• 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

Panic Hardware with a Deadbolt

LGreene

LGreene

Registered User
Joined
Oct 20, 2009
Messages
1,155
Location
San Miguel de Allende, Mexico
I agree It may not be an exit but if it is, the deadbolt needs to be interconnected with the bars

there are also tables and chairs in the POT
 
No exit sign, then it looks like a couple of windows with some door handles and deadbolt decorations to me and a table for two.

Donner party! Donner party, your table by the non-exit doors is ready!!

pc1
 
The doors definitely lead to the street, and they have an exit sign. So...what would you do if you were out of your jurisdiction and saw this? I already told the restaurant and maybe they'll do something about it, but what if they don't? Would a fire marshal take this seriously, or would they think the tattler was just being a pain? This situation is so common that everyone starts to think "why bother?" I see stuff like this every single day. I was just in my kids' school and they have all the fire doors propped open with wood wedges all day every day, EXCEPT on fire drill day. Everyone lets this slide because the price tag to fix it is too high.
 
I would take it seriously if somebody reported it to me. There is no valid reason for that to be there. It looks to me like it was added after the panic bars were installed.

As far as the issue with door wedges in the school-- I photocopied the bulletin from State Ed that said holding the doors open with non-approved devices such as wooden wedges was unlawful and would be treated by NYSED as a willful disregard for life safety and passed it out when I did my fire inspections.

..they contract with another inspector now, rather than have me do it for free.
 
..they contract with another inspector now, rather than have me do it for free.

NICE!

It's all about the kids.......RIIIIGHT!

One of our FM's just put a woman in jail for tampering w/ a SD in her apartment....I know some of them take it pretty seriously!
 
Well I remember when Brent(Code1, may he RIP) began teaching a code class back in 93(I'm a rookie at the time). He asked if anyone had taken the time to wonder around the hotel and check out exits. Show of hands was almost nil.

Then he pulled a few door stoppers out of his pocket and placed them on the table. "Guess where these were," he asked. Then he asked if there was any fire or building code people from the local jurisdiction. Someone raised their hand and he walked over and gave them to him saying, "You might give these back to the management after I leave."

Next year same hotel and same thing.

Can't stop stupid. Someone going to be changing the design as soon as one leaves the place.

Yeah I'd give the local FM/BO a heads up. What happens after that????????
 
I'd just shoot them over an email with the picture and address. Include the exit signage over the door. Try to get someone to actually be sitting in the seat a tthe time so it fills the other doorway area some more.

Done.
 
So if I remove the doors - no code violations.

But if the same door is propped open during the day - a code violation???

The code is really silent about the exterior doors being required unless to close to a property line or perhaps a stairshaft. If it wasn't for the energy code, the building code wouldn't require doors and it could be a case opening.

as long as the doors close, open correctly when required to.........

What difference does it make if the doors are propped open?

(this question does not apply to exterior doors which are required to be fire reistant rated due to proxmity to property line, stairshafts, closeness to firewalls, etc.)
 
Builder Bob: What difference does it make if the doors are propped open?
Click to expand...
I wouldn't have a problem with these doors being propped open. I was referring to fire doors in our school being propped open except on fire drill day as just one of the many issues (along with egress problems like the deadbolt in the photo) that I see everywhere. The propping is only a problem if it's a fire/smoke door (in my opinion).
 
When I see something in another ahj I Normaly send a note to the mayor building official and fire dept
 
Builder Bob said:
So if I remove the doors - no code violations.But if the same door is propped open during the day - a code violation???
Click to expand...
We got a little off topic. The subject of holding the doors open was in regard to a rated corridor where the doors are required to self-close and have listed hold-open devices, not the exit doors pictured.
 
The doors definitely lead to the street, and they have an exit sign. So...what would you do if you were out of your jurisdiction and saw this?
Click to expand...
Since I was traveling after my previous post and now learn that it is an "exit" ....... as a practice....... if I encounter situations like this, I always drop a dime on the local FCO only after mentioning it to the manager of the establishment at the time of my departure. That way if anything was to happen I could testify at a later date if necessary. You should have been with me when I walked through a live nativity a few years back in Ft. Wayne...... for another time.
 
FM William Burns said:
You should have been with me when I walked through a live nativity a few years back in Ft. Wayne...... for another time.
Click to expand...
Probably was about as fun as shutting down the free Thanksgiving feast in the church basement when I found the second exit permanently blocked.
 
see alot of exit signs over doors that aren't required exits - extra doors; the BO can allow the deadbolts if the door is posted that they remain unlocked during business hours (and they are, in fact, unlocked during business hours).. otherwise, my suggestion would be to turn them into windows OR not put tables and chairs in front of the doors.

If it's in fact, an exit.. it needs to be maintained as an exit.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top