LGreene
Registered User
I really need some help with this one. I have been contacted about a new apartment building in California where each dwelling unit has an electronic lock on the door leading from the corridor to the apartment. For egress, turning the lever retracts both the latchbolt and deadbolt, so this goes above and beyond what is required since a separate deadbolt and latching hardware (2 operations for egress) are allowed on dwelling unit entries. The lock is UL listed for use on a fire door assembly, so all is well there.
The accessibility question that has been raised is in regard to the number of operations to unlock the door from the outside. The lock works this way:
1) Present an access card, fob, or smart phone – just hold it close to the lock – no insertion required.
2) Retract the deadbolt using a thumbturn that does not require tight grasping/pinching/twisting – it can be pushed from side to side with the tip of a finger or the side of a palm.
3) Turn the lever to retract the latchbolt and open the door.
Operating this lock is much easier than inserting and turning a key to retract the deadbolt, and then doing it again to unlock the lever, but this mechanical operation would technically be allowed by the ADA because the ADA doesn't address keys. I have not found anything in any code or standard that would limit the number of operations to unlock the electronic lock from the outside as long as each of the operations can be performed without tight grasping, pinching, or twisting of the wrist, and the operations don't have to be performed simultaneously or with a high amount of dexterity.
Any thoughts?
- Lori
The accessibility question that has been raised is in regard to the number of operations to unlock the door from the outside. The lock works this way:
1) Present an access card, fob, or smart phone – just hold it close to the lock – no insertion required.
2) Retract the deadbolt using a thumbturn that does not require tight grasping/pinching/twisting – it can be pushed from side to side with the tip of a finger or the side of a palm.
3) Turn the lever to retract the latchbolt and open the door.
Operating this lock is much easier than inserting and turning a key to retract the deadbolt, and then doing it again to unlock the lever, but this mechanical operation would technically be allowed by the ADA because the ADA doesn't address keys. I have not found anything in any code or standard that would limit the number of operations to unlock the electronic lock from the outside as long as each of the operations can be performed without tight grasping, pinching, or twisting of the wrist, and the operations don't have to be performed simultaneously or with a high amount of dexterity.
Any thoughts?
- Lori
