# 110.26(c)(2) or 1008.1.9   panic hardware in electrical rooms



## rktect 1 (Jul 15, 2011)

So, do these two sections mean that if there is a double door in one of these rooms that both doors are required to have panic hardware.

A contractor wants to only put it on one door and make the other door an inactive leaf.

We think these sections require panic hardware on any/all doors in this room leading out.


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## RLGA (Jul 15, 2011)

See Section 1008.1.8.4.


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## chris kennedy (Jul 15, 2011)

NEC states doors.



> 110.26©(3) Personnel Doors. Where equipment rated 1200 A or more that contains overcurrent devices, switching devices, or control devices is installed and there is a personnel door(s) intended for entrance to and egress from the working space less than 7.6 m (25 ft) from the nearest edge of the working space, the door(s) shall open in the direction of egress and be equipped with panic bars, pressure plates, or other devices that are normally latched but open under simple pressure.


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## Architect1281 (Jul 16, 2011)

if rou are still able to stand after the equipment flashes generally towards your hands and face

you really want the door to open when you lean or fall onto it.


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## cda (Jul 16, 2011)

Without a floor plan or exit analsis hard to say


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## Builder Bob (Jul 18, 2011)

The easiest thing to do is look at the unit..... in my interpretation, a double door with an inactive leaf is still a single door unit - both doors would be required to have panic hardware.......


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## cda (Jul 18, 2011)

Change of mind

Only would require it on one door and allow other to be locked down


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## RLGA (Jul 18, 2011)

cda, I agree.  Double doors are not required for egress--just for maintenance/replacement of equipment.  That is why Imentioned Section 1008.1.8.4. in my first post.  It doesn't matter if the second leaf were bolted without hardware or replaced with solid wall, it still complies with the egress requirement.


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## Papio Bldg Dept (Jul 18, 2011)

RLGA said:
			
		

> cda, I agree.  Double doors are not required for egress--just for maintenance/replacement of equipment.  That is why Imentioned Section 1008.1.8.4. in my first post.  It doesn't matter if the second leaf were bolted without hardware or replaced with solid wall, it still complies with the egress requirement.


Would you use the most restricitive of the two codes?  If IBC says only one door is required for egress, but the NEC says all doors, then do you ignore the NEC?


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## north star (Jul 18, 2011)

*% % % %*

Could a permanent barrier be installed so as to have only

one actual door for the room ( i.e. - lock one of the door

leafs down and install a sheet of plate steel over it ) ?

Now, you have only one actual door to install the panic

hardware on.

*% % % %*


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## RLGA (Jul 18, 2011)

Read 1008.1.1 (2006 IBC).  Two door leaves do not necessarily make two doors; therefore, you can have one door with two leaves (provided there is no mullion).  If the double door in the electrical room had a mullion, then I would agree that both leaves require panic hardware.

It's up to the jurisdiction for interpretation, but generally, the more specific requirement overrides the general requirement, and since the building code is more specific about doors than the electric code, then the requirements of the building code stand.  Unless the electric code provides a definition of what a "door" consists of for purposes of the electric code, then I could see where an interpretation contrary to the building code would be applicable.


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## rktect 1 (Jul 20, 2011)

I am failing to see the code section in 1008.1.8.4 which tells me not to put panic hardware on a double door.  This section appears to allow a manually operated surface or flush bolt added to the inactive door leaf.

It would then be up to the electrician to manually unlock the bolt prior to working in the area if he was concerned for his safety.  Then when he is blown up, his hair is on fire and his left arm is in the far corner, he could still bounce into the double doors, either one, and fall out of the room into a more safe area.


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## Papio Bldg Dept (Jul 20, 2011)

rktect1 - I would reference the following 2008 NEC Section (and would assume that this is more restrictive than than 1008.1.9 of the IBC):

_2008 NEC:_

_110.26 © (3) Personnel Doors.  Where equipment rated 1200A or more that contains overcurrent devices, switching devices, or control devices is installed and there is a personnel door(s) intended for entrance to an egress from the working space less than 7.6 m (25 ft) from the nearest edge of the working space, the door(s) shall open in the direction of egress and be equipped with panic bars, pressure plates, or other devices that are normally latched but open under simple pressure._

Sounds like the NEC is the more restrictive of the two codes in this case, and therefore would make 1008.1.1 (Door Size), 1008.1.8.3 (Locks and Latches), and 1008.1.8.4 (Bolt Locks) of the IBC (2006).

1008.1.9 (Panic and fire exit hardware) of the IBC mirrors the NEC with the following paragraph:  _Electrical rooms with equipment rated 1,200 amperes or more and over 6 feet (1829 mm) wide, that contain overcurrent devices, switching devices, or control devices with exit access doors must be equipped with panic hardware and doors must swing in the direction of egress._

RGLA - In our jurisdiction, the NEC requirement would require any personnell doors within the 25 feet to have panic hardware, mullion or not.


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