Exit Doors & Devices

32 inches wide x 80 inches tall: According to the International Building Code (IBC), the minimum width of an egress door’s opening must be sufficient for the occupant load and provide a clear width of not less than 32 inches.

The IBC requires panic hardware and/or fire exit hardware on all emergency exit doors in buildings intended for education or assembly, with an occupancy of 50 people or more, and buildings with high-hazard applications regardless of their occupancy. When panic hardware is required for building based on use and occupancy, usually all of the doors in the means of egress from that room or area will need to be equipped with panic hardware, according to the security experts at Allegion.

Stairwell doors must be fitted with panic hardware (fire exit hardware) when they are part of the emergency exit path serving a room or area in which panic hardware is required. To protect the means of egress, stairwell doors should be made of fire-resistant material and equipped with fail-safe locks, except in a few rare cases.

Yes. Stairwells are designed to provide a safe pathway for building occupants to exit in case of a fire or other emergency. Because, for example, a stairwell may be infiltrated by smoke during a fire and no longer provide a safe means of egress, occupants must be allowed to evacuate the stairwell and reenter the building to seek refuge or locate another exit.

Great Valley Lockshop’s service area for commercial projects spans Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland and New Jersey. For commercial clients, we will travel throughout eastern Pennsylvania – as far west as Harrisburg and State College – Delaware, Maryland, and New Jersey. It’s important to include your location when filling out a service request.

An egress door is an emergency exit door. These doors are easily recognizable as exit doors because they have horizontal push bars, also known as panic bars. They are specially designed so that occupants don’t have to think about how to use them in case of an emergency.

An “exit device,” “panic hardware,” a “push bar,” “panic bar,” or “crash bar,” all of these terms mean the same thing when it comes to exit doors. They refer to a device that allows the occupants of a building to unlock a door and exit quickly during an emergency. It looks like a horizontal or vertical bar for the user to push on and release the locking mechanism of the door with a single action. Pushing on the door, rather than twisting a doorknob or pulling on a lever, is easier and faster. It also ensures that even children or individuals with physical disabilities can safely and efficiently exit the building in an emergency. Panic bars are invaluable and oftentimes mandatory for use in hospitals, nursing homes, other healthcare facilities, and large residential buildings. Many businesses, educational, government, and military facilities use them as well. Some types of crash bars come with their own high-decibel alarms; these alarms can be used to alert management if a door is opened without authorization. Fire-rated crash bars are used on fire-rated doors, which are usually interior doors. Because a crash bar is an extremely important piece of hardware, improper installation means risking the lives of building occupants. Installation should be entrusted to only to experienced, professional locksmiths.

In general, buildings, where more than 50 occupants can assemble, are required to have exit devices. Laws regarding the type of emergency exit door or delayed egress door required and proper installation vary by state. These doors must respect relevant fire safety and building codes and may need to be approved by the appropriate authorities before installation.