Lock Regulations
Before installing locks on your property, you will need to understand some basic legal principles as found in the 2006 International Fire Codes manual. Not only can you and your locksmith be fined for FIRE EXIT VIOLATIONS, but you can be sued as well.The real issue at stake here, however, is life safety; and no amount of money will bring back people who have died because you installed an improper lock on a fire exit.
A-Best Locksmith is not an authority on the issue of fire exit safety and could be wrong on some of the points here mentioned. Be sure to ask your local fire marshal and codes people before installing locks on any questionable application. When in doubt on any locking issue, think life safety.
1. Code 1008.1.8.2 Locking Hardware Height
Any door handles, pulls, locks, latches, panic bars, etc. must be installed a minimum of 34 inches above the finished floor and not exceed 48 inches above. However, any lock used for security purposes, but not used for normal operation, can be installed at any height. (Like the Security Exit device used for after hours.) The only exception to this rule applies to access gates or doors protecting pools, hot tubs, and spas, where locks can be as high as 54 inches. However, in these cases, the latches cannot be self-locking devices which take a key, electronic code, or combination lock in order to allow people out. You cannot lock people into a pool.
2. Code 1008.1.8.3 Latches and locks
Locks and latches are allowed to keep doors locked in these situations:
1. In areas of detention or restraint
2. In places of worship you can use double-keyed locks on exit doors providing
2.1. The lock has an indicator that the lock is locked
2.2. The door has a durable, visible sign on the egress side that says, "THIS DOOR TO REMAIN UNLOCKED WHEN BUILDING IS OCCUPIED." 1 inch letters on high contrast background.
3. In the case of double doors, the "inactive" leaf can have automatic flush bolts but cannot have a knob or any other surface mounted hardware on it.
4. Individual dwellings or sleeping areas of group R occupancies can have a T-turn deadbolt, night latch, or chain latch. They cannot, however, be operated from the inside by a special tool or key.
3. 1008.1.8.4 Bolt locks. You cannot use manual flush bolts or surface bolts on exit doors. You can, however, use them on individual sleeping units or dwellings.
4. 1008.1.8.5 Unlatching. Any fire exit door must be able to be exited BY A SINGLE MOTION. I would read this to mean that you cannot have a deadbolt and a doorknob, or a Detex and a lever. Exceptions would be an individual dwelling or sleeping unit of group R occupancy. I would guess, in this scenario, a doorknob and a chain latch would be fine. On a commercial exit? No way. People need to be able to hit the door running and have it open quickly!
5. 1008.1.9 Fire exit and panic hardware.
1. The bar that actuates the releasing device needs to be long enough to span at least half of the door width.
2. The unlatching force must a maximum of 15 pounds.
3. If you have building occupancy of 50 or more (group A or E occupancy) and any group H occupancy, you must use panic hardware or fire exit hardware.
4. Electrical rooms with switch devices, 1,200 ampere equipment or more, and over 6 feet wide, use panic bars that push outward.
Miscellaneous Safety Issues
THUMBTURNS ON GLASS DOORS
Keyed cylinders on the inside of commercial glass doors are not acceptable. Some enforcement agencies will say that, if you have a keyed lock on the inside, you must have an "lock/unlocked" indicator on the inside as well. However, this can be challenged on the grounds that, if there were a fire or other life safety issue, and the door was locked, the indicator would not preserve human life and safety. A locked door is a barrier. Law or no law: Keyed locks on the inside that prevent a person from exiting during an emergency will lead to injury, death, and lawsuits. USE A THUMBTURN!
