Section 1010 Doors, Gates and Turnstiles

Means of egress doors shall meet the requirements of this section. Doors serving a means of egress system shall meet the requirements of this section and Section 1022.2. Doors provided for egress purposes in numbers greater than required by this code shall meet the requirements of this section.

Means of egress doors shall be readily distinguishable from the adjacent construction and finishes such that the doors are easily recognizable as doors. Mirrors or similar reflecting materials shall not be used on means of egress doors. Means of egress doors shall not be concealed by curtains, drapes, decorations or similar materials.

The required capacity of each door opening shall be sufficient for the occupant load thereof and shall provide a minimum clear width of 32 inches (813 mm). Clear openings of doorways with swinging doors shall be measured between the face of the door and the stop, with the door open 90 degrees (1.57 rad). Where this section requires a minimum clear width of 32 inches (813 mm) and a door opening includes two door leaves without a mullion, one leaf shall provide a clear opening width of 32 inches (813 mm). The maximum width of a swinging door leaf shall be 48 inches (1219 mm) nominal. Means of egress doors in a Group I-2 or I-2.1 occupancy used for the movement of beds and stretcher patients shall provide a clear width not less than 44 inches (1118 mm). The height of door openings shall not be less than 80 inches (2032 mm).

Exceptions:

1. The minimum and maximum width shall not apply to door openings that are not part of the required means of egress in Group R-2 and R-3 occupancies.
2. Door openings to resident sleeping units in Group I-3 occupancies shall have a clear width of not less than 28 inches (711 mm).
3. Door openings to storage closets less than 10 square feet (0.93 m²) in area shall not be limited by the minimum width.
4. Width of door leaves in revolving doors that comply with Section 1010.1.4.1 shall not be limited.
5. Door openings within a dwelling unit or sleeping unit shall be not less than 78 inches (1981 mm) in height.
6. Exterior door openings in dwelling units and sleeping units, other than the required exit door, shall be not less than 76 inches (1930 mm) in height.
7. In other than Group R-1 occupancies, the minimum widths shall not apply to interior egress doors within a dwelling unit or sleeping unit that is not required to be an Accessible unit, Type A unit or Type B unit.
8. Door openings required to be accessible within Type B units shall have a minimum clear width of 31.75 inches (806 mm).
9. Doors to walk-in freezers and coolers less than 1,000 square feet (93 m²) in area shall have a maximum width of 60 inches (1524 mm).
10. In Group R-1 dwelling units or sleeping units not required to be Accessible units, the minimum width shall not apply to doors for showers or saunas.

There shall not be projections into the required clear width lower than 34 inches (864 mm) above the floor or ground. Projections into the clear opening width between 34 inches (864 mm) and 80 inches (2032 mm) above the floor or ground shall not exceed 4 inches (102 mm).

Exceptions:

1. Door closers and door stops shall be permitted to be 78 inches (1980 mm) minimum above the floor.
2. In a Group I-2 or I-2.1 occupancy, there shall be no projections into the clear width of doors used for the movement of beds and litter patients in the means of egress.

Egress doors shall be of the pivoted or side-hinged swinging type.

Exceptions:

1. Private garages, office areas, factory and storage areas with an occupant load of 10 or less.
2. Group I-3 occupancies used as a place of detention.
3. Critical or intensive care patient rooms within suites of health care facilities.
4. Doors within or serving a single dwelling unit in Groups R-2 and R-3.
5. In other than Group H occupancies, revolving doors complying with Section 1010.1.4.1.
6. In other than Group H occupancies, special purpose horizontal sliding, accordion or folding door assemblies complying with Section 1010.1.4.3.
7. Power-operated doors in accordance with Section 1010.1.4.2.
8. Doors serving a bathroom within an individual sleeping unit in Group R-1.
9. In other than Group H occupancies, manually operated horizontal sliding doors are permitted in a means of egress from spaces with an occupant load of 10 or less.
10. In Group I-2 and I-2.1 occupancies, exit doors serving an occupant load of 50 or more shall not be of the pivoted or balanced type.

Pivot or side-hinged swinging doors shall swing in the direction of egress travel where serving a room or area containing an occupant load of 50 or more persons or a Group H occupancy. For Group L occupancies, see Section 453.6.2 of the California Building Code.

In a Group I-2 occupancy, all required exterior egress doors shall open in the direction of egress regardless of the occupant load served.

Revolving doors shall comply with the following:

1. Revolving doors shall comply with BHMA A156.27 and shall be installed in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions.
2. Each revolving door shall be capable of breakout in accordance with BHMA A156.27 and shall provide an aggregate width of not less than 36 inches (914 mm).
3. A revolving door shall not be located within 10 feet (3048 mm) of the foot or top of stairways or escalators. A dispersal area shall be provided between the stairways or escalators and the revolving doors.
4. The revolutions per minute (rpm) for a revolving door shall not exceed the maximum rpm as specified in BHMA A156.27. Manual revolving doors shall comply with Table 1010.1.4.1(1). Automatic or power-operated revolving doors shall comply with Table 1010.1.4.1(2).
5. An emergency stop switch shall be provided near each entry point of power or automatic operated revolving doors within 48 inches (1220 mm) of the door and between 24 inches (610 mm) and 48 inches (1220 mm) above the floor. The activation area of the emergency stop switch button shall be not less than 1 inch (25 mm) in diameter and shall be red.
6. Each revolving door shall have a side-hinged swinging door that complies with Section 1010.1 in the same wall and within 10 feet (3048 mm) of the revolving door.
7. Revolving doors shall not be part of an accessible route required by Section 1009 of this code and Chapter 11 of the California Building Code.

A revolving door used as a component of a means of egress shall comply with Section 1010.1.4.1 and the following three conditions:

1. Revolving doors shall not be given credit for more than 50 percent of the minimum width or required capacity.
2. Each revolving door shall be credited with a capacity based on not more than a 50-person occupant load.
3. Each revolving door shall provide for egress in accordance with BHMA A156.27 with a breakout force of not more than 130 pounds (578 N).

A revolving door used as other than a component of a means of egress shall comply with Section 1010.1.4.1. The breakout force of a revolving door not used as a component of a means of egress shall not be more than 180 pounds (801 N).

Exception: A breakout force in excess of 180 pounds (801 N) is permitted if the collapsing force is reduced to not more than 130 pounds (578 N) when not less than one of the following conditions is satisfied:

1. There is a power failure or power is removed to the device holding the door wings in position.
2. There is an actuation of the automatic sprinkler system where such system is provided.
3. There is an actuation of a smoke detection system that is installed in accordance with Section 907 to provide coverage in areas within the building that are within 75 feet (22 860 mm) of the revolving doors.
4. There is an actuation of a manual control switch, in an approved location and clearly identified, that reduces the breakout force to not more than 130 pounds (578 N).

Where means of egress doors are operated or assisted by power, the design shall be such that in the event of power failure, the door is capable of being opened manually to permit means of egress travel or closed where necessary to safeguard means of egress. The forces required to open these doors manually shall not exceed those specified in Section 1010.1.3, except that the force to set the door in motion shall not exceed 50 pounds (220 N). The door shall be capable of swinging open from any position to the full width of the opening in which such door is installed when a force is applied to the door on the side from which egress is made. Power-operated swinging doors, power-operated sliding doors and power-operated folding doors shall comply with BHMA A156.10. Power-assisted swinging doors and low energy power-operated swinging doors shall comply with BHMA A156.19.

Exceptions:

1. Occupancies in Group I-3.
2. Horizontal sliding doors complying with Section 1010.1.4.3.
3. For a biparting door in the emergency break-out mode, a door leaf located within a multiple-leaf opening shall be exempt from the minimum 32-inch (813 mm) single-leaf requirement of Section 1010.1.1, provided a minimum 32-inch (813 mm) clear opening is provided when the two biparting leaves meeting in the center are broken out.

In other than Group H occupancies, special purpose horizontal sliding, accordion, or folding door assemblies permitted to be a component of a means of egress in accordance with Exception 6 to Section 1010.1.2 shall comply with all of the following criteria:

1. The doors shall be power operated and shall be capable of being operated manually in the event of power failure.
2. The doors shall be openable by a simple method from both sides without special knowledge or effort.
3. The force required to operate the door shall not exceed 30 pounds (133 N) to set the door in motion and 15 pounds (67 N) to close the door or open it to the minimum required width.
4. The door shall be openable with a force not to exceed 15 pounds (67 N) when a force of 250 pounds (1100 N) is applied perpendicular to the door adjacent to the operating device.
5. The door assembly shall comply with the applicable fire protection rating and, where rated, shall be self-closing or automatic closing by smoke detection in accordance with Section 716.5.9.3 of the California Building Code, shall be installed in accordance with NFPA 80 and shall comply with Section 716 of the California Building Code.
6. The door assembly shall have an integrated standby power supply.
7. The door assembly power supply shall be electrically supervised.
8. The door shall open to the minimum required width within 10 seconds after activation of the operating device.