The term “egress door” is commonly used in discussions about building safety. But what does it mean? In simple terms, “egress” refers to going out or exiting a space. Therefore, an egress door is designed to provide a safe and speedy escape route from a building in an emergency. These doors ensure occupants' safe and efficient evacuation during urgent situations such as fires or earthquakes.
In this blog, we will examine an egress door, how it differs from a regular door, why these doors are important for building safety, what distinguishes them, and the regulations that govern their use. Understanding these aspects can help ensure your building complies with safety standards and is prepared for emergencies.
Definition of an Egress Door
An egress door is a crucial safety feature in buildings like schools, hospitals, theaters, and other public spaces. It is designed to facilitate a quick and safe exit during emergencies. These doors are manufactured to meet specific guidelines, ensuring people can easily escape hazardous conditions.
Unlike regular doors, egress doors open easily, often with a simple push or pull mechanism, enabling quick exit in high-foot-traffic environments. They are equipped with panic hardware or exit devices, allowing occupants to open them quickly without requiring special tools, keys, or detailed knowledge.
Purpose and Importance of Egress Doors
According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), an estimated 2,620 civilians died and 11,070 were injured in home fires reported annually between 2015 and 2019. This alarming number underscores the critical need for egress doors in both commercial and residential spaces. These doors provide a clear, unobstructed escape path during emergencies like fires.
Finding a safe exit amid the chaos and disorientation of a fire can be highly stressful and potentially fatal. High-performance egress doors that open quickly and efficiently are essential for ensuring the safety of building occupants. These doors must be designed to withstand the rigors of emergencies and provide a reliable means of escape.
The Following points show the importance of egress doors and how they can reduce the devastating consequences of fires and protect the lives of individuals and communities.
Importance of Door Egress
- Life Safety: These devices have become important for the safety of building occupants. They provide a direct exit route that can be crucial during emergencies like fires, where smoke and heat can obstruct other routes.
- Building Code Compliance: Meeting building codes and safety regulations is essential. Buildings are required to meet specific standards to ensure their proper function in an emergency.
- Accessibility: Most buildings in the USA are required to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Egress doors must be easily accessible and operable without special tools or keys, ensuring that everyone, including people with disabilities, can evacuate immediately.
- Risk Mitigation: A well-maintained egress system can facilitate efficient evacuation during emergencies, reducing the risk of injury or death.
- Insurance and Legal Requirements: Many insurance policies and legal frameworks require compliance with safety standards, including progress egress provisions. Noncompliance can result in legal consequences or sometimes financial liabilities.
How Do Egress Doors Differ From Regular Doors?
Egress doors are quite different from standard residential doors in several important ways. Unlike regular doors, which can come in various sizes and shapes, egress doors must adhere to specific standards. They are usually between 32 and 48 inches in width and designed to open outward to allow for quick and unobstructed exits.
These doors must comply with ADA regulations to ensure accessibility for individuals with disabilities and cannot be locked from the inside to prevent accidental or intentional entrapment. To meet safety regulations and facilitate rapid escape, these doors are well-equipped with panic hardware, such as panic bars or buttons.
This design allows the door to open automatically with a single motion, eliminating the need for multiple actions that could delay escape in an emergency. Deadbolts and similar locking mechanisms are prohibited on exit doors, as they can hinder a quick and efficient exit.
Key Features of Egress Doors
The primary purpose of egress doors is to provide safe evacuation, and they come with a range of features, including:
- Easy Operation: Egress doors can be opened without keys or tools, allowing occupants to exit the building quickly and easily during emergencies.
- Clear Marking: These doors are marked with exit signs to guide people to safe escape routes.
- Fire Resistance: Many egress doors are fire-resistant to prevent the spread of fire and smoke, protecting occupants during evacuations.
- Obstructed Path Prevention: The path to the exterior should be clear of obstructions to avoid trapping occupants during emergencies.
- Accessibility Features: Egress doors typically include lever handles, wider doorways, and accessible signage to accommodate individuals with disabilities.
- Automatic Release (Optional): Some premium models have automatic release mechanisms that open the door in response to emergency signals, facilitating evacuation.
- Building Code Compliance: To ensure safety and functionality, Egress doors must adhere to local building codes and the National Fire Protection Association’s (NFPA) Life Safety Code.
- Size and Hardware Requirements: These doors must meet specific size requirements, have a 90° outward swing, and be equipped with appropriate hardware such as panic bars, automatic closers, and hinges.
We’ve covered what egress doors are, why they matter, how they differ from regular doors, and their key features. Next, let’s explore the essential door hardware and requirements and regulations for these essential safety devices.
Essential Door Hardware for Egress Doors
Top Door Closers for Egress Doors
LCN 4040XP Series Door Closers
The LCN 4040XP Series is built to last and it is a perfect choice for an egress door. This surface-mounted closer is perfect for high-traffic areas, offering adjustable closing speed and compatibility with various door sizes and weights.
Norton 7500 Series Door Closers
Norton produces a line of hydraulic door closers under the 7500 Series for commercial use, which is perfect for egress doors. Norton, a division of the ASSA ABLOY Group, is a well-known producer of door closers and associated hardware, with a broad global customer base for the installation and upkeep of commercial buildings.
Sargent 351 Series Door Closers
As a high-end Grade 1 surface-mounted door closer with remarkable durability and high traffic handling capabilities, the Sargent 351 Series stands out. For commercial and institutional buildings with continuously used doors, such as schools, hospitals, and offices, these high-performance closers are ideal. Their outstanding engineering and design transcend aesthetics to provide seamless, dependable, and secure door control in any setting.
Top Exit Device for Egress Doors
Von Duprin 98/99 Series Exit Device
The Von Duprin 98 Series Exit Devices, which provide trustworthy and efficient exit solutions for commercial and institutional buildings with egress doors, perfectly represent the brand's commitment to safety and security.
A premium Grade 1 exit device collection known for its universal center case design is the Von Duprin 99 Series. Simple modifications like adding decorative trim options, reorienting doors, and implementing retrofit solutions are made possible by this adaptable design. The 99 Series has a unique grooved mechanism housing that guarantees improved operation and improves the appearance of your exit devices.
Corbin Russwin ED5200 Exit Devices
Throughout its existence, Corbin Russwin has produced architectural hardware that complies with security and life safety regulations. Part of the larger Corbin Russwin ED5000 Series, the ED5200 Series exit Devices are a range of rim exit devices made especially for use in commercial and institutional environments. The 5200 Series stands out among its variants due to its rim-mounted design, which makes an effective 3-hour fire-listed Rim Exit Device possible.
Accentra 6000 Series Exit Devices
The 6000 Series Rim Exit Devices by Accentra (formerly Yale) are panic bars made to make it simple to exit buildings in an emergency. When outward-swinging doors have these surface-mounted devices installed on the inside, people can safely and swiftly depart by pushing the bar. Since rim exits don't require door preparation like mortise lock exits do, they can be installed in new construction or retrofitted into existing doors. This eliminates intricate adjustments, saving installation time and costs.
Sargent 80 series and 8700 series
A stand-alone rim panic device for access control is the Sargent 80 Keypad (KP) Series. A cutting-edge stand-alone access control system designed for efficient entry management is the Sargent KP Series. These battery-operated exit devices include an advanced motor-driven construction and a microprocessor-based controller with non-volatile memory for unmatched dependability. Their ANSI Grade 1 mechanical locking mechanisms and user-friendly keypad programming provide smooth security for a range of settings. For settings that need to allow access while maintaining security, the Sargent Keypad Exit Devices are perfect.
Surface vertical rod exit devices from the Sargent 8700 Series are widely used in commercial settings, such as high-traffic exits, single and double-door installations, and locations needing increased security. They provide smooth egress in the event of an emergency or departure, with mechanical and electrical configuration options available.
Commercial Egress Door Requirements and Regulations
As discussed egress doors in commercial buildings play a crucial role in ensuring safe evacuation during emergencies. The standards for these doors are primarily specified by the International Building Code (IBC) and the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standards. Below are some of the key egress door requirements and regulations:
- Door Width and Height: Egress doors must be at least 32 inches wide and 78 inches tall. The width of double doors is measured between the faces when fully opened.
- Single Motion Operation: Doors must be operable with a single motion without using keys, tools, or special knowledge. This often requires the installation of panic hardware to allow for hassle-free exits.
- Swing Direction: Egress doors should swing outward, especially in spaces with an occupancy load of 50 or more, to enable faster evacuation.
- Force Requirements: The maximum force required to open an egress door should not exceed 15 pounds to release the latch and 30 pounds to set the door in motion.
- Visibility and Marking: Egress doors must be identifiable and should not be obstructed by decorations or reflective materials. Exit signs must be prominently displayed and illuminated.
- Number of Exits: Buildings are required to have at least two exits, and as the number of occupants in the building increases, additional exits will be considered necessary.
Adhering to these regulations is crucial for upholding safety and compliance in commercial spaces. It’s recommended that business owners and facility managers consult local codes and fire marshals for specific requirements applicable to their facilities. You can also seek out help from reliable commercial door hardware suppliers in the area, as they will be well-equipped with all related information on these types of hardware devices and other parts.
Installation and Maintenance Tips
To ensure the proper operation of door egress devices, it is essential to adhere to strict building safety codes and guidelines, as well as to provide certain essential installation and maintenance tips. Let’s have a look at some tips to be followed:
Installation Tips
- Select the Right Door: Ensure the door dimensions match the frame. Commercial egress doors should be at least 32 inches wide and swing outward for easy exit.
- Prepare the Frame: Clear the frame of debris and prepare hinge cutouts. Attach heavy-duty hinges to the door before installation.
- Dry Fit the Door: Position the door in the frame using a wedge for support. Secure the hinges starting from the top.
- Check Functionality: After installation, remove the wedge and confirm the door opens and closes smoothly. Install locks and handles last.
- Follow Manufacturer Instructions: Always adhere to specific installation guidelines provided by the door manufacturer. It is also possible to seek out personalized assistance from professional door hardware suppliers.
Maintenance Tips
- Regular Inspections: Conduct annual inspections to ensure the door meets safety standards and functions properly.
- Check Hardware: Ensure panic hardware is operational and meets force requirements for easy exit.
- Maintain Clear Pathways: Ensure egress doors are easily identifiable and not obstructed by decorations or furniture.
- Test Emergency Features: Regularly test self-closing mechanisms and ensure they function correctly during emergencies.
Proper installation and ongoing maintenance of egress doors not only enhance safety but also comply with legal requirements, protecting both occupants and property.
The Role of Egress Doors in Emergency Planning
The role of egress doors in emergency planning cannot be overstated. They are indispensable in facilitating safe and efficient evacuation. However, their proper integration is highly important along with other factors such as training occupants, signage, and lighting requirements.
Mapping and planning, regular updates and assessments, training and drills, regular assessment updates, training and drills, etc. are some of the key considerations for effective integration.
When it comes to integration into an emergency evacuation plan in a building, they should cover the location of all egress doors, ensuring they are accessible and unobstructed during an emergency.
Regular drills and training sessions can familiarize the occupants with these routes, improving their ability to respond effectively in real-life situations. This could help them understand the location and proper use of egress doors, and understand door systems and panic bars that facilitate safe exits.
Also, adequate lighting including illuminations and proper, clearly noticeable signage is important for ensuring the visibility of egress doors during emergencies. Compliance with local regulations regarding these elements is important for enhancing safety during emergencies.
Why Egress Doors Have Become Highly Essential in Modern Architecture?
Installation of safe exits in high-traffic environments has become a fundamental aspect of modern building design. They are no longer an optional setting but a necessity. Hence, ensuring these commercial door hardware devices meet specific requirements and comply with building codes is important for protecting the safety of occupants.
While the design architecture of a building can vary depending on the purpose of use - like workplace, hospital, or other common needs, egress doors help keep people safe in the event of an emergency. Proper installation, maintenance, and effective integration of evacuation plans are highly important to ensure these doors function optimally during an emergency. Apart from all these, they also play a major role in ensuring safe building practices.
Many modern solutions are designed with energy efficiency and minimal environmental impact, supporting green building certifications and sustainable design goals. Several commercial door manufacturers now offer high-quality egress doors that not only facilitate safe and quick evacuations but also adhere to eco-friendly standards.
These doors are integral to meeting safety standards, preventing bottlenecks during evacuations, and ensuring accessibility for everyone. Proper egress solutions are crucial for reducing the risk of injuries or fatalities during emergencies while enhancing the building’s sustainability and resilience.
If you’re interested in installing, integrating, or learning more about egress doors, or need assistance with their implementation or maintenance, feel free to contact our team of experts with more than 35 years of experience in the industry. With our understanding of your needs, building requirements, and other parts, we will help you choose the right egress door and other parts.
You can also have the option to explore a large inventory of in-stock and ready-to-ship commercial door hardware and other accessories including retrofit parts, allowing users to set a completely new look for your building spaces.
