with a night latch, dead bolt or security chain, provided such devices are openable from the inside without the use of a key or tool.
6. 6.Fire doors after the minimum elevated temperature has disabled the unlatching mechanism in accordance with listed fire door test procedures.
7. 7.Doors serving roofs not intended to be occupied shall be permitted to be locked preventing entry to the building from the roof.
8. 8.Other than egress courts, where occupants must egress from an exterior space through the building for means of egress, exit access doors shall be permitted to be equipped with an approved locking device where installed and operated in accordance with all of the following:
   
   1. 8.1.The maximum occupant load shall be posted where required by Section 1004.9. Such signage shall be permanently affixed inside the building and shall be posted in a conspicuous space near all the exit access doorways.
   2. 8.2.A weatherproof telephone or two-way communication system installed in accordance with Sections 1009.8.1 and 1009.8.2 shall be located adjacent to not less than one required exit access door on the exterior side.
   3. 8.3.The egress door locking device is readily distinguishable as locked and shall be a key-operated locking device.
   4. 8.4.A clear window or glazed door opening, not less than 5 square feet (0.46 m2) in area, shall be provided at each exit access door to determine if there are occupants using the outdoor area.
   5. 8.5.A readily visible, durable sign shall be posted on the interior side on or adjacent to each locked required exit access door serving the exterior area stating, "THIS DOOR TO REMAIN UNLOCKED WHEN THE OUTDOOR AREA IS OCCUPIED." The letters on the sign shall be not less than 1 inch (25.4 mm) high on a contrasting background.
   6. 8.6.The occupant load of the occupied exterior area shall not exceed 300 occupants in accordance with Section 1004.

 

[Yankee Chronicler]

The short answer is that egress doors can be locked when the spaces they serve aren't occupied.

Your plan shows two pairs of doors, one leading into the board room and one leading out. Do both have panic hardware? If so, the pair leading out of the board room is locked from the terrace side unless the panic bars are dogged open, but how are you going to lock the pair that leads from the terrace into the board room?

See IBC 1010.2.1, 1010.2.4, and 1010.2.5

 

[ccollings]

yes, both spaces require 2 means of egress so I've got doors that swing out from the board room and doors that swing in to act as an exit from the outdoor terrace. Honestly I've never done this configuration before but from a logical standpoint it seems to work.
can the set of doors that swing into the board room be locked from the outside? is that not permitted by code?

 

[Yankee Chronicler]

can the set of doors that swing into the board room be locked from the outside? is that not permitted by code?

How are you going to lock them if the panic bars are on the terrace side?

Again, IBC 1010.2.4 and 1010.2.5.

 

[ccollings]

Am I misreading 1010.2.4 exception 3?

 

[Yankee Chronicler]

Am I misreading 1010.2.4 exception 3?

I don't know. What do you think it says?

To me it says you can lock doors in occupancy groups B, F, M, and S, and in Group A if the occupant load is 300 or less, IF you satisfy all three of the conditions set forth in 3.1, 3.2, and 3.3. Your opening post said both sets of doors will have panic hardware, which obviously will not lock the in-swinging pair of doors against access from the terrace. That's why I asked how you plan to lock those doors -- because you have to comply with 3.1, 3.2, and 3.3, plus you also still have to comply with 101.2.5.