Exit Access Control Door, Advice Needed

There's plenty of hate for maglocks to go around, so there's some bound to show up here.

However, if you don't add/change hardware to the door, using a maglock can be done lawfully (in accordance with NFPA 101/IBC).

Install two different forms of RTE:

1. Motion PIR sensor/REX

2. RTE Pushbutton

Integrate into the fire alarm for sure, and the other two forms of RTE should cover other emergency events.

If there is neither a bar nor a lever lockset on this door, is it a knob?

It might be worth a look to have the door retrofitted with a mechanical panic bar and a surface mount electric strike if the present door and frame would support this .. this would satisfy the egress concern.  If you can post a picture of the door it would help determine this.  

Is this a swinging type of door with a closer (like you see in a restaurant), hence the lack of existing door levers?

It's a swing door similar to what you would find in a resturant with a closer but it's a lot more heavy duty.

Maybe this floor plan will help better explain it. They want to prevent employees from going from the manufacturing floor (DDL Secondary is on the manufacturing floor) to the Administrative Wing. The door in question is circled in red, the card reader would be on the manufacturing side preventing people who do not have authority from going into the administrative wing. Because this door is labled an exit, I am concerned about egress during emergencies not related to the fire alarm going off. 

So if we use an RTE push button like in Brians link we should be good?

Unique scenario, and not one that will be easy to solve if you have an AHJ that is involved.

The best option, in my opinion, would be a delayed-egress panic device, assuming the swing of the door is "inswing" or away from the manufacturing area. The panic device will alarm for 15 seconds when pushed, and then open after the 15 seconds elapses, allowing anyone to go through the door. This is most likely to be approved by an AHJ, if they are inclined to care about such things. The fact that you have an exit sign above the door is automatically going to complicate things here, especially from an area like a manufacturing floor where there could feasibly be a large number of people.

Option 2, which is markedly worse, would be to install a delayed egress maglock. AHJ's usually have a major issue with these and I have had them rejected a number of times in various locations, even though the function is basically the same as the delayed-egress panic device. However, in the case of the panic, it's a more "commonly known" action to press against a panic device, so they are usually OK with it when coupled with a sign. With a maglock, it is often just a sign on the door, which people may miss.

Option 3, which I've had AHJ's approve even though it requires an additional action, is to place a maglock or electric strike on the door with a covered emergency-release pull station. The AHJ's I've dealt with like the "immediate release" of the pull station opposed to the delay associated with a delayed-egress device, so even though it makes little sense, I've had that approved as well.

Personally, I never like restricting legitimate paths of egress, and I would encourage the customer to look at possibly adding access-controlled doors to some of the other doors that lead into the administrative wing, and leave the path of egress open. Or, perhaps they could even add another exit somewhere from the manufacturing floor to allow the path to the administrative wing to NOT be a designated path of egress any longer.

I personally have seen integrators botch this kind of thing more times than I can count.  The fact that you are asking the question tells me you are not one of "those guys". Check out the Code your customer is under FIRST. Don't take a design to the AHJ without looking at the code. The fact that you have an approval is not a defense for incompetent design (the AHJ will not be held liable). If you follow the code, you will have no problems here are three sections from the IBC. Check and see which code applies.  

Section 1010.1.9.7 Delayed Egress 

Section 1010.1.9.8 Sensor Release of Electrically locked  Egress Doors 

Section 1010.1.9.9 Electromagnetically Locked Egress Doors (Securitron Magnalock was essentially the author of this code and so it is reasonable). 

The devil is in the details. My vote is for delayed egress with a reader on the egress side and a reader or button on the office side (assuming the site qualifies). You also need to know if the door is rated. If it is, the game is changed as to what hardware may be used; electric strikes, for example, should not be used on rated doors.  

I've done exactly this sort of thing for many years, but I would be out on a limb on fire alarms. Anyway, I might add that you also need to know what occupancy type is involved (which should be a piece of cake for fire alarm guys) as delayed egress is not allowed in certain occupancy groups). 

Let us know how this ends..