In a recent Q&A on the FacilityCare website, consultant Brad Keyes answered a question about smoke compartment barrier doors.
Q: Are smoke compartment barrier doors and frames required to have a fire-rating label?
A: No. This seems to be a difficult issue for many people (including surveyors) to grasp. According to section 19.3.7.5 of the 2000 Life Safety Code (LSC), and section 19.3.7.6 of the 2012 LSC, doors in smoke compartment barriers are required to be 1¾-inches thick, solid-bonded, wood-core doors, or be of construction that resists fire for at least 20 minutes. This does not mean the door and frame must be fire-rated. It only means the door must be of construction that resists fire for at least 20 minutes.
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