• Welcome to the new and improved Building Code Forum. We appreciate you being here and hope that you are getting the information that you need concerning all codes of the building trades. This is a free forum to the public due to the generosity of the Sawhorses, Corporate Supporters and Supporters who have upgraded their accounts. If you would like to have improved access to the forum please upgrade to Sawhorse by first logging in then clicking here: Upgrades

Freight Elevator Lobby Issue

jeffbouldin

Registered User
Joined
Jan 31, 2022
Messages
6
Location
Mt. Juliet, TN
So to build off my Fire Door question.

I have a Freight Elevator Lobby the customer wants to control access through from the Lobby into the space. The issue is egress out of that lobby to get to the egress stairwell.

I originally brought up a delayed egress maglock that initiated when the door moved. Replacing the handset with a pull handle. But since it is fire rated this cannot be done.

So does anyone have a solution? Must stay positive latched, must be fire rated, must be able to be triggered inside the lobby on a door that swings into the lobby.
 
As long as it's a use group where delayed egress locks are allowed and all of the other criteria in the code are met, you can use a delayed egress mag-lock and a passage set. Passage sets don't lock, but they do latch as required for fire doors. So if someone didn't have a card or other credential permitting them to freely leave the elevator lobby, they would turn the lever and push on the door. This would start the 15-second timer, sound the alarm, and allow egress after 15 seconds.

NFPA 101 includes a section that allows elevator lobbies to be locked in the direction of egress under certain conditions, and the 2024 edition of the IBC will include a similar section. There is more information on that here: https://idighardware.com/2021/12/code-update-elevator-lobby-exit-access-doors/.

- Lori
 
As long as it's a use group where delayed egress locks are allowed and all of the other criteria in the code are met, you can use a delayed egress mag-lock and a passage set. Passage sets don't lock, but they do latch as required for fire doors. So if someone didn't have a card or other credential permitting them to freely leave the elevator lobby, they would turn the lever and push on the door. This would start the 15-second timer, sound the alarm, and allow egress after 15 seconds.

NFPA 101 includes a section that allows elevator lobbies to be locked in the direction of egress under certain conditions, and the 2024 edition of the IBC will include a similar section. There is more information on that here: https://idighardware.com/2021/12/code-update-elevator-lobby-exit-access-doors/.

- Lori
Familiar with that 101 code, but this building is not an occupancy that this county has adopted 101 to cover. It is under 2018 IBC.

To follow up with your first suggestion. It is allowable to turn the handset and then pull the door to start the delayed egress process? Does that not violate the requirement against two actions to unlatch?
 
I understand that 101 may not apply...I just wanted to share the upcoming change to the IBC. The 2018 IBC requires each elevator lobby to have a code-compliant means of egress, although some cities and states have modified the IBC to allow something similar to 101.

The model codes require the door to unlatch with one releasing motion. Turning the lever is that one motion. With delayed egress locks, the 15-second timer must begin when there is "an attempt to egress." Pushing on the door is the attempt to egress. Here is the language from the IBC:

An attempt to egress shall initiate an irreversible process that shall allow such egress in not more than 15 seconds when a physical effort to exit is applied to the
egress side door hardware for not more than 3 seconds. Initiation of the irreversible process shall activate an audible signal in the vicinity of the door. Once the
delay electronics have been deactivated, rearming the delay electronics shall be by manual means only.


- Lori
 
I understand that 101 may not apply...I just wanted to share the upcoming change to the IBC. The 2018 IBC requires each elevator lobby to have a code-compliant means of egress, although some cities and states have modified the IBC to allow something similar to 101.

The model codes require the door to unlatch with one releasing motion. Turning the lever is that one motion. With delayed egress locks, the 15-second timer must begin when there is "an attempt to egress." Pushing on the door is the attempt to egress. Here is the language from the IBC:

An attempt to egress shall initiate an irreversible process that shall allow such egress in not more than 15 seconds when a physical effort to exit is applied to the
egress side door hardware for not more than 3 seconds. Initiation of the irreversible process shall activate an audible signal in the vicinity of the door. Once the
delay electronics have been deactivated, rearming the delay electronics shall be by manual means only.


- Lori
Perfect. Than that is our answer. The GC makes sure there is passage handsets and we keep the Delayed Egress maglock we have planned on the door.
 
Top