# Panic bar in lieu of strike side clearance?



## Yikes (Sep 20, 2012)

CBC 1126A.3.2.1 requires 12" strike-side clearance on the push side of a door equipped with a latch and closer.

I have a 3' wide doorway at the bottom of a 4-story exit stairwell, and the width of the space is 44", which is too narrow for the 12" strike side clearance.

I've been told the rationale behind the 12" clearance is to allow a frail person to center their body in front of the door handle to maximize their "leverage" in the push effort to open the door.

Question: would you consider it an acceptable modifcation / equivalent facilitation to install a panic bar in lieu of the 12" strike clearance?

This means a person could just lean into the bar and open it, effectively mitigating the complicating effect of the latch.


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## mark handler (Sep 20, 2012)

Yes, if action requires less than 5 lbs


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## kenotten (Oct 7, 2012)

Only doors that serve an accessible route are required to comply with the Standards. Stairs can not be of an accessible route, so this door would not be required to comply in the first place.


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## Fort (Oct 8, 2012)

kenotten said:
			
		

> Stairs can not be of an accessible route


This is incorrect. Stairs can be part of an accessible means of egress. Refer to sections 1007 & 1133B


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## Builder Bob (Oct 9, 2012)

12" clearance is only required for a door with a closure and a latch. Can either of these be removed or use a power assist door operner?


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## mark handler (Oct 9, 2012)

Fort said:
			
		

> This is incorrect. Stairs can be part of an accessible means of egress. Refer to sections 1007 & 1133B


1007.3 EXIT STAIRWAYS

In order for exit stairways to be considered part of an accessible means of egress, IBC requires exit stairways to either incorporate an area of refuge or be accessed from an area of refuge or horizontal exit.

While IBC 2000 and 2003 provided an exception for the area of refuge requirement in sprinklered buildings, IBC 2006 took out this exception and required areas of refuge in sprinklered buildings.

IBC 2009 brought back the exception provided to sprinklered buildings by revising section 1007.3. IBC 2009 also added two additional exceptions to the area of refuge requirement. According to the revised section, Group R-2 occupancy and smoke protected seating areas complying with section 1028.6.2 are exempt from the area of refuge requirement.

By the way Fort, 1133B is only valid in CA


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## Doorman (Oct 9, 2012)

Builder Bob said:
			
		

> 12" clearance is only required for a door with a closure and a latch. Can either of these be removed or use a power assist door operner?


If the door is fire rated, must have both.  If not rated, either can be deleted.


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## LGreene (Oct 9, 2012)

I don't think you will find fire exit hardware that releases with 5 pounds of force.  UL 305 requires panic hardware / fire exit hardware to release with a maximum of 15 pounds of force, and average is somewhere around 8-12 pounds.

I have seen an AHJ require automatic operators for this exact issue - a stair door without the proper maneuvering clearance.  They were stair doors in a police station and the police wanted the doors held open all the time, so the doors had magnetic holders which released on fire alarm.  The ironic thing is that because the doors were fire-rated, the auto operators had to be deactivated on fire alarm.  So the doors were open all the time via the hold-opens, and on fire alarm the auto operators were not operable.  Nobody would listen to the hardware consultant even though I was backing him up.  So they got what they asked for.


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## Yikes (Oct 9, 2012)

Thanks for all your replies.  Yes, the city of Los Angeles allows for powered door openers, but I was trying to avoid the exact problem described by LGreene, and avoid buying a battery backup.

The stair itself is not an area of refuge.  however, the strike side+push side clearance, as I understand it, is not limited to wheelchair users.  A frail person can use the tairs, reach the bottom, and not be able to twist the door handle open unless they are centered in front of it.

A panci bar woudl be a practical solution, but I don't see anything that compels the City of LA to be practical.


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