More attention has been focused on fire doors and egress doors in the last decade, as the inspection requirements of NFPA 80, Standard for Fire Doors and Other Opening Protectives, 2019 edition have become adopted and enforced.
Since the 2009 editions of the International Building Code (IBC), International Fire Code (IFC) and NFPA 101, Life Safety Code inspections of fire door assemblies have been required, with the codes referring to detailed requirements included NFPA 80. Beginning with the 2007 edition of the standard, fire door assemblies must be inspected annually, and any deficiencies found must be corrected without delay. In addition to annual inspections, the 2013 edition of NFPA 80 and subsequent editions require fire door assemblies to be inspected after installation and after maintenance work is completed.
The Door Security and Safety Foundation is an organization which exists to promote secure and safe openings that enhance life safety, through education and partnerships with like-minded organizations. The foundation’s research has identified various deficiencies on swinging fire doors with builders hardware:
# 8. Fire exit hardware installed on doors that are not labeled for use with fire exit hardware. Fire exit hardware is panic hardware which is listed for use on a fire door. It is not equipped with mechanical dogging (the ability to hold back the latch) because fire doors need to positively latch, but electric dogging may be used as long as the latch projects automatically if a fire occurs.
Fire exit hardware is not required for every fire door. Its use is determined by the occupancy type and the occupant load. The IBC requires panic hardware / fire exit hardware for assembly and educational occupancies with an occupant load of 50 people or more (2006 edition and later). NFPA 101 requires panic hardware / fire exit hardware for assembly, educational, and day care occupancies with an occupant load of 100 people or more. Both of these model codes also require panic hardware for high hazard occupancies, with any occupant load per the IBC, and with an occupant load of more installed than 5 per NFPA 101.
When fire exit hardware is installed, NFPA 80 requires the door to have a label stating, “Fire door to be equipped with fire exit hardware.” This ensures that the door is properly reinforced for the fire exit hardware. An existing door that is prepped for a lockset would not typically be reinforced for fire exit hardware or carry the proper label, so fire exit hardware should not be retrofitted to an existing door that was not originally prepped for it unless the label allows both types of hardware.