1008.1.9.12 Access-controlled elevator lobby doors
in high-rise office buildings.
For elevator lobbies in
high-rise office buildings where the occupants of the
floor are not required to travel through the elevator
lobby to reach an exit, when approved by the fire
chief, the doors separatin
g the elevator lobby from
the adjacent occupi
ed tenant space that also serve
as the entrance doors to the tenant space shall be
permitted to be equipped with an approved entrance
and egress access control provided all of the follow-
ing requirements are met:
1. The building is provided throughout with an
automatic sprinkler system in accordance with
Section 903.3.1.1.
2. A smoke detector is installed on the ceiling on
the tenant side of the elevator lobby doors
along the center line of the door opening, not
less than 1 foot and not more than 5 feet from
the door opening, and is connected to the fire
alarm system.
3. A remote master switch capable of unlocking
the elevator lobby doors shall be provided in
the fire command center for use by the fire
department.
4. Locks for the elevator lobby shall be UL and
California State Fire Marshal listed fail-safe
type locking mechanisms. The locking device
shall automatically release on activation of
any fire alarm device on the floor of alarm
(waterflow, smoke detector, manual pull sta-
tions, etc.). All locking
devices shall unlock,
but not unlatch, upon activation.
5. A two-way voice communication system, uti-
lizing dedicated lines, shall be provided from
each locked elevator lobby to the 24-hour
staffed location on site, annunciated as to
location. Operating instructions shall be
posted above each two-way communication
device.
Exception:
When approved by the fire chief, a
two-way voice communi
cation system to an
off-site facility may be permitted where means
to remotely unlock the access controlled doors
from the off-site facility are provided.
6. An approved momentary mushroom-shaped
palm button connected to the doors and
installed adjacent to each locked elevator
lobby door shall be provided to release the
door locks when operated by an individual in
the elevator lobby. The locks shall be reset
manually at the door. Mount palm button so
that the center line is 48 inches above the fin-
ished floor.
Provide a sign stating:
“IN CASE OF EMERGENCY,
PUSH PALM BUTTON,
DOOR WILL UNLOCK AND
SECURITY ALARM WILL SOUND.”
The sign lettering shall be
3
/
4
-inch high letters
by
1
/
8
-inch width stroke on a contrasting back-
ground.
7. Loss of power to that part of the access con-
trol system which locks the doors shall auto-
matically unlock the doors.
