By Brad Keyes / Special to Healthcare Facilities Today

Q: I have a healthcare occupancy under existing construction. The building was built back in the '50s and '60s, with a major renovation in 1992. The available plans have indicated the fire-rated walls and doors, but there are other doors not specifically designated as smoke doors or fire-rated doors. My question is, what doors would fall under the description of corridor doors? Would it be all doors that exit directly into the egress corridor? Some of these doors are to normally occupied offices, some are to patient rooms, and some are to conference rooms that are only occupied during meetings.

A: Corridor doors are those that separate the corridor from a room, suite, or area. They are not cross-corridor doors that separate a corridor from another corridor. Do not be fooled by a double set of doors, as they can be either corridor doors (an entrance to a room, or suite), or cross-corridor doors (smoke barrier doors, or privacy doors in a corridor).

Here is a summary of the Life Safety Code requirements for corridor doors:

• Corridor doors must comply with section 19.3.6.3 of the 2012 LSC, and have certain requirements that they must meet, including: They must resist the passage of smoke (no holes in them), they must be 1¾-inch thick, solid-bonded wood core and they must be constructed with materials that resist fire for a minimum of 20 minutes (NOTE: This does not mean the corridor doors must be 20-minute fire rated).

• Corridor doors to toilet rooms, bathrooms, shower rooms, sink closets and similar auxiliary spaces that do not contain flammable or combustible materials are not required to comply with the above requirements.

• In smoke compartments protected throughout by automatic sprinklers the corridor door construction requirements listed above are not mandatory, but the corridor doors must resist the passage of smoke (no holes).

• Corridor doors are not required to meet the NFPA 80 standards for fire-rated door assemblies, unless the door also serves a fire-rated barrier

• The clearance between the bottom of the corridor door and the floor (i.e. undercuts) must not exceed 1 inch.

• The corridor doors must have positive latching hardware

• Corridor doors to toilet rooms, bathrooms, shower rooms, sink closets, and similar auxiliary spaces that do not contain flammable or combustible materials are not required to have positive latching hardware.   

You will notice section 19.3.6.3 does not say anything about self-closing devices for corridor doors, because they are not required on corridor doors, unless the corridor serves another purpose, such as a smoke barrier, horizontal exit, or hazardous area.

Check with your state and local authorities before you make any modifications, to determine if they have other regulations or requirements regarding corridor doors.

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.