If you own a public commercial building of any
kind, then you may be aware that “panic hardware” is required to provide proper
emergency egress and ingress. A panic bar is the push bar that must be
installed on each exit door to allow people to make a quick exit from the
building. Then there must be an uninterrupted and unobstructed exit path to a
place of safety. These doors are typically needed in restaurants, bars, and
malls, and other public places such as schools. It is of utmost importance that
you comply with the law when it comes to protecting your building’s occupants.
You won’t pass inspection if you’re not up to code. With the installation of
these vital devices, you’ll guard the life and safety of every occupant -
employee, customer, and visitor alike.
Panic hardware consists of a latching device,
with a touchpad or crossbar spanning across at least half the width of the
door, which releases the latch if it’s pushed. Panic hardware may also be
called an “exit device” or a “crash bar”; for fire doors, it’s called “fire
exit hardware.” This specialized hardware is used where it’s required by code
to make it possible for large groups of people to get out fast. It also
provides increased resilience and reliability.
The International Building Code (IBC), the
International Fire Code (IFC), and the National Fire Protection Association
(NFPA) 101 Code, are America’s most common building and fire safety codes.
You’ll need to determine which code, and which edition of that particular code,
applies to your building. Local codes in your area may compel you to adhere to
additional requirements. Make sure you’re fully compliant.
The requirements affect doors that either lock
or latch. For instance, panic hardware isn’t required for a free-swinging door
with only a push plate and pull handle. Panic hardware is required by code for
only certain occupancy types. In general, an “assembly occupancy” is a building
or area where large groups gather, such as a gym or a theater. An “educational
occupancy” refers to a school for children up to twelfth grade. A building used
for college classrooms is considered a “business occupancy,” and some college
classrooms are even large enough to be classified as an assembly occupancy. The
NFPA 101 Code includes a separate occupancy classification for “daycare
occupancy,” where daycare is provided to children or adults. A “high-hazard occupancy”
(an area containing a high level of hazardous materials) is a space that is
vulnerable to explosions.
Whenever you install panic hardware on balanced
doors, a touchpad-style device has to be used, and the touchpad should not
extend more than halfway across the door. Code requirements normally prohibit
the installation of any other kind of lock on a door with panic hardware,
except for electromagnetic locks released by a sensor or by a switch. The
bottom line is: Any person who must leave has to be able to open an exit route
door from the inside at all times - without having to use any keys or tools,
and without possessing any sort of specialized knowledge.
The way panic bars are made, they prevent entry
from the opposite side of a door. On the inner side, of course they ensure a
speedy exit in the event of an emergency. A panic bar that locks only from the
outside is permitted on exit discharge doors. Typically, rooms containing
electrical equipment must have panic hardware or fire exit hardware that will
allow a professional technician to escape in the event of a fire or explosion.
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