Stairwell Reentry Requirements

DECODED: Stairwell Reentry Requirements

By Lori GreenE, AHC/CDC, CCpr

tairwell doors are often locked the 2006 edition of the IBC, that exception on the stair side to prevent was changed to require remote unlocking S unauthorized entry into from the fire command center or a loca- tenant spaces. The term stairwell reentry tion inside the building’s main entrance, refers to the code requirements that effectively removing the exception for allow a building occupant to leave a mechanical locks. This language remains stairwell during a fire emergency and unchanged in the 2009 edition of the IBC. find another exit. If stairwell doors do Although NFPA 101 – The Life Safety Code, not allow for reentry and a stairwell and NFPA 5000 – The Building Construction From the well-known blog becomes impassible, it can jeopardize and Safety Code do allow mechanical locks the lives of those using the stairwell as on stair doors serving four stories or less, idighardware.com, a means of egress. There are quite a few this only applies to buildings where one Lori Greene brings some myths surrounding this requirement, of these codes is being enforced. The much-needed clarity to which I will address here. IBC is currently the predominant build- ing code for most jurisdictions, and the codes. Myth 1: Only high-rise buildings are majority of buildings must be built in required to comply with stairwell reentry accordance with the IBC. requirements. Myth 2: The door to every fifth floor must Fact: There have been many changes to this section of the code in the last 10 years, be unlocked, but the doors to the rest of which is why there is so much confusion the floors can be locked. surrounding it. The 2000 edition of the Fact: The requirement for every fifth International Building Code (IBC) and floor to be unlocked is part of the the model building codes that existed “selected reentry” conditions in NFPA prior contained reentry requirements for 101 – The Life Safety Code and NFPA high-rise buildings but required passage 5000 – The Building Construction and Safety sets for stair doors that were not in high- Code. This section requires at least two rise buildings. The 2003 edition of the doors in a stair to be unlocked and no IBC added an exception, which allowed more than four locked floors between mechanical locks on stair doors if the unlocked floors; either the top or next- stair was serving four stories or less. In to-top level must be unlocked and must

56 DOORS & HARDWARE £ September 2011 allow access to another exit, the doors locks or fail-safe exit device trim—is Myth 5: Both sides of a stair door can allowing reentry must be marked as used in either case, but the fire alarm be locked as long as the door unlocks such, and doors not allowing reentry interface will be different. Please note upon fire alarm. must have signage that indicates that there are additional require- the closest unlocked door in each ments for two-way communication Fact: I can’t count the number of direction. Again, this only applies to in the stairwell when stair doors do times an architect or end user has buildings where one of these codes not allow free access at all times. asked me to specify hardware for is being enforced; the IBC does not include the selected reentry option. I Code Section Mechanical Locks Selected Reentry Electric Locks have only seen selected reentry used Allowed on stairs Automatic release Yes, refer NFPA 101 7.2.1.5.7 serving four actuated by the on one project that I have specified, to code stories or less fire alarm system and in my opinion, the codes were Allowed on stairs Automatic release being creatively applied in that case. NFPA 11.2.1.5.2 serving four No actuated by the 5000 Myth 3: A fail-safe electric strike can stories or less fire alarm system Unlocked by signal be used on a stair door to provide 1008.1.9.10 from fire command reentry. IBC 2009 and Not allowed No center or location 403.5.3 inside building Fact: Stair doors providing reentry main entrance must have a fail-safe lock or fail-safe Unlocked by signal exit device trim that unlocks the from fire command 1008.1.8.7 IBC 2006 Not allowed No center or location lever handle upon fire alarm/power and 403.12 failure but does not unlatch the inside building main entrance door. A fail-safe electric strike will Allowed on stairs Unlocked by 1008.1.8.7 not maintain the positive latching IBC 2003 serving four No signal from fire and 403.12 required for fire-rated doors, and stories or less command center the pressure from a fire could push the door open, allowing smoke and flames to enter the stairwell. The IBC specifically states that stair doors Cook County Administration Fire: must unlock “without unlatching.” On October 17, 2003, a fire started in a supply room on the 12th floor of the 35-story Cook County Administration Building in Chicago’s Downtown Loop. Myth 4: The stairwell reentry require- The fire was relatively small, but the supply room was adjacent to one of the ments state that stair doors must two stairwells in the building that employees could use to evacuate during unlock automatically upon fire alarm. emergencies. Responding to the fire with 135 firefighters and paramedics and Fact: There is a slight distinction 45 pieces of equipment, the Chicago Fire Department successfully contained between codes, but the IBC states and extinguished the fire, but six civilians died from smoke inhalation. To that the stair doors must be “capable attack the fire, firefighters opened a door that connected the supply room to of being unlocked simultaneously without the building’s southwest stairwell, giving them access to the flames, but also unlatching upon a signal from the fire letting smoke escape into the enclosed stairway. Simultaneously, workers command center, if present, or a signal by were attempting to evacuate the building down the same stairwell, where emergency personnel from a single loca- smoke was now rising as if in a chimney. When the evacuees turned back to tion inside the main entrance to the build- exit the smoke-filled stairwell, they found that the doors back into their offices ing,” while NFPA 101 states that “an were locked. Luckily an employee on the 27th floor had placed a doorstop in automatic release that is actuated with the stairwell door, allowing many of the trapped people to escape the smoke. the initiation of the building fire alarm After the fire was contained, however, firefighters found the bodies of 13 system shall be provided to unlock all workers who did not make it up to the 27th floor. Fire department personnel stair enclosure doors to allow re-entry.” revived seven of the victims, but the remaining six suffocated in the stairwell. The same type of hardware—fail-safe

September 2011 £ DOORS & HARDWARE 57 a door that is locked all the time Myth 6: Stair discharge doors by a switch at the fire command except during a fire alarm. If a door opening to the exterior must unlock center, rather than unlocked auto- is a required egress door, there are automatically upon fire alarm to matically upon fire alarm. very limited applications that would allow firefighter access to the stair. allow this—NFPA 101 lists excep- Stairwell reentry is an important tions for certain existing occupan- Fact: The IBC specifically states feature of life safety, and the require- cies, buildings permitted to have a that “stairway discharge doors shall be ments are often misunderstood or single exit, and certain healthcare openable from the egress side and shall stair doors modified after the build- and detention/correctional occupan- only be locked from the opposite side.” ing is completed. With proper atten- cies. Most stair doors must allow There is no requirement in the IBC or tion and education, tragedies like the free egress from the non-stair side NFPA 101/5000 for the exterior doors death of six people in Chicago’s Cook at all times, and if there is a need to to automatically unlock and provide County Administration Building limit egress, the two options would firefighter access, although it may be (2003) may be averted. be delayed egress hardware, which required by some local jurisdictions. delays egress for 15 seconds, or an Unlocking these doors automatically alarm to discourage use of the door. upon fire alarm would impact the Note that delayed egress locks are building’s security, and there are About the Author: Lori Greene, AHC/CDC, CCPR has been involved in the door and hard- not allowed in every occupancy other ways for firefighters to gain ware industry since 1986. She is currently the type, and there are additional code access. If remote release of the stair Specification Team Lead for Ingersoll Rand requirements for doors equipped discharge doors is required by a local Security Technologies. Lori holds a degree in Architecture and Building Engineering with delayed egress locks. jurisdiction, I would highly recom- Technology from Vermont Technical College and mend that these doors be controlled is a member of the NFPA and ICC.

Reprinted with permission from the September 2011 issue of Doors & Hardware magazine. Copyright ©2011 by The Door and Hardware Institute. All rights reserved. Reprints available with written permission from the Publisher. The Door and Hardware Institute, 14150 Newbrook Drive, Suite 200, Chantilly, VA 20151-2232; 703/222.2010; Fax: 703/222.2410; www.dhi.org.

September 2011 £ DOORS & HARDWARE 59