Access Controled Doors

[steveray]

Anyone have any input to these two code sections...they seem to be a little contradictory to me....Access control seems to need to drop out to unlocked per alarm or power outage from both sides.....but the stairwell door section says that you you can be locked on the "out"side.....

Situation is (I believe) a 3 story, town owned building that they moved IT into and installed access control w/o permits....stairwell doors have card readers...there is always egress capabilities....This was discovered because the EMS responded to a call and couldn't get in.....

1008.1.3.4 Access-controlled egress doors.

The entrance doors in a means of egress in buildings with an occupancy in Group A, B, E, M, R-1 or R-2 and entrance doors to tenant spaces in occupancies in Groups A, B, E, M, R-1 and R-2 are permitted to be equipped with an approved entrance and egress access control system which shall be installed in accordance with all of the following criteria:

1. A sensor shall be provided on the egress side arranged to detect an occupant approaching the doors. The doors shall be arranged to unlock by a signal from or loss of power to the sensor.

2. Loss of power to that part of the access control system which locks the doors shall automatically unlock the doors.

3. The doors shall be arranged to unlock from a manual unlocking device located 40 inches to 48 inches (1016 mm to 1219 mm) vertically above the floor and within 5 feet (1524 mm) of the secured doors. Ready access shall be provided to the manual unlocking device and the device shall be clearly identified by a sign that reads "PUSH TO EXIT." When operated, the manual unlocking device shall result in direct interruption of power to the lock—independent of the access control system electronics—and the doors shall remain unlocked for a minimum of 30 seconds.

4. Activation of the building fire alarm system, if provided, shall automatically unlock the doors, and the doors shall remain unlocked until the fire alarm system has been reset.

5. Activation of the building automatic sprinkler or fire detection system, if provided, shall automatically unlock the doors. The doors shall remain unlocked until the fire alarm system has been reset.

6. Entrance doors in buildings with an occupancy in Group A, B, E or M shall not be secured from the egress side during periods that the building is open to the general public.

1008.1.8.7 Stairway doors.

Interior stairway means of egress doors shall be openable from both sides without the use of a key or special knowledge or effort.

Exceptions:

1. Stairway discharge doors shall be openable from the egress side and shall only be locked from the opposite side.

2. This section shall not apply to doors arranged in accordance with Section 403.12.

3. In stairways serving not more than four stories, doors are permitted to be locked from the side opposite the egress side, provided they are openable from the egress side.

 

[cda]

3. In stairways serving not more than four stories, doors are permitted to be locked from the side opposite the egress side, provided they are openable from the egress side.

This applies, but does not sprcify how

Would say 1008.1.3.4 Access-controlled egress doors. Does not apply

If city building contact fd about the problem

 

[steveray]

Thanks CDA....Already speaking with the FM....I guess the access control is what I am hung up on....It seems to be one of those if you do it, it shall comply kind of situations.....Doesn't make a whole lot of sense when they could put a key lock on it...Maybe I am making it bigger than it is, which is why I am looking for some more input.......I though Brudgers might've beat me down by now for being a choreographer or something.....

 

[cda]

Are they using electric strikes on the doors or something else

And what type of door hardware is on the egress side??

Do not have the book with me so a little hard to check some other code sections

 

[AegisFPE]

It looks like we need to define which side is "the egress side" to know what Items 1 and 6 are trying to accomplish.

IMHO the code is seeking to ensure that anyone in the space is able to exit.

Therefore, I interpret "the egress side" to be that of the room or space from which egress is required.

If this is true, then it is OK for anyone to be locked out and prevented from entering.

 

[Doorman]

Access control and egress control are two separate issues.

An egress controlled door must unlock on activation of alarm or loss of power. An access controlled opening is not required to unlock on alarm, UNLESS the access control used is ALSO egress control.

The most common way for egress control to be accomplished is electromagnets.

Another way to think of egress control is an alarmed exit device. I have seen these on the side doors to restaurants to disuade the 'Dine and Dash' customer; there is no exit delay, they open immediately with a push on the device. These doors aren't required to unlock from the exterior in an alarm condition, these are an egress control.

 

[Doorman]

This was discovered because the EMS responded to a call and couldn't get in.....

Sounds like an application for a Knox Box, or whichever brand the first responders in your jurisdiction have selected to use.

 

[steveray]

It looks like we need to define which side is "the egress side" to know what Items 1 and 6 are trying to accomplish. IMHO the code is seeking to ensure that anyone in the space is able to exit.

Therefore, I interpret "the egress side" to be that of the room or space from which egress is required.

If this is true, then it is OK for anyone to be locked out and prevented from entering.

2. Loss of power to that part of the "access" control system which locks the doors shall automatically unlock the doors.

It specifically says access...that is what I am having a hard time with...that code section does not seem to differentiate which side of the door you are on...

Doorman...I don't see how they are different under this code section...

I don't know specific hardware, surface mounted electric strikes, and I am told egress is always possible(by FM), but no ties to FA, and I don't know about loss of power yet...

 

[Builder Bob]

The Fire Departmnet can get in --------- if they have to. Fire codes try to get people out, not in......

 

[Doorman]

Hmmmnmm. Yeah, I'm with you. Now I'm confused.

1. A sensor shall be provided on the egress side arranged to detect an occupant approaching the doors. The doors shall be arranged to unlock by a signal from or loss of power to the sensor. So, an access control system that is a stand alone device (with the access control stuff built into the lock, battery operated)... these are not allowed? These are always mechanical release from the inside (egress side).

2. Loss of power to that part of the access control system which locks the doors shall automatically unlock the doors. Same circumstance as above. Loss of house power, the stand alone device will continue to operate; the loss of power will have no effect on the access control device.

You guys must have seen these stand alone devices all over the place. I know that I sell and install several each month (maybe I shouldn't have said that...).

The wording of the code cited here seems only applicable to electromagnetic locks, but I don't see where these are mentioned. Is there more to this?

 

[Doorman]

The entrance doors in a means of egress in buildings... are permitted to be equipped with an approved entrance and egress access control system...

So, it very much appears this section is applicable to electromagnetic locks only.

 

[LGreene]

The 2003 edition of the IBC allowed stairs serving 4 stories or less to be locked on the stair side without a fire alarm release. All other editions require fail safe locks so that the stair doors can be unlocked from the fire command center or a location inside the building entrance.

Electromagnetic locks (access controlled egress doors) would have to unlock on fire alarm per both code sections, along with the sensor and push button on the egress side. As of the 2009 edition there is another section of the IBC that pertains to maglocks - 1008.1.9.8 - Electromagnetically Locked Egress Doors. This section doesn't require fire alarm unlock, but the stairwell reentry section would drive that requirement for stair doors. The best application for access control on stair doors is electrified locks or electrified exit device trim, because the door remains latched as required for the fire rating. Electric strikes can't be used on stair doors where reentry is required - which is all stair doors except when the 2003 IBC is being used and the stairs are serving 4 stories or less. Fail safe electric strikes aren't allowed on fire doors because the latching requirement is not met.

For what it's worth, NFPA 101 has slightly different requirements when it comes to stairwell reentry. It still allows stairs serving 4 stories or less to be locked with a key, and it also allows "selected reentry," where certain floors are locked and some allow reentry.

For a little light reading, I have written some articles that might help:

Electromagnetic Locks: http://idighardware.com/2012/02/locksmith-ledger-code-requirements-for-electromagnetic-locks/

Stairwell Reentry: http://idighardware.com/2011/08/stairwell-reentry-myths-and-facts/

Electromagnetically Locked Egress Doors: http://idighardware.com/2012/03/decoded-ibc-electromagnetically-locked-egress-doors/

Fail Safe vs. Fail Secure: http://idighardware.com/2012/05/fail-safe-vs-fail-secure-when-and-where/

I'm in Morocco so I might be slow to respond to follow-up questions, but leave them anyway and I'll check back later.

 

[steveray]

Thanks Lori and Doorman.....I am just a little conflicted...I know I can have a locked door there per 2003 IBC 1008.1.8.7.....but once you put in an "access control" hardware set, shouldn't it have to comply with 1008.1.3.4???

And how do I get to access control meaning just electro-mag locks...

 

[cda]

There are so many ways to lock down a door now a days

And to control access to a building, to me sometimes you have to look at each case to see what they are doing and equipment they are using

 

[Doorman]

The way I read 1008.1.3.4, if the locking and access control scheme does not include an electromagnet it is not applicable.

 

[FM William Burns]

For what it's worth, NFPA 101 has slightly different requirements when it comes to stairwell reentry. It still allows stairs serving 4 stories or less to be locked with a key, and it also allows "selected reentry," where certain floors are locked and some allow reentry.

Like Builder Bob mentions, the code should only regulate egress not ingress/entry. If ingress relates to a horizontal exit passage in a four story....that is addressed as must unlock.

 

[LGreene]

And how do I get to access control meaning just electro-mag locks...

Most hardware used with an access control system allows free egress at all times. A door with a card reader and an electric strike, an electrified mortise lock (most functions), or panic hardware with electrified lever trim would allow free egress regardless of the status of the access control system. In my opinion, these products are not required to comply with the Access-Controlled Egress Doors section. The 2009 Commentary includes this paragraph in regard to Access-Controlled Egress Doors:

"Doors can be protected by controlled egress or free egress. A controlled egress door requires permission from the access control system to allow someone to enter or exit through the door. This type is used where entry and exit must be logged or where areas on both sides of the passage must be controlled. An entrance door that was locked or controlled from the exterior, but allowed free egress at any time, such as with a panic bar or other standard hardware, would not be an access controlled egress door. This locking arrangement is for situations where both the ingress and egress out of the door is controlled by some type of entry system, such as a key pad or card swipe."

An electromagnetic lock would not allow free egress unless the required sensor and push button are provided, along with unlocking on fire alarm and power failure. This is the type of product that is being addressed by the Access-Controlled Egress Door section. The section is a little confusing because it talks about controlling egress but then requires release devices which provide free egress, but that's another topic.