Panic hardware cannot be used on a fire door because of the danger of trapping people inside during a fire.
Exit door panic hardware requirements.
Sometimes panic hardware is called fire exit hardware or they may be referred to as egress doors.
The use of panic hardware and or fire exit hardware is required by the international building code ibc and nfpa 101 the life safety code depending on which code and which edition of the code is being referenced.
The bar unlatches the door s latching mechanism on both ends allowing the door to swing freely in the direction of egress.
For example this should not be less than 30 inches and not more than 44 inches above the floor.
A rim panic device is surface mounted on the door with the latch projecting from the panic device rather than the door edge.
Above all equip doors with panic hardware and fire exit hardware.
Latching and locking doors that are hand activated and which are in a path of travel shall be operable with a single effort by lever type hardware by panic bars push pull activating bars or other hardware designed to provide passage without requiring the ability to grasp the opening hardware.
This is the simplest configuration of panic hardware and the easiest to maintain.
When panic hardware is used on fire doors it must be fire exit hardware that has been tested per ul 10c positive pressure fire tests of door assemblies or another fire test standard and the.
Hardware consisting of bars that extend to at least half of the width of the door leaf.
Panic hardware also known as an exit device or fire exit hardware when used on fire doors is designed to provide fast and easy egress to allow building occupants to exit safely in an emergency.
Code publications define panic hardware as a door latching assembly incorporating a device that releases the latch upon the application of a force.
Understanding code requirements for panic hardware.
Panic hardware is just like it sounds.
The ibc 2006 and 2009 editions requires panic hardware and or fire exit hardware on egress doors with an occupant load of 50 people or more in the following.
Panic hardware is an exit device that has been tested to ul 305 requirements and allows simple egress by use of a crash bar push bar etc.
Basically if a door doesn t have a lock with a push pull or a latch the door is not legally required to need panic hardware.
Such device must be a minimum of one half the width of the door in length.