Assembly occupancy doors along egress path

[Redmund]

Exit or exit access doors serving an assembly occupancy space naturally need to swing in the direction of egress travel with panic or fire exit hardware. However, what about the doors 'downstream' along the egress path? Do those 'downstream' doors also need to swing in the direction of egress of the assembly space and also be equipped with either panic or fire exit hardware?

 

[bill1952]

yes

 

[RLGA]

To add to @bill1952’s short and to-the-point response, the code language backs that response. Sections 1010.1.2.1 and 1010.2.9 both use the words “serving” when referring to applicable doors. The exit or exit access doors subject to these requirements do not need to be just the doors directly out of a Group A occupancy—doors that serve the Group A occupancy (or other uses conforming to the conditions listed), even when they are anywhere along the egress path from the Group A occupancy, are subject to the requirements.

 

[steveray]

Typically as OL grows in the direction of travel, the door swing thing should be self explanatory...Once you start outswinging, you do not stop....As you typically do not have an A <50 OL, both apply....The language is a little better in 1010.1.2.1

1010.2.9 Panic and fire exit hardware. Swinging doors
serving a Group H occupancy and swinging doors serving
rooms or spaces with an occupant load of 50 or more in an A........

1010.1.2.1 Direction of swing. Side-hinged swinging
doors, pivoted doors and balanced doors shall swing in
the direction of egress travel where serving a room or
area containing an occupant load of 50 or more
persons or a Group H occupancy.

 

[Redmund]

Thanks all for your comments, that's very helpful.

I've commented for a long time that all doors along the egress path need to have panic bars once that requirement is established somewhere 'upstream' in the egress path. It certainly is logical that that should be the way to do it since all the doors 'downstream' are still serving that original assembly occupancy starting point, but I never got push back on it yet.

I'm reviewing a set of plans now where I expect the designer to protest about that. Although the code doesn't specifically say that all doors to the exterior of the building need to have panic bars in a case like this, I'll justify the comment that all those doors are still considered as 'serving' the original assembly space.

 

[bill1952]

Panic bars if latching. Some doors in assembly facilities are not fire doors but to block sound. I've had the argument too many times - doors not required to latch having panic bars.