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Exit door hardware in taverns

K

kasa

Member
Joined
Apr 13, 2012
Messages
47
This is a question about assembly occupancies, specifically taverns. The code used is 2006 IFC. I am looking for guidance about the kinds of hardware the exit doors can and can't have. Today I went into a bar with capacity 300, and there were surface bolts on the exit doors, with a sticker next to it saying "this bolt shall be kept open during periods of occupancy" or something. Kind of looks like a previous inspector gave them a sticker saying the flush bolts were ok, so long as they were kept open when the business was open, like IFC 1008.1.8.3 talks about "locks and latches" being allowed with a sign. I want to put together a slide show or something, of hardware that is ok, and stuff to order off, but I'm not even really clear on the rules. I also want to know when panic hardware is *required*. I found the wording of IFC 1008.1.9 is confusing me. It says "where panic and fire exit hardware is installed..." I'd like to know when it's required. When I go into a tavern, I want to know what kind of hardware they need to have, some have been occupied for 20+ years and a lot of changes could have happened to the doors, like broken panic hardware replaced with knobs, bolts, chicago locks, etc...

Any help would be great, and if more info is needed, let me know.
 
Sounds like first problem is what year and what code was the business approved under?

That will dictate what can be on the door

Normally when you have panic hardware no other locking device is allowed

The doors you saw did they have panic hardware, some other door hardware, or free swinging??

From IFC

1008.1.9 Panic and fire exit hardware.

Where panic and fire exit hardware is installed, it shall comply with the following:

1. **The actuating portion of the releasing device shall extend at least one-half of the door leaf width.

2. **The maximum unlatching force shall not exceed 15 pounds (67 N).

Each door in a means of egress from a Group A or E occupancy having an occupant load of 50 or more and any Group H occupancy shall not be provided with a latch or lock unless it is panic hardware or fire exit hardware.

Exception: A main exit of a Group A occupancy in compliance with Section 1008.1.8.3, Item 2.

Electrical rooms with equipment rated 1,200 amperes or more and over 6 feet (1829 mm) wide that contain overcurrent devices, switching devices or control devices with exit access doors must be equipped with panic hardware and doors must swing in the direction of egress.

So A, E and H under the 06 require panic hardware

Search this for great info on doors::::

http://idighardware.com/

And you can get a copy of this book

http://www.vonduprin.com/fireandlifesafety/Fire_and_Life_Safety_Code.pdf

If you want to go to war you can use this section

110.1.1 Unsafe conditions.

Structures or existing equipment that are or hereafter become unsafe or deficient because of inadequate means of egress or which constitute a fire hazard, or are otherwise dangerous to human life or the public welfare, or which involve illegal or improper occupancy or inadequate maintenance, shall be deemed an unsafe condition. A vacant structure which is not secured against unauthorized entry as required by Section 311 shall be deemed unsafe.

Best idea is to survey the city to see what and how many Problems you have, develop a game plan, get your bosses and the cities backing, try to educate the businesses what you are trying to achieve, then hopefully the war will not be much of a battle.

If you have a great building department to work with set down and learn from them
 
 
When you decide "what code the business was approved under", should I go to the most recent occupancy certificate date, or look back to when each first became a tavern? To find when each became a tavern would mean a LOT of time, using microfilm many times etc, the occupancy is very simple, but a lot of the occupancy certificates were issued with no inspection following a change of owners, so really not sure I could subject them to newer codes just for that kind of change. What would you do?

Thank you for all the links & info thus far!
 
Do you have a building dept/ building official to work with in your jurisdiction ???
 
Main problem sometimes asking questions here, is that there are many variables that have to be taken into account.

Plus unless we see pictures or floor plan, it is hard to give a good answer.

Not trying to dodge a question, but just how it is
 
In 1008.1.8.3, number two says in certain occupancies, you can have a "key operated locking device". I think this has been misinterpreted a lot in the places I've seen. People read 1008.1.8 where it says "egress doors shall be readily openable from the egress side without the use of a key or special knowledge or effort". I showed a picture of a single cylinder deadbolt on an assembly exit door to someone, and they said basically,"it's ok, because it doesn't require a key, they just need to put the sign on it saying it has to be kept open during periods of occupancy, like 1008.1.8.3 number 2 says, you can lock a main exit door." I think the point of only allowing a key locking device is to control WHO can lock it. If it's a key lock, only a manager is going to be able to lock/unlock it, instead of the deadbolt that any patron or uneducated worker could just lock during business operation. And it's only allowed on the main door so they don't forget some side doors locked, but the main entrance, obviously, no one's going to get in unless the remember to unlock it first.

I'm not sure about the question about building dept/ building official cda? I am the inspector. Due to politics lately I think, a lot of old guys retired all at once, I've got no one to ask much except to go online and research. I'm taking pictures of all the locks I've seen, and plan to put together a slide show of some sort.

I found one place with about 6 doors, and 6 different kinds of hardware. There was one with a detex, then one with a detex and a handle below it, one with a single barrel deadbolt, two with slide bolts, one with a single barrel deadbolt with a ada kind of handle below that. Of all those, I felt like the detex-only one was the only one that was right. The capacity was 300. The 'main door' had a single barrel deadbolt. I hope I'm getting all the names of these hardware right, I'm just trying to be accurate without pics here sorry.
 
Greetings

You might take this section into account. As far as I'm concerned, I don't care how old a building is, if you can't get out of it in a fire, and you as the inspector know that, you've got a problem.

06 IFC

SECTION 110 UNSAFE BUILDINGS

110.1 General.

If during the inspection of a premises, a building or structure or any building system, in whole or in part, constitutes a clear and inimical threat to human life, safety or health, the fire code official shall issue such notice or orders to remove or remedy the conditions as shall be deemed necessary in accordance with this section and shall refer the building to the building department for any repairs, alterations, remodeling, removing or demolition required.

110.1.1 Unsafe conditions.

Structures or existing equipment that are or hereafter become unsafe or deficient because of inadequate means of egress or which constitute a fire hazard, or are otherwise dangerous to human life or the public welfare, or which involve illegal or improper occupancy or inadequate maintenance, shall be deemed an unsafe condition. A vacant structure which is not secured against unauthorized entry as required by Section 311 shall be deemed unsafe.

BS
 
Kasa

Sorry I thought your were one on them " fire inspector "

But sounds like you are the building dept

Yes you can have a lock on the "main entrance"

But the problem is some people lock the door before the business is closed, or all customers are gone, and the "key holder" is out back taking a break

And it can be revoked!!! 2.3. **The use of the key-operated locking device is revokable by the building official for due cause.

No you cannot have multiple devices to open a door,

Just one operation

Do you have a building official near by that can come visit and give you guidance???
 
What would you say if a person were to explain that the latch side of a single barrel deadbolt does satisfy the "one motion" code (1008.1.8.5 Unlatching. The unlatching of any door or leaf shall not require more than one operation.) I was not considering this idea when it was presented to me so I'm giving it some thought now, at the time all I could think of was that the knob/latch part on a deadbolt is not a proper "handle" for an exit door.

There was a concern I heard, that the manager would come in to work with the rest of the employees, but not have the door yet unlocked, how would those employees exit without his key, if he weren't present to unlock it? I've re-read the section again, and I think my answer would be that the code says to keep the door unlocked when "occupied" not just when "open for business". As soon as the employees arrive, the door is unlocked.

What are some ways other municipalities keep an eye on people who might lock their exits when they are not supposed to be locked?

Also, I am curious for pictures to better explain "readily distinguishable as locked"... any good examples? Wouldn't a keyhole be very hard to distinguish? With alarms on a door also, it would be very hard for an inspector to check the door if they thought the place was locking it.

I think there will be a conference of plan, building and fire inspectors on this.
 
What would you say if a person were to explain that the latch side of a single barrel deadbolt does satisfy the "one motion" code (1008.1.8.5 Unlatching. The unlatching of any door or leaf shall not require more than one operation.) I was not considering this idea when it was presented to me so I'm giving it some thought now, at the time all I could think of was that the knob/latch part on a deadbolt is not a proper "handle" for an exit door.

Normaly only allowed on main entrance, so when the business is Open, the lock is unlocked, so you do not have to mess with it
 
There was a concern I heard, that the manager would come in to work with the rest of the employees, but not have the door yet unlocked, how would those employees exit without his key, if he weren't present to unlock it? I've re-read the section again, and I think my answer would be that the code says to keep the door unlocked when "occupied" not just when "open for business". As soon as the employees arrive, the door is unlocked.

Yes door should be unlocked.

Or hopefully there are other exit doors that are not locked
 
What are some ways other municipalities keep an eye on people who might lock their exits when they are not supposed to be locked?

Mainly by complaints or said inspector happens to do business there and finds locked doors
 
With alarms on a door also, it would be very hard for an inspector to check the door if they thought the place was locking it.

If it is a marked exit, some inspectors cannot read that the door is alarmed and just happen to open the door!!!!
 
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sorry to say again sometimes without seeing the enitre picture, hard to give you a solid code answer

with that said if you want to take some pictures of different code questions and post them, may help give a better call!!!!!
 
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