Exit Door but Not on Designated Emergency Egress Route
Came across this in an audit this week and looking for input. They have a door in a facility that exits to the outside but is not on a designated emergency egress path. The door in its current state does not meet the requirements of an emergency exit door. (Older facility; door opening is very small.) It is not a designated emergency exit door but it is an exit door to the outside. There is a compliant emergency exit nearby. Normally this area would be unoccupied except for maintenance activities. They'd like to keep the door because it could provide a means of exit if an employee needed it. Must it be brought up to code (i.e. pushbar, proper width etc.) even though it is not a designated emergency exit?
Comments (2)
Generally speaking, if you have any possibility of it being used as an exit, then, yes, it will need to be brought up to code.
With that being said, is that door counted as part of your building's minimum number of exits? For example, based on occupancy load and other factors, if you were only required to have 4 designated exits, but had 10 doors, then you could POSSIBLY get around it if you still had enough other doors to serve as exits in the right locations.
Agree with Drew on this. As long as it is NOT marked as an emergency door, and is not designated as one on the egress map, and there are other doors marked to adequately get the folks out you are good.
Side note. The door in question must still be maintained, uncluttered, clear access and exit.
Good attention to detail.