Right-Hand Double-Egress Pairs

[LGreene]

I thought I might have asked this question here before, but I can't find it. Sorry if this is a duplicate. A double-egress pair of doors is where one door swings in one direction and one door swings in the opposite direction. They are often found in cross-corridor situations, especially in hospitals.The question is - do any of you require the doors to be "right-hand", where the door on your right as you face the opening is the one that swings in the direction of egress? I have had one code official in the last 25+ years require a left-hand double-egress frame to be changed to right-hand on one of my projects, and it has come up again. Click on the graphic below to enlarge.

View attachment 2045

I can't find anything in the IBC or NFPA 101 that would require this, although there is a requirement in the National Building Code of Canada:3.3.1.11. Door Swing1) Except as permitted by Article 3.3.1.12., a door that opens into a corridor or other facility providing access to exit from a suite or room not located within a suiteshall swing on a vertical axis.2) Except as permitted by Article 3.3.1.12., a door that opens into a corridor or other facility providing access to exit from a room or suite that is used or intended for an occupant load more than 60 or for a high-hazard industrial occupancy shall swing in the direction of travel to the exit.3) Every door that divides a corridor that is not wholly contained within a suite shall swing on a vertical axis in the direction of travel to the exit.4) If a pair of doors is installed in a corridor that provides access to exit in both directions, the doors shall swing in opposite directions, with the door on the right hand side swinging in the direction of travel to the exit. View attachment 2045

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[cda]

Have not had that one come up

Did the nice FM say why??

The reason??

And how dies he address this::

4) If a pair of doors is installed in a corridor that provides access to exit in both directions, the doors shall swing in opposite directions, with the door on the right hand side swinging in the direction of travel to the exit.

Black and white code???

 

[cda]

Looks like an exit sign would be needed directly above the door that swings in direction of travel

 

[Mech]

I would say in the United States, use left hand openings for the United Kingdom Embassy (and any other country where they drive on the left side of the road.)

 

[LGreene]

CDA - The code text is from Canada, but the project is in the US.

 

[cda]

Ohh missed that

 

[cda]

Ok let me understand this correctly, you have a project with left hand door

So if you are walking in direction of travel it swings towards you, the door you would think normally swings in direction of travel? Swings towards you

Like in the top doors of your picture

 

[LGreene]

Double-egress pairs are typically RH/RH. So if you're walking on the right-hand side of the corridor, the door in front of you will swing in the direction of egress. Same thing if you're coming from the other end of the corridor.

With a LH/LH double-egress pair, you would still have a door available that is swinging in the direction of egress, it would just be on the left-hand side of the corridor. Not perfect for traffic flow, but usually there's a reason it's done this way - an obstruction or odd-ball traffic pattern. If you had a single door it could be either LH or RH and doesn't have to be on the correct side of the corridor, and I can't find anything in the US codes...just trying to get a feel for what you all would require/prefer.

 

[cda]

I would require swing in normal direction of travel

Right hand

Have not seen a scenario that would require opposite

Would site the door swing section, plus should have been questioned during plan review

 

[JBI]

cda, The point is that there is no requirement in the text of the US codes to require hinged on right in this scenario.

There is/are side hinged doors that swing in the direction of egress travel. That is all the (US) codes currently require... :banghd

 

[cda]

I would require it using the door swing requirement

If that did not fly than require an exit sign directly over the door that does swing in direction of travel and possibly more signage on the door

I think this would be a lawsuit waiting to happen!!!!!!!!

 

[steveray]

Good idea to put it on the right and sign accordingly.....But I do not believe I could require it on the right....

 

[DCDave]

I attended DHI training school in VA just a few weeks ago (I'm trying to achieve an AHC credential after nearly 20 years in this industry).

We were taught (and it was a test question!) that normal DE doors (in the US anyway) are always LHR/LHR (due to presence of exit device on doors).

What we were taught is LHR/LHR, you are calling RH/RH.

Is it possible you're both seeking the same end result, but it's a mix-up in terminology?

 

[cda]

I attended DHI training school in VA just a few weeks ago (I'm trying to achieve an AHC credential after nearly 20 years in this industry). We were taught (and it was a test question!) that normal DE doors (in the US anyway) are always LHR/LHR (due to presence of exit device on doors).

What we were taught is LHR/LHR, you are calling RH/RH.

Is it possible you're both seeking the same end result, but it's a mix-up in terminology?

I vote for the bottom pair of doors and door swing in the OP picture

 

[LGreene]

I attended DHI training school in VA just a few weeks ago (I'm trying to achieve an AHC credential after nearly 20 years in this industry). We were taught (and it was a test question!) that normal DE doors (in the US anyway) are always LHR/LHR (due to presence of exit device on doors).

What we were taught is LHR/LHR, you are calling RH/RH.

Is it possible you're both seeking the same end result, but it's a mix-up in terminology?

Hi DCDave -

I was trying to simplify by calling them RH/RH, which is the same as LHR/LHR but might be confusing to someone not in the door business. It's true that in the US, double-egress pairs are almost always RH/RH (aka LHR/LHR) but my question was whether this is required by code, or just an industry standard due to traffic patterns.

Congrats on working toward your AHC!