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Issue link: https://securitysales.epubxp.com/i/166764
ACCESS CONTROL COMPLIANCE FOR SCHOOLS (left) The purpose of the stairwell re-entry requirements is to ensure an alternate means of egress if an exit stairs become compromised by smoke — the doors unlock to allow building occupants to leave the stairs and fnd another exit. (below) The two national standards used for accessibility are the 2010 Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) Standards for Accessible Design and International Code Council (ICC) A117.1 – Accessible and Usable Buildings and Facilities. These standards require operating hardware to be mounted 34-48 inches above the foor. stairwell to be locked mechanically and still includes the exception for stairs serving four or fewer stories, but this only applies to jurisdictions using NFPA 101. Elevators are treated on campuses just as they are anywhere else in the locale. Te IBC requires each elevator lobby to have code-compliant access to an exit — typically an egress stairs. If that stairs is not directly accessible from the elevator lobby, a path of free egress must be provided from the elevator lobby to the egress stairs. In many cases this path will go through another room, such as an ofce, and may not be ideal from a security standpoint. NFPA 101 and some local codes include a special section for failsafe locking of elevator lobby doors as long as the other requirements of that section are met. However, the IBC does not currently contain this exception. To comply with the IBC, the doors between the elevator lobby and the exit stairs would have to allow free egress, could be equipped with an alarm, or may be equipped with delayed egress devices depending on the occupancy type. ELECTROMAGNETIC AND INTERLOCK DEVICES Electromagnetic locks are popular on college campuses and in schools. It's important to be aware of the 2009 edition of the IBC and NFPA 101 that introduced new sections address- ing electromagnetic locks — "Electromagnetically Locked Egress Doors" (IBC) and "Electrically Controlled Egress Door Assemblies" (NFPA 101). Tese new sections allow electromagnetic locks to be released with a door-mounted release device, such as a request-to-exit (RX) switch in a latchset, panic hardware or by a touch-sense bar. Te lock must also release upon loss of power to the switch in the door-mounted hardware. Tere is no requirement in this section for the door to automatically release upon fre alarm, although the code ofcial may prefer that added safety feature. Prior to the 2009 editions, only one section of each publication addressed electromagnetic locks: "Access Controlled Egress Doors." Tis section still exists, so this is a second viable option APPLYING ADA STANDARDS TO ACCESS CONTROL T he two national standards used for accessibility are the 2010 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Standards for Accessible Design and International Code Council (ICC) A117.1 – Accessible and Usable Buildings and Facilities, which is referenced by the International Building Code (IBC). These accessibility standards require operating hardware to be mounted within the allowable range of 34 inches to 48 inches above the foor. 100 / SECURITYSALES.COM / SEPTEMBER 2013 Hardware must be operable without tight grasping, pinching, or twisting of the wrist and door pulls must allow the user to insert their hand behind the pull so tight grasping is not necessary. The bottom surface of the push side of the door, from the foor or ground to 10 inches above, must be fush and smooth with no protrusions. The required clear opening width must be maintained so any protrusions above the 10-inch height must be carefully considered.