2 means of egress

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mshields

mshields

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Boston, MA
Do they make doors that swing out in either direction. I am laying out two electrical rooms immediately adjacent to each other, each with 1200A and 6 foot long equipment and therefore each needing two means of egress with panic hardware. I'm wondering if the door I put between these two rooms may serve as one of the two egresses for both rooms. To do that, it seems to me, we need panic hardware on both sides of the door AND for the door to be able to swing in either direction. Is that possible?
 
It’s a double acting door, and while the building code doesn’t exactly address double acting doors, I highly doubt the AHJ would approve it.
The ICC opinion is a single double acting door wouldn’t work.
 
International code council..
They’re all about the same.
a single double acting door is made for traffic to move in two directions where sound dampening or a visual block is wanted, as in a restaurant.
IMO an inspector wouldn’t pass it in lieu of a double egress door where the intention is to have two separate doors that open in the direction of egress. You don’t want traffic from one side colliding with traffic from the other side in case there has to be emergency egress. A hospital corridor for example..
 
mshields said:
Do they make doors that swing out in either direction. I am laying out two electrical rooms immediately adjacent to each other, each with 1200A and 6 foot long equipment and therefore each needing two means of egress with panic hardware. I'm wondering if the door I put between these two rooms may serve as one of the two egresses for both rooms. To do that, it seems to me, we need panic hardware on both sides of the door AND for the door to be able to swing in either direction. Is that possible?
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Remove door. It’s one room. Problem solved.


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paulengr said:
Remove door. It’s one room. Problem solved.
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I like it. Keep in mind that the requirement is not for two exits from the room, but rather two exits from the working space. Also, the requirements for opening in the direction of egress and for panic hardware only apply when there is a door within 25 feet of the working space. No door, no such requirements.
 
tru dat yo! But here in MA we are still recovering from years of separating normal from emergency or in this case the EES switchboard for a hospital. Still, its a good thought.
 
mshields said:
tru dat yo! But here in MA we are still recovering from years of separating normal from emergency or in this case the EES switchboard for a hospital. Still, its a good thought.
Click to expand...
Actually that would be the case in any jurisdiction following NFPA 110 and the system is over 150 volts to ground and over 1000 amps.
 
Yeah - I'm aware of that requirement although I thought it was applicable to a main service electrical room. I'll look up the exact wording to see if it applies. Thanks
 
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