// CODE SNIPPET
1010.2 Door Operations
JUMP TO FULL CODE CHAPTER
Except as specifically permitted by this section, egress doors shall be readily openable from the egress side without the use of a key or special knowledge or effort.
The unlatching of any door or leaf for egress shall require not more than one motion in a single linear or rotational direction to release all latching and all locking devices.
Exceptions:
- Places of detention or restraint.
- Where manually operated bolt locks are permitted by Section 1010.2.5.
- Doors with automatic flush bolts as permitted by Section 1010.2.4, Item 4.
- Doors from individual dwelling units and sleeping units of Group R occupancies as permitted by Section 1010.2.4, Item 5.
Door handles, pulls, latches, locks and other operating devices on doors required to be accessible by Chapter 11 shall not require tight grasping, tight pinching or twisting of the wrist to operate.
Door handles, pulls, latches, locks and other operating devices shall be installed 34 inches (864 mm) minimum and 48 inches (1219 mm) maximum above the finished floor. Locks used only for security purposes and not used for normal operation are permitted at any height.
Exception: Access doors or gates in barrier walls and fences protecting pools, spas and hot tubs shall be permitted to have operable parts of the latch release on self-latching devices at 54 inches (1370 mm) maximum above the finished floor or ground, provided that the self-latching devices are not also self-locking devices operated by means of a key, electronic opener or integral combination lock.
Locks and latches shall be permitted to prevent operation of doors where any of the following exist:
- Places of detention or restraint.
- In Group I-1, Condition 2 and Group I-2 occupancies where the clinical needs of persons receiving care require containment or where persons receiving care pose a security threat, provided that all clinical staff can readily unlock doors at all times, and all such locks are keyed to keys carried by all clinical staff at all times or all clinical staff have the codes or other means necessary to operate the locks at all times.
-
In buildings in occupancy Group A having an occupant load of 300 or less, Groups B, F, M and S, and in places of religious worship, the main door or doors are permitted to be equipped with key-operated locking devices from the egress side provided:3.1. The locking device is readily distinguishable as locked.3.2. A readily visible durable sign is posted on the egress side on or adjacent to the door stating: THIS DOOR TO REMAIN UNLOCKED WHEN THIS SPACE IS OCCUPIED. The sign shall be in letters 1 inch (25 mm) high on a contrasting background.3.3. The use of the key-operated locking device is revocable by the building official for due cause.
- Where egress doors are used in pairs, approved automatic flush bolts shall be permitted to be used, provided that the door leaf having the automatic flush bolts does not have a doorknob or surface-mounted hardware.
- Doors from individual dwelling or sleeping units of Group R occupancies having an occupant load of 10 or less are permitted to be equipped with a night latch, dead bolt or security chain, provided such devices are openable from the inside without the use of a key or tool.
- Fire doors after the minimum elevated temperature has disabled the unlatching mechanism in accordance with listed fire door test procedures.
- Doors serving roofs not intended to be occupied shall be permitted to be locked preventing entry to the building from the roof.
-
Other than egress courts, where occupants must egress from an exterior space through the building for means of egress, exit access doors shall be permitted to be equipped with an approved locking device where installed and operated in accordance with all of the following:8.1. The maximum occupant load shall be posted where required by Section 1004.9. Such signage shall be permanently affixed inside the building and shall be posted in a conspicuous space near all the exit access doorways.8.2. A weatherproof telephone or two-way communication system installed in accordance with Sections 1009.8.1 and 1009.8.2 shall be located adjacent to not less than one required exit access door on the exterior side.8.3. The egress door locking device is readily distinguishable as locked and shall be a key-operated locking device.8.4. A clear window or glazed door opening, not less than 5 square feet (0.46 m2) in area, shall be provided at each exit access door to determine if there are occupants using the outdoor area.8.5. A readily visible, durable sign shall be posted on the interior side on or adjacent to each locked required exit access door serving the exterior area stating, "THIS DOOR TO REMAIN UNLOCKED WHEN THE OUTDOOR AREA IS OCCUPIED." The letters on the sign shall be not less than 1 inch (25.4 mm) high on a contrasting background.8.6. The occupant load of the occupied exterior area shall not exceed 300 occupants in accordance with Section 1004.
- Locking devices are permitted on doors to balconies, decks or other exterior spaces serving individual dwelling or sleeping units.
- Locking devices are permitted on doors to balconies, decks or other exterior spaces of 250 square feet (23.23 m2) or less serving a private office space.
Manually operated flush bolts or surface bolts are not permitted.
Exceptions:
- On doors not required for egress in individual dwelling units or sleeping units.
- Where a pair of doors serves a storage or equipment room, manually operated edge- or surface-mounted bolts are permitted on the inactive leaf.
- Where a pair of doors serves an occupant load of less than 50 persons in a Group B, F or S occupancy, manually operated edge- or surface-mounted bolts are permitted on the inactive leaf. The inactive leaf shall not contain doorknobs, panic bars or similar operating hardware.
- Where a pair of doors serves a Group B, F or S occupancy, manually operated edge- or surface-mounted bolts are permitted on the inactive leaf provided that such inactive leaf is not needed to meet egress capacity requirements and the building is equipped throughout with an automatic sprinkler system in accordance with Section 903.3.1.1. The inactive leaf shall not contain doorknobs, panic bars or similar operating hardware.
- Where a pair of doors serves patient care rooms in Group I-2 occupancies, self-latching edge- or surface-mounted bolts are permitted on the inactive leaf provided that the inactive leaf is not needed to meet egress capacity requirements and the inactive leaf shall not contain doorknobs, panic bars or similar operating hardware.
Closet doors that latch in the closed position shall be openable from inside the closet.
Interior stairway means of egress doors shall be openable from both sides without the use of a key or special knowledge or effort.
Exceptions:
- Stairway discharge doors shall be openable from the egress side and shall only be locked from the opposite side.
- This section shall not apply to doors arranged in accordance with Section 403.5.3.
- Stairway exit doors are permitted to be locked from the side opposite the egress side, provided that they are openable from the egress side and capable of being unlocked simultaneously without unlatching upon a signal from the fire command center, if present, or a signal by emergency personnel from a single location inside the main entrance to the building.
- Stairway exit doors shall be openable from the egress side and shall only be locked from the opposite side in Group B, F, M and S occupancies where the only interior access to the tenant space is from a single exit stairway where permitted in Section 1006.3.4.
- Stairway exit doors shall be openable from the egress side and shall only be locked from the opposite side in Group R-2 occupancies where the only interior access to the dwelling unit is from a single exit stairway where permitted in Section 1006.3.4.
In Group E occupancies, Group B educational occupancies and Group I-4 occupancies, egress doors from classrooms, offices and other occupied rooms with locking arrangements designed to keep intruders from entering the room shall comply with all of the following conditions:
- The door shall be capable of being unlocked from outside the room with a key or other approved means.
- The door shall be openable from within the room in accordance with Section 1010.2.
- Modifications shall not be made to listed panic hardware, fire door hardware or door closers.
- Modifications to fire door assemblies shall be in accordance with NFPA 80.
Remote locking or unlocking of doors from an approved location shall be permitted in addition to the unlocking operation in Item 1.
Swinging doors serving a Group H occupancy and swinging doors serving rooms or spaces with an occupant load of 50 or more in a Group A or E occupancy shall not be provided with a latch or lock other than panic hardware or fire exit hardware.
Exceptions:
- A main exit of a Group A occupancy shall be permitted to have locking devices in accordance with Section 1010.2.4, Item 3.
- Doors provided with panic hardware or fire exit hardware and serving a Group A or E occupancy shall be permitted to be electrically locked in accordance with Section 1010.2.11 or 1010.2.12.
- Exit access doors serving occupied exterior areas shall be permitted to be locked in accordance with Section 1010.2.4, Item 8.
- Courtrooms shall be permitted to be locked in accordance with Section 1010.2.13, Item 3.
Refrigeration machinery rooms larger than 1,000 square feet (93 m2) shall have not less than two exit or exit access doorways that swing in the direction of egress travel and shall be equipped with panic hardware or fire exit hardware.
Exit or exit access doors serving transformer vaults, rooms designated for batteries or energy storage systems, or modular data centers shall be equipped with panic hardware or fire exit hardware. Rooms containing electrical equipment rated 800 amperes or more that contain overcurrent devices, switching devices or control devices and where the exit or exit access door is less than 25 feet (7620 mm) from the equipment working space as required by NFPA 70, such doors shall not be provided with a latch or lock other than panic hardware or fire exit hardware. The doors shall swing in the direction of egress travel.
Where panic or fire exit hardware is installed, it shall comply with the following:
- Panic hardware shall be listed in accordance with UL 305.
- Fire exit hardware shall be listed in accordance with UL 10C and UL 305.
- The actuating portion of the releasing device shall extend not less than one-half of the door leaf width.
- The maximum unlatching force shall not exceed 15 pounds (67 N).
If balanced doors are used and panic hardware is required, the panic hardware shall be the push-pad type and the pad shall not extend more than one-half the width of the door measured from the latch side.
Door hardware release of electric locking systems shall be permitted on doors in the means of egress in any occupancy except Group H where installed and operated in accordance with all of the following:
- The door hardware that is affixed to the door leaf has an obvious method of operation that is readily operated under all lighting conditions.
- The door hardware is capable of being operated with one hand and shall comply with Section 1010.2.1.
- Operation of the door hardware directly interrupts the power to the electric lock and unlocks the door immediately.
- Loss of power to the electric locking system automatically unlocks the door.
- Where panic or fire exit hardware is required by Section 1010.2.9, operation of the panic or fire exit hardware also releases the electric lock.
- The locking system units shall be listed in accordance with UL 294.
Related Code Sections
1010.1.9 Means of Egress, Door Operations
, locks and other operating devices on doors required to be accessible by Chapter 11 shall not require tight grasping, tight pinching or twisting ...
Building Code 2018 of Illinois > 10 Means of Egress > 1010 Doors, Gates and Turnstiles > 1010.1 Doors > 1010.1.9 Door Operations
1010.2 Means of Egress, Door Operations
Door handles, pulls, latches, locks and other operating devices on doors required to be accessible by Chapter 11 shall not require tight ...
Building Code 2021 of Illinois > 10 Means of Egress > 1010 Doors, Gates and Turnstiles > 1010.2 Door Operations
403.5.3 Special Detailed Requirements Based on Occupancy and Use, Stairway Door Operation
Stairway doors other than the exit discharge doors shall be permitted to be locked from the stairway side. Stairway doors that are locked from ...
Building Code 2021 of Illinois > 4 Special Detailed Requirements Based on Occupancy and Use > 403 High-Rise Buildings > 403.5 Means of Egress and Evacuation > 403.5.3 Stairway Door Operation
403.5.3 Special Detailed Requirements Based on Occupancy and Use, Stairway Door Operation
Stairway doors other than the exit discharge doors shall be permitted to be locked from the stairway side. Stairway doors that are locked from ...
Building Code 2018 of Illinois > 4 Special Detailed Requirements Based on Occupancy and Use > 403 High-Rise Buildings > 403.5 Means of Egress and Evacuation > 403.5.3 Stairway Door Operation
716.2.9.6 Fire and Smoke Protection Features, Fire Door Operator Labeling Requirements
Fire door operators for horizontal sliding doors shall be labeled and listed for use with the assembly ...
Building Code 2021 of Illinois > 7 Fire and Smoke Protection Features > 716 Opening Protectives > 716.2 Fire Door Assemblies > 716.2.9 Labeled Protective Assemblies > 716.2.9.6 Fire Door Operator Labeling Requirements