// CODE SNIPPET
7.2.1 Door Openings
JUMP TO FULL CODE CHAPTER
A door assembly in a means of egress shall conform to the general requirements of Section 7.1 and to the special requirements of 7.2.1.
Every door opening and every principal entrance that is required to serve as an exit shall be designed and constructed so that the path of egress travel is obvious and direct. Windows that, because of their physical configuration or design and the materials used in their construction, have the potential to be mistaken for door openings shall be made inaccessible to the occupants by barriers or railings.
For the purposes of Section 7.2, a building shall be considered to be occupied at any time it meets any of the following criteria:
- It is open for general occupancy.
- It is open to the public.
- It is occupied by more than 10 persons.
Where means of egress doors are locked in a building that is not considered occupied, occupants shall not be locked beyond their control in buildings or building spaces, except for lockups in accordance with 22.4.5 and 23.4.5, detention and correctional occupancies, and health care occupancies.
For swinging door assemblies, clear width shall be measured as follows:
- The measurement shall be taken at the narrowest point in the door opening.
- The measurement shall be taken between the face of the door leaf and the stop of the frame.
- For new swinging door assemblies, the measurement shall be taken with the door leaf open 90 degrees.
- For any existing door assembly, the measurement shall be taken with the door leaf in the fully open position.
- Projections of not more than 4 in. (100 mm) into the door opening width on the hinge side shall not be considered reductions in clear width, provided that such projections are for purposes of accommodating panic hardware or fire exit hardware and are located not less than 34 in. (865 mm), and not more than 48 in. (1220 mm), above the floor.
- Projections exceeding 6 ft 8 in. (2030 mm) above the floor shall not be considered reductions in clear width.
For other than swinging door assemblies, clear width shall be measured as follows:
For swinging door assemblies, egress capacity width shall be measured as follows:
- The measurement shall be taken at the narrowest point in the door opening.
- The measurement shall be taken between the face of the door leaf and the stop of the frame.
- For new swinging doors assemblies, the measurement shall be taken with the door leaf open 90 degrees.
- For any existing door assembly, the measurement shall be taken with the door leaf in the fully open position.
- Projections not more than 31/2 in. (90 mm) at each side of the door openings at a height of not more than 38 in. (965 mm) shall not be considered reductions in egress capacity width.
- Projections exceeding 6 ft 8 in. (2030 mm) above the floor shall not be considered reductions in egress capacity width.
For other than swinging door assemblies, egress capacity width shall be measured as follows:
- The measurement shall be taken at the narrowest point in the door opening.
- The measurement shall be taken as the door opening width when the door leaf is in the fully open position.
- Projections not more than 31/2 in. (90 mm) at each side of the door openings at a height of not more than 38 in. (965 mm) shall not be considered reductions in egress capacity width.
- Projections exceeding 6 ft 8 in. (2030 mm) above the floor shall not be considered reductions in egress capacity width.
Door openings in means of egress shall be not less than 32 in. (810 mm) in clear width, except under any of the following conditions:
- Where a pair of door leaves is provided, one door leaf shall provide not less than a 32 in. (810 mm) clear width opening.
- *Exit access door assemblies serving a room not exceeding 70 ft2 (6.5 m2) and not required to be accessible to persons with severe mobility impairments shall be not less than 24 in. (610 mm) in door leaf width.
- *Door openings serving a building or portion thereof not required to be accessible to persons with severe mobility impairments shall be permitted to be 28 in. (710 mm) in door leaf width.
- In existing buildings, the existing door leaf width shall be not less than 28 in. (710 mm).
- Door openings in detention and correctional occupancies, as otherwise provided in Chapters 22 and 23, shall not be required to comply with 7.2.1.2.3.
- Interior door openings in dwelling units as otherwise provided in Chapter 24 shall not be required to comply with 7.2.1.2.3.
- A power-operated door leaf located within a two-leaf opening shall be exempt from the minimum 32 in. (810 mm) single-leaf requirement in accordance with 7.2.1.9.1.8.
- Revolving door assemblies, as provided in 7.2.1.10, shall be exempt from the minimum 32 in. (810 mm) width requirement.
- *Where a single door opening is provided for discharge from a stairway required to be a minimum of 56 in. (1420 mm) wide in accordance with 7.2.2.2.1.2(B), and such door assembly serves as the sole means of exit discharge from such stairway, the clear width of the door opening, measured in accordance with 7.2.1.2.2, shall be not less than two-thirds the required width of the stairway.
Thresholds at door openings shall not exceed 1/2 in. (13 mm) in height.
Raised thresholds and floor level changes in excess of 1/4 in. (6.3 mm) at door openings shall be beveled with a slope not steeper than 1 in 2.
In existing buildings, where the door opening discharges to the outside or to an exterior balcony or exterior exit access, the floor level outside the door opening shall be permitted to be one step lower than that of the inside, but shall be not more than 8 in. (205 mm) lower.
In existing buildings, a door assembly at the top of a stair shall be permitted to open directly at a stair, provided that the door leaf does not swing over the stair and that the door opening serves an area with an occupant load of fewer than 50 persons.
Any door assembly in a means of egress shall be of the side-hinged or pivoted-swinging type, and shall be installed to be capable of swinging from any position to the full required width of the opening in which it is installed, unless otherwise specified as follows:
- Door assemblies in dwelling units, as provided in Chapter 24, shall be permitted.
- Door assemblies in residential board and care occupancies, as provided in Chapters 32 and 33, shall be permitted.
- Where permitted in Chapters 11 through 43, horizontal-sliding or vertical-rolling security grilles or door assemblies that are part of the required means of egress shall be permitted, provided that all of the following criteria are met:
- Such grilles or door assemblies shall remain secured in the fully open position during the period of occupancy by the general public.
- On or adjacent to the grille or door opening, there shall be a readily visible, durable sign in letters not less than 1 in. (25 mm) high on a contrasting background that reads as follows: THIS DOOR TO REMAIN OPEN WHEN THE SPACE IS OCCUPIED.
- Door leaves or grilles shall not be brought to the closed position when the space is occupied.
- Door leaves or grilles shall be operable from within the space without the use of any special knowledge or effort.
- Where two or more means of egress are required, not more than half of the means of egress shall be equipped with horizontal-sliding or vertical-rolling grilles or door assemblies.
- Horizontal-sliding door assemblies shall be permitted under any of the following conditions:
- Horizontal-sliding door assemblies in detention and correctional occupancies, as provided in Chapters 22 and 23, shall be permitted.
- Special-purpose horizontally sliding accordion or folding door assemblies complying with 7.2.1.14 shall be permitted.
- Unless prohibited by Chapters 11 through 43, horizontal-sliding door assemblies serving a room or area with an occupant load of fewer than 10 shall be permitted, provided that all of the following criteria are met:
- The area served by the door assembly has no high hazard contents.
- The door assembly is readily operable from either side without special knowledge or effort.
- The force required to operate the door assembly in the direction of door leaf travel is not more than 30 lbf (133 N) to set the door leaf in motion and is not more than 15 lbf (67 N) to close the door assembly or open it to the minimum required width.
- The door assembly complies with any required fire protection rating, and, where rated, is self-closing or automatic-closing by means of smoke detection in accordance with 7.2.1.8 and is installed in accordance with NFPA 80.
- Corridor door assemblies required to be self-latching have a latch or other mechanism that ensures that the door leaf will not rebound into a partially open position if forcefully closed.
- Where private garages, business areas, industrial areas, and storage areas with an occupant load not exceeding 10 contain only low or ordinary hazard contents, door openings to such areas and private garages shall be permitted to be horizontal-sliding door assemblies.
- Where private garages, business areas, industrial areas, and storage areas with an occupant load not exceeding 10 contain only low or ordinary hazard contents, door openings to such areas and private garages shall be permitted to be vertical-rolling door assemblies.
- Revolving door assemblies complying with 7.2.1.10 shall be permitted.
- Existing fusible link-operated horizontal-sliding or vertical-rolling fire door assemblies shall be permitted to be used as provided in Chapters 39, 40, and 42.
Door leaves required to be of the side-hinged or pivoted-swinging type shall swing in the direction of egress travel under any of the following conditions:
- Where serving a room or area with an occupant load of 50 or more, except under any of the following conditions:
- Door leaves in horizontal exits shall not be required to swing in the direction of egress travel where permitted by 7.2.4.3.8.1 or 7.2.4.3.8.2.
- Door leaves in smoke barriers shall not be required to swing in the direction of egress travel in existing health care occupancies, as provided in Chapter 19.
- Where the door assembly is used in an exit enclosure, unless the door opening serves an individual living unit that opens directly into an exit enclosure
- Where the door opening serves a high-hazard contents area
During its swing, any door leaf in a means of egress shall leave not less than one-half of the required width of an aisle, a corridor, a passageway, or a landing unobstructed, unless both of the following conditions are met:
- The door opening provides access to a stair in an existing building.
- The door opening meets the requirement of 7.2.1.4.3.2.
When fully open, any door leaf in a means of egress shall not project more than 7 in. (180 mm) into the required width of an aisle, a corridor, a passageway, or a landing, unless the door leaf is equipped with an approved self-closing device and is not required by the provisions of 7.2.1.4.2 to swing in the direction of egress travel.
Surface-mounted latch release hardware on the door leaf shall be exempt from being included in the maximum 7 in. (180 mm) projection requirement of 7.2.1.4.3.1, provided that both of the following criteria are met:
Related Code Sections
7.2.1 Means of Egress, Door Openings
Every door opening and every principal entrance that is required ...
Life Safety Code 2018 of Kansas > 7 Means of Egress > 7.2 Means of Egress Components > 7.2.1 Door Openings
1010.1.3 Means of Egress, Door Opening Force
The force for pushing or pulling open interior swinging egress doors, other than fire doors, shall not exceed 5 pounds (22 N). These forces do ...
Building Code 2018 of Kansas > 10 Means of Egress > 1010 Doors, Gates and Turnstiles > 1010.1 Doors > 1010.1.3 Door Opening Force
1010.1.3 Means of Egress, Door Opening Force
The force for pushing or pulling open interior swinging egress doors, other than fire doors, shall not exceed 5 pounds (22 N). These forces do ...
Fire Code 2018 of Kansas > 10 Means of Egress > 1010 Doors, Gates and Turnstiles > 1010.1 Doors > 1010.1.3 Door Opening Force
12.7.1.3 New Assembly Occupancies, Inspection of Door Openings
Door openings shall be inspected in accordance with 7.2.1.15 ...
Life Safety Code 2018 of Kansas > 12 New Assembly Occupancies > 12.7 Operating Features > 12.7.1 Means of Egress Inspection > 12.7.1.3 Inspection of Door Openings
13.7.1.3 Existing Assembly Occupancies, Inspection of Door Openings
Door openings shall be inspected in accordance with 7.2.1.15 ...
Life Safety Code 2018 of Kansas > 13 Existing Assembly Occupancies > 13.7 Operating Features > 13.7.1 Means of Egress Inspection > 13.7.1.3 Inspection of Door Openings