By Brad Keyes / Special to Healthcare Facilities Today

Q: Can a stairwell door that leads to the outside of a hospital be locked with a lock that requires a code to unlock it? I seem to recall that the doors could be on magnets that release upon activation of the fire alarm and that have a touch pad that releases the doors within 15 seconds.

A: No… it can’t. According to 19.2.2.2.4 of the 2012 LSC, doors in the means of egress must not be equipped with a latch or lock that requires the use of a tool or key from the egress side, unless otherwise permitted as follows:

• Delayed egress locks (7.2.1.6.1)

• Access-control locks (7.2.1.6.2)

• Elevator lobby locks (7.2.1.6.3)

• Clinical needs locks (19.2.2.2.5.1)

• Specialized protective measure locks (19.2.2.2.5.2)

I don’t know where in the hospital this stairwell exit door is located, but let’s assume it does not qualify for clinical needs locks (psychiatric care patients), specialized protected measure locks (OB, Peds, Nursery, ICU, ER), and elevator lobby locks. That leaves delayed egress locks, which requires the entire building to be sprinklered, and access-control locks which do not lock the door in the path of egress, just in the path of ingress, neither of which allows the use of key-pads.

If you decide to use one of the approved exceptions for door locking, please make sure you read the appropriate section of the Life Safety Code and comply with everything it requires. Most surveyors are pretty well informed on the LSC requirements and they will hold you accountable.   

Brad Keyes, CHSP, is the owner of KEYES Life Safety Compliance, and his expertise is in the management of the Life Safety Program, including the Environment of Care and Emergency Management programs.