# Compliant hardware for employee only room access



## ADAguy (Mar 17, 2015)

Given: Exterior elevator equipment room door with dead bolt and non-compliant knob hardware.

Do: change knob to lever

But: 1. what about use of a seperate deadbolt vs a mortise, must it to be openable with a single action or may you key release the deadbolt and then activate the lever?

       2. Keys require you to have fingers but ADA says no pinching, so how do you grasp a key to insert it, or do you then have use a pushbutton lock or other device?


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## Rick18071 (Mar 17, 2015)

2009 IBC 1103.2.9 Equipment spaces. Spaces frequented only by personnel for maintenance, repair or monitoring of equipment are not required to be accessible. Such spaces include, but are not limited to, elevator pits, elevator penthouses, mechanical, electrical or communications equipment rooms, piping or equipment catwalks, water or sewage treatment pump rooms and stations, electric substations and transformer vaults, and highway and tunnel utility facilities.

Spaces that only contain heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC), electrical, elevator, communication and similar types of equipment are considered areas where work could not reasonably be performed by a person utilizing a wheelchair. These areas are not required to be accessible.


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## jdfruit (Mar 17, 2015)

For mechanical spaces; generally exempt as not an accessible route.

203.5 Machinery Spaces. Spaces frequented only by service personnel for maintenance, repair, or

occasional monitoring of equipment shall not be required to comply with these requirements or to be on

an accessible route. Machinery spaces include, but are not limited to, elevator pits or elevator

penthouses; mechanical, electrical or communications equipment rooms; piping or equipment catwalks;

water or sewage treatment pump rooms and stations; electric substations and transformer vaults; and

highway and tunnel utility facilities.

11B-203.5 Machinery spaces. Spaces frequented only by service personnel for maintenance, repair or occasional monitoring of equipment shall not be required to comply with these requirements or to be on an accessible route. Machinery spaces include, but are not limited to, elevator pits or elevator penthouses; mechanical, electrical or communications equipment rooms; piping or equipment catwalks; water or sewage treatment pump rooms and stations; electric substations and transformer vaults; and highway and tunnel utility facilities.

404.1 General. Doors, doorways, and gates that are part of an accessible route shall comply with 404.

11B-404.1 General. Doors, doorways, and gates that are part of an accessible route shall comply with Section 11B-404.


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## mtlogcabin (Mar 17, 2015)

Elevator equipment room is not required to be accessible so a lever is not required

Keyed deadbolt to access the room and a thumb turn on the inside would be okay.

The room is not required to be accessible and is not on an accessible route


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## mark handler (Mar 17, 2015)

ADAguy said:
			
		

> Given: Exterior elevator equipment room door with dead bolt and non-compliant knob hardware.Do: change knob to lever
> 
> But: 1. what about use of a seperate deadbolt vs a mortise, must it to be openable with a single action or may you key release the deadbolt and then activate the lever?
> 
> 2. Keys require you to have fingers but ADA says no pinching, so how do you grasp a key to insert it, or do you then have use a pushbutton lock or other device?


How many employees?

Any with mobility issues?


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## ADAguy (Mar 17, 2015)

MH, 1. In excess of 40 employees a shift, 24 hr operation.

      2. Am I hearing this to be a Tiltle I issue?

      3. Employees with arthritic hands and some with artifical limbs can enter room and observe activities, that being the case why wouldn't lever hardware be required.


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## mark handler (Mar 17, 2015)

ADAguy said:
			
		

> ... why wouldn't lever hardware be required.


IMHO, It would


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## steveray (Mar 17, 2015)

mtlogcabin said:
			
		

> Elevator equipment room is not required to be accessible so a lever is not requiredKeyed deadbolt to access the room and a thumb turn on the inside would be okay.
> 
> The room is not required to be accessible and is not on an accessible route


Just thumbturn...Yes...Thumbturn and knob....I do not think so. Don't see where it is allowed.

1008.1.9.3 Locks and latches. Approved locks and latches shall be permitted to prevent operation of doors where any of the following exists:

1. Places of detention or restraint.

2. In buildings in occupancy Group A having an occupant load of 300 or less, Groups B, F, M and S, and in places of religious worship, the main exterior door or doors are permitted to be equipped with key-operated locking devices from the egress side provided:

2.1. The locking device is readily distinguishable as locked;

2.2. A readily visible durable sign is posted on the egress side on or adjacent to the door stating: THIS DOOR TO REMAIN UNLOCKED WHEN BUILDING IS OCCUPIED. The sign shall be in letters 1 inch (25 mm) high on a contrasting background; and

2.3. The use of the key-operated locking device is revocable by the building official for due cause.

3. Where egress doors are used in pairs, approved automatic flush bolts shall be permitted to be used, provided that the door leaf having the automatic flush bolts has no doorknob or surface-mounted hardware.

4. Doors from individual dwelling or sleeping units of Group R occupancies having an occupant load of 10 or less are permitted to be equipped with a night latch, dead bolt or security chain, provided such devices are openable from the inside without the use of a key or tool.

5. Fire doors after the minimum elevated temperature has disabled the unlatching mechanism in accordance with listed fire door test procedures.


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## mtlogcabin (Mar 17, 2015)

> Just thumbturn...Yes...Thumbturn and knob....I do not think so. Don't see where it is allowed.


1008.1.9.1 Hardware.

Door handles, pulls, latches, locks and other operating devices on doors required to be accessible by Chapter 11 shall not require tight grasping, tight pinching or twisting of the wrist to operate.

1103.2 General exceptions.

Sites, buildings, structures, facilities, elements and spaces shall be exempt from this chapter to the extent specified in this section.

1103.2.9 Equipment spaces.

Spaces frequented only by personnel for maintenance, repair or monitoring of equipment are not required to be accessible. Such spaces include, but are not limited to, elevator pits, elevator penthouses, mechanical, electrical or communications equipment rooms, piping or equipment catwalks, water or sewage treatment pump rooms and stations, electric substations and transformer vaults, and highway and tunnel utility facilities.

I think an elevator equipment room clearly falls into this code path.

Now if an employee is arthritic or has artificial limb as noted above then a lever handle would be a reasonable accommodation request by the employee that the employer should provide.


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## mjesse (Mar 17, 2015)

mtlogcabin said:
			
		

> 1008.1.9.1 Hardware.Door handles, pulls, latches, locks and other operating devices on doors required to be accessible by Chapter 11 shall not require tight grasping, tight pinching or twisting of the wrist to operate.
> 
> 1103.2 General exceptions.
> 
> ...


I agree.

Couldn't be more clear


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## ICE (Mar 17, 2015)

I guess zippers should be against the law.


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## MASSDRIVER (Mar 17, 2015)

ICE said:
			
		

> I guess zippers should be against the law.


I saw this coming. It's why I wear a kilt.

Brent.


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## steveray (Mar 18, 2015)

MT....Exempt from accessibility, not exempt from one motion to exit.....

1008.1.9.5 Unlatching. The unlatching of any door or leaf shall not require more than one operation.

Exceptions:1. Places of detention or restraint.

2. Where manually operated bolt locks are permitted by Section 1008.1.9.4.

3. Doors with automatic flush bolts as permitted by Section 1008.1.9.3, Exception 3.

4. Doors from individual dwelling units and sleeping units of Group R occupancies as permitted by Section 1008.1.9.3, Exception 4.


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## steveray (Mar 18, 2015)

MASSDRIVER said:
			
		

> I saw this coming. It's why I wear a kilt.Brent.


Kilt season is coming around here....Gotta get my pleats straightened out!


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## ADAguy (Mar 18, 2015)

Thank you Steve, This should be seen as an example ot the old term "Universal Design". Really helps if you are carrying packages. Applies to "all" doors, no matter what is inside the room, or what side of the door you are on.


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## ADAguy (Mar 18, 2015)

Steve, additional response/question: Is the insertion of a key (to release the locking function) and the turning of the lever not to be seen as two seperate operations? Clarify please?


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## steveray (Mar 18, 2015)

ADAguy said:
			
		

> Steve, additional response/question: Is the insertion of a key (to release the locking function) and the turning of the lever not to be seen as two seperate operations? Clarify please?


From the egress side....It would be just the lever unless it met an exception in 1008.   One motion. If the deadbolt were interlocked with the lever it could work.


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## mtlogcabin (Mar 18, 2015)

> MT....Exempt from accessibility, not exempt from one motion to exit...


1008.1 Doors.

Means of egress doors shall meet the requirements of this section.

MEANS OF EGRESS. A continuous and unobstructed path of vertical and horizontal egress travel from any occupied portion of a building or structure to a public way. A means of egress consists of three separate and distinct parts: the exit access, the exit and the exit discharge.

OCCUPIABLE SPACE. A room or enclosed space designed for human occupancy in which individuals congregate for amusement, educational or similar purposes or in which occupants are engaged at labor, and which is equipped with means of egress and light and ventilation facilities meeting the requirements of this code.

A door to an elevator machine room is not a means of egress door under the code therefore 1008 is not applicable


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## steveray (Mar 18, 2015)

Good concept MT, I just don't wholeheartedly agree. That would exempt most mechanical and electrical rooms which I don't agree with...


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## ADAguy (Mar 18, 2015)

Good dialogue gentlemen,

So MT, not an "occupiable room" but subject to a T-I accommodation request.

Consider though that if it were a closet (unoccupiable) and I could enter into it in a WC far enough for the door to close behind me and it initially had a knob and a seperate dead bolt it would have to be changed out (as a barrier to be removed) for a single action lever interconnected to the deadbolt. right?

What of level landings being required on corridor and or exterior doors to mechanical rooms if not presently provided? Only for egress doors to occupiable rooms?


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## jdfruit (Mar 18, 2015)

There are provisions in other than the building code for required means of egress in mechanical and electrical spaces. Don't have time to lookemup. Somebody got sumthin?


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## ADAguy (Mar 18, 2015)

Mt, also 1008.1.9.5 refers to "any" door. doesn't that mean "without exception? Or is there an exception?


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## mtlogcabin (Mar 18, 2015)

> Consider though that if it were a closet (unoccupiable) and I could enter into it in a WC far enough for the door to close behind me and it initially had a knob and a seperate dead bolt it would have to be changed out (as a barrier to be removed) for a single action lever interconnected to the deadbolt. right?


I know this is going to sound cold but no it does not need to be changed out

The dead bolt does not latch unless someone locks you in with a key from the outside. The room was not designed for a WC user therefore you do not belong in it. Does it have the turning space? Is there enough clearance on the latch side of the door. The point is the room was not designed to be occupied by a WC user or anyone else so means of egress door requirements do not apply and a round door knob would be code compliant



> What of level landings being required on corridor and or exterior doors to mechanical rooms if not presently provided? Only for egress doors to occupiable rooms?


1003.5 Elevation change.

Where changes in elevation of less than 12 inches (305 mm) exist in the means of egress, sloped surfaces shall be used. Where the slope is greater than one unit vertical in 20 units horizontal (5-percent slope), ramps complying with Section 1010 shall be used. Where the difference in elevation is 6 inches (152 mm) or less, the ramp shall be equipped with either handrails or floor finish materials that contrast with adjacent floor finish materials.

Exceptions:

1.	A single step with a maximum riser height of 7 inches (178 mm) is permitted for buildings with occupancies in Groups F, H, R-2, R-3, S and U at exterior doors not required to be accessible by Chapter 11.

If it is not on an accessible route then a level landing may not be required

ACCESSIBLE ROUTE. A continuous, unobstructed path that complies with Chapter 11.

1103.2.1 Specific requirements.

Accessibility is not required in buildings and facilities, or portions thereof, to the extent permitted by Sections 1104 through 1110

1103.2.9 Equipment spaces.

Spaces frequented only by personnel for maintenance, repair or monitoring of equipment are not required to be accessible. Such spaces include, but are not limited to, elevator pits, elevator penthouses, mechanical, electrical or communications equipment rooms, piping or equipment catwalks, water or sewage treatment pump rooms and stations, electric substations and transformer vaults, and highway and tunnel utility facilities.

A Mechanical/Electrical room is exempt from accessibility requirements

A corridor leading to a second exit in an existing building and the second exit is not required to be an accessible egress can have steps within the corridor if the elevation change is larger than 12 inches


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## mtlogcabin (Mar 18, 2015)

ADAguy said:
			
		

> Mt, also 1008.1.9.5 refers to "any" door. doesn't that mean "without exception? Or is there an exception?


No exception needed because 1008.1 is specific to means of egress doors. 1008.1.9.5 is a subset of 1008.1 and is not applicable to "all" only to "any" means of egress door.


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## steveray (Mar 18, 2015)

jdfruit said:
			
		

> There are provisions in other than the building code for required means of egress in mechanical and electrical spaces. Don't have time to lookemup. Somebody got sumthin?


Yes there are, but typically only address larger installations...


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## mjesse (Mar 18, 2015)

mtlogcabin said:
			
		

> I know this is going to sound cold but no it does not need to be changed outThe dead bolt does not latch unless someone locks you in with a key from the outside. The room was not designed for a WC user therefore you do not belong in it. Does it have the turning space? Is there enough clearance on the latch side of the door. The point is the room was not designed to be occupied by a WC user or anyone else so means of egress door requirements do not apply and a round door knob would be code compliants


Again, I agree.

To take it farther, does the elevator equipment need to be accessible? No.

A service person is going into this room for the purpose of inspecting/repairing elevator machinery. These rooms and doors are CLEARLY exceptions in the sections MT posted above.


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## ADAguy (Mar 18, 2015)

Steve, what you are referring to is found in Chapter 10 1008.1.9.5 where it mentions "any" door but is this waived by the 11B exception for mechanical rooms? It is a life safety issue as well as access, firemen with gloved hands benefit from lever hardware.


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