Conduit (IMC/Rigid) routed through door frame

[ccow]

Hello, and thanks in advance for your help and guidance. I have an industrial facility that has several metal door frames which have IMC (and maybe rigid) conduit chasing through the upper frame and into the other room. While I can understand why that choice was made (the doors are installed into 1-foot and 2-foot thick, heavily reinforced concrete with a lot of conduit embeds), I can't help but think that it's not code compliant.

I cannot remember off the top of my head if they're fire doors or not. If they are, I would imagine the fire rating is shot on them now. But what if they aren't fire rated doors? Do I have a code violation here? Can anyone point the way toward what sections this would be in violation of?

Thank you,
ccow

 

[LarryFine]

Pics would be extremely helpful here.

 

[retirede]

I can’t think of any NEC violation.

Unsure of other building codes.

 

[ccow]

Pics would be extremely helpful here.

Yeah, my apologies. I'll head to the site this week and snap one. Thank you!

 

[ccow]

I can’t think of any NEC violation.

Unsure of other building codes.

I appreciate it- thank you!

 

[hillbilly1]

Probably not an NEC rule, but probably fire code. Unless the walls are that thick just to keep the T Rex in!

 

[ccow]

Here you go- this is pretty typical of all of the locations that have this going on.

Thank you!

 

[ccow]

Probably not an NEC rule, but probably fire code. Unless the walls are that thick just to keep the T Rex in!

Haha!

 

[ccow]

Pics would be extremely helpful here.

Pic is in the thread now. Thank you!

 

[LarryFine]

I see no issues.

 

[texie]

As others have said, I see no NEC issue but if this is a fire rated door then it would violate the listing of the door.

 

[ccow]

I see no issues.

I appreciate it- I'll leave it alone. Thank you!

 

[ccow]

As others have said, I see no NEC issue but if this is a fire rated door then it would violate the listing of the door.

Totally agree on the fire rating. Thank you!

 

[synchro]

There is some information on this webpage about this issue:

Decoded: Alterations to Fire Door Assemblies - I Dig Hardware - Answers to your door, hardware, and code questions from Allegion's Lori Greene.

I Dig Hardware - Answers to your door, hardware, and code questions from Allegion's Lori Greene. | Decoded: Alterations to Fire Door Assemblies | | You may remember that I'm working on a series of online code classes, which will be available early in 2018. To support those classes, I am...

idighardware.com

 

[GoldDigger]

At a minimum fire-stop the conduit run, even though it would still be at least a technical violation of the door integrity.
Is the open space of the door frame filled with insulation/flame-stop material of the kind that fills the door itself?

Or is it "just a door"?

 

[GoldDigger]

There is some information on this webpage about this issue:

Decoded: Alterations to Fire Door Assemblies - I Dig Hardware - Answers to your door, hardware, and code questions from Allegion's Lori Greene.

I Dig Hardware - Answers to your door, hardware, and code questions from Allegion's Lori Greene. | Decoded: Alterations to Fire Door Assemblies | | You may remember that I'm working on a series of online code classes, which will be available early in 2018. To support those classes, I am...

idighardware.com

That looks like a really useful introduction to
the topic!
Especially painful is the difference in cost between prior approval and retrospective on-site approval.

 

[ccow]

At a minimum fire-stop the conduit run, even though it would still be at least a technical violation of the door integrity.
Is the open space of the door frame filled with insulation/flame-stop material of the kind that fills the door itself?

Or is it "just a door"?

Yes, fire stopping would be at a minimum due diligence, if you will. I can't answer to what the material within the frame is, but upon asking one electrician that did some of the work, it doesn't appear that there was anything in the frame when he cut it in. I'm now not so much worried about the other locations that this has been done in the plant, but the door pictured does warrant further investigation. It has a wire-reinforced light in the slab, and the observation window between the two rooms has a fire curtain installed. This surely has to be a fire door. a little more digging on the NFPA 80 side of this install is probably going to uncover some not-so-nice realities.

 

[ccow]

Thanks, everyone. I'm resting easier that they're highly likely not an NEC issue, but if the door(s) wind up being fire-rated, this will have to be addressed on that side of the compliance issue.