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Door swing and Exit sign

facer

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Joined
Jan 23, 2024
Messages
1
Location
Dallas TX
In the diagram below, both Area A and Area B are divided by exit access door (which is required by program), and require two means of egress due to common path of travel. Since the occupant load (O.L.) in Area A is fewer than 50, the door swing is not required to follow the direction of egress travel. However, for Area B, with an occupant load greater than 50, the door must swing in the direction of egress travel. My question is:
  • In this case, is it code compliant for the exit access door to be accessed from both directions (bi-directionally) with swing from one side ?
  • If so, is it also acceptable to place exit signs on both sides of the door?
    1750715459405.png
I haven’t found anything in the code that prohibits this, so I believe it should be acceptable. However, I wanted to confirm.
 
Congrats on your first post!

You didn't say where the project is located, or the applicable code. For sake of discussion, I'll assume that Area A and Area B are not just corridors, but are both occupied spaces with actual uses; and I'll assume you are on the 2021 IBC.

before getting into the detail of door swing and exit signage, you need to research "Egress through intervening spaces" in IBC 1016.2. There are limitations based on Use A and Use B being accessory to one another, and not being an H occupancy, etc.

If you made that door a "horizontal exit" instead of an "exit access" door, it might work. See also IBC 1026.
 
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