Is Stairwell Re-Entry in buildings that are not classified as a Hi-Rise required?

[LMBMF]

Hello,

Apologies in advanced if this in not the correct forum for this question. I'm trying to get an understanding if buildings that are fewer than 4 floors or under 75' in height are required to have stairwell re-entry? This is context to access control doors to internal stairwells that are setup to unlock on fire but do not have positive latching. Is it required to have stairwell re-entry for these doors or is that only applicable to hi-rise structures? There seems to be language applicable to Hi-Rise that spells this out but for buildings that do not technically qualify as a hi-rise, i am finding it is unclear, or atleast, unclear to me.

 

[jc_ks]

Very much depends on the applicable code. 2018 IBC 1010.1.9.12 would require them to not lock from the stairwell, but it does have a number of exceptions. Some AHJs also amend these exceptions.

 

[Yankee Chronicler]

Apologies in advanced if this in not the correct forum for this question. I'm trying to get an understanding if buildings that are fewer than 4 floors or under 75' in height are required to have stairwell re-entry? This is context to access control doors to internal stairwells that are setup to unlock on fire but do not have positive latching. Is it required to have stairwell re-entry for these doors or is that only applicable to hi-rise structures? There seems to be language applicable to Hi-Rise that spells this out but for buildings that do not technically qualify as a hi-rise, i am finding it is unclear, or atleast, unclear to me.

Are these exit stairs or communicating stairs?

If they are exit stairs, are they required exit stairs?

If these stairs are in rated shafts (which they have to be if they are exits, and I believe at four stories they have to be in all cases), then how do you get to have doors that don't have positive latching?

 

[steveray]

Are these exit stairs or communicating stairs?

If they are exit stairs, are they required exit stairs?

If these stairs are in rated shafts (which they have to be if they are exits, and I believe at four stories they have to be in all cases), then how do you get to have doors that don't have positive latching?

I see what you are saying...

This is context to access control doors to internal stairwells that are setup to unlock on fire but do not have positive latching.

If they unlock, but do not unlatch, that could work...

 

[LMBMF]

Very much depends on the applicable code. 2018 IBC 1010.1.9.12 would require them to not lock from the stairwell, but it does have a number of exceptions. Some AHJs also amend these exceptions.

My apologies for my tardiness in responding.

In my state, we have a adopted IBC 2021 and NFPA 1 (which essentially points to NFPA 101). I am unsure what code the building was constructed under but it is a 4 year old structure, single tenant, No more than 4 floors, and possibly under 75' in height. I do not believe it qualifies as a Hi-Rise. The single tenant business runs after school programs for children so I am guessing the occupancy is B or E but not certain.

I found during an evaluation of the access control system serving the building, that there were two stairwells both configured to allow re-entry from the stairwell but only one of these stairwells seems to be configured properly for this function.

Stairwell A:
Each floor has a Von Duprin fire rated exit device with a fail safe electrified lever set. When the fire alarm system is in alarm, the access control systems' lock power supply cuts power to Stairwell A fail safe lever sets and allows for re-entry from the stairwell back into the space. This stairwell allows re-entry on every floor.

Stairwell B:
This stairwell is a different story. I found this stairwell has Von Duprin fire rated exit devices but with electrified latch retraction. The latch retraction is used to allow 4 automatic door operators to swing freely when people ingress from the stairwell into the tenant space. They must swipe a card to allow this otherwise the door is locked. Egress thru these doors, the occupant can push the egress side handicap operator button and the door will retract the latch and swing open.

The weird part of stairwell B is all of these electrified locks are fail secure. When the fire alarm system is in alarm, the lock power supply is configured to ENERGIZE the exit devices which causes them to unlatch.
I am fairly certain these should have been just like stairwell A and had fail safe electrified levers for the stairwell doors which would provide positive latching.
Reviewing the IBC, I was trying to find where a structure that does not comply with the "Hi-Rise" deffinition is required and not required to have stairwell re-entry.
Further more, I am wondering if the fire alarm system should be tied to the operators to disable them from swinging open during a fire alarm in the event the buttons or some other component fails and signals the operator to stay open.

I find myself discovering this type of issue pretty regularly now and am trying to see where and how it is acceptable to deny stairwell re-entry.

Any insight shared is truly appreciated.