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Keyes Q&A: Cross-corridor doors, hydraulic placards, HVAC, fire alarm testing

Healthcare Life Safety Compliance, April 1, 2019

This is an excerpt from a member only article. To read the article in its entirety, please login or subscribe to Healthcare Life Safety Compliance.

Editor’s note: Each month, Brad Keyes, CHSP, owner of Keyes Life Safety Compliance, answers your questions about life safety compliance. Our editorial advisory board also reviews the Q&A column. Follow Keyes’ blog on life safety at www.keyeslifesafety.com for up-to-date information.  

Cross-corridor doors

Q: Are new cross-corridor doors that are strictly privacy doors (not part of any smoke or fire barrier) required to be double egress? I can't seem to find it in code referencing anything other than in a smoke barrier, but an answer to another question leads me to believe it is required for any new cross-corridor doors. If it is required, does it matter which leaf swings in which direction, or does it just matter that they are opposite-swinging?

A: It depends. According to section 7.2.1.4.2 of the 2012 Life Safety Code® (LSC), which applies to all doors, side-hinged door leaves are required to swing in the direction of egress travel if one or more of the following conditions apply:

• Where serving a room or an area with an occupied load of 50 or more—except when the door leaves are located in an existing horizontal exit, in which case they are not required to swing in the direction of egress
• Where serving a room or an area with an occupied load of 50 or more—except when the door leaves are located in an existing smoke barrier, in which case they are not required to swing in the direction of egress
• Where the door assembly is used in an exit enclosure
• Where the door opening serves a high-hazard contents area (not likely in a healthcare occupancy)

This is an excerpt from a member only article. To read the article in its entirety, please login or subscribe to Healthcare Life Safety Compliance.

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