How Do You Know If Your Business Should Have an exit bar?

Exit bar hardware, also famous as an fire exit hardware if adjusted on fire doors, is constructed to extend easy and fast egress to enable building occupants to leave safely in an emergency. Regulation publications specify exit bar hardware as, "a egress door-unlocking mechanism consisting a system that cracks the latch up-on the application of a force in the direction of egress moves."

Deciding if the exit door of a office require exit bar can be a great deal, even for the experts. While majority of authorities have employed the IBC - International Building Code requirements,

It’s crucial to be aware that few cities like Manhattan New York where a city, a county or a state are dedicated to local requirements diversify and has to be advised by a highly qualified commercial locksmith in order to guarantee code compliance.

Basic requirements:

According to all editions of the IBC starting with the 2006 release, exit bar is required for doors catering three end users:

1. Building spaces with an occupant quantity of at least 50 occupants.
2. Educational facilities with an occupant quantity of at least 50 occupants.
3. High risk spaces with any tenant quantity.

Be aware that these requirements solely ascribe to doors that latch or lock. They don't apply if a door has pull/push hardware.

In facilities that are required to comply Nfpa 101 – Life Safety Code, there are 4 occupancy classes where crash bar hardware is required:

1. Corporate occupancies with an occupant quantity of 100 people or more.
2. Educational facilities with an occupant quantity of at least 50 occupants.
3. Preschools with an occupant quantity of at least 50 occupants.
4. High risk occupancies with any tenant quantity.

Be aware that if the place accommodate electronic components, NFPA 70 – National Electrical Code might enforce panic device to be mounted. This recommendation was first enclosed in the 2002 release of the NEC, and has been modified in later editions.

Since the 2014 release, doors that lock or latch, within 25 feet of the respective work area, catering the subsequent rooms, enforce corresponding push device hardware:

1. Where electronic components is 800 volts or more and accommodate high electric powered switching or control devices.
2. Where electronic components is 600 volts or more.
3. Battery rooms.

Commercial and residential occupancies like office buildings, apartments or retail facilities generally won't enforce panic bar hardware on any exit door unless there is an assembly, high hazard or educational room inside the assembly with an tenant quantity of at least 50 occupants (per the IBC) or 100 people or more (per NFPA 101). If these facilities consist of electronic rooms that meet the yardstick above, exit device hardware would be required.

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