The Access Control Codes Guide: IBC, NFPA 72, 80 & 101

Published Nov 07, 2019 15:30 PM

For access, there is one basic maxim: Life safety above all else. But how do you know if all applicable codes are being followed?

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While the basic maxim is simple to understand, many potential variations of rules exist, and access control professionals must understand them and how they apply.

In addition to looking at why codes are necessary, we examine the major codes dictating access control work including:

  • IBC: International Building Codes
  • NFPA 72: Fire Alarm
  • NFPA 80: Fire Doors
  • NFPA 101: Life Safety

This guide also provides the three steps needed to find which code applies to an opening, how to find local exceptions to broader codes, and which specific door functions impact code application.

Why ************** ** *********

*************, * ******* ** ********* *** deaths *** *** ****** ****** ***** are ******.

** *** **, ********* **** ***'* 1911******** ********** ****(******* ****** ***) ***** *** ********** of ******** ******** *** ********** ****** routes ** * *********, ********** ********* in*** **** ********** ****** ****/****** ***** as * ****** ***********:

IPVM Image

****** ****** ***** *** ******** ** make *********** ******** ********** ***** ******, condensing ****** ************ *** **** ******* subsystems **** ******** ****** ** ****** rules.

The ***** **********

IPVM Image***** * *********** ****** ** ***** are **** *********, **** *********** **** code ****** **** * *** '***** code' **********. ** ***** **** ** these ***** ** ******** ******** *****.

*******, **** ** *** * ************* list, *** ***** ******* *** ** applied ******* *** ****** ******* *******, including ****** **** *****,***, *** ********** ********** ** ******** Jurisdiction *****.

NFPA ***

*** ******** '**** ****** ****' ** the **** ****** **** ****** ** protect ****** ***** ** ******** ************, protection, *** ********* *******.

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***** **** *** ** *************, *** most ******** ******** *** ****** ******* include:

  • **** ***: '************ ********** ****** *****' (2015, ****: *.*.*.*.*; ****: *.*.*.*.*)
  • **** ***: '********* *******' (****, ****: 7.2.1.5.10-12; ****, ****, ****: *.*.*.*.* -*.*.*.*.**)
  • **** ***: '****** ********** ****** *****' (7.2.1.6.2)

************, ************ ********** ******* ******* ** **** (***),**** *******, ********** ******************** ******* ** **** ***.

NFPA **

******* *** **** ******, **** **** is ********* ***** ** ********** ****** control ******* ** *** ******* *********** required ******* *** **** ***** *** the **** ***** ******.

IPVM Image

** *******, **** **** ** *** foundation ** ************ **** ***** **** release **** **** ****** ** ***** detectors ** **** *****.

IBC: ************* ******** ****

*** ***, ********* ***** ************* **** *******, ** *********** * ********* *** designing *** *********** **** *********.

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** *** ******** ******** ** *** authority, **** ******** ********* ***** **** do **** ********* **** ******** **** the ******.

  • ***: '**** **********' (****: ****.*.*; ****, 2009: ****.*.*; ****, ****: ****.*.*)
  • ***: '****** ******* ** ************ ****** Egress *****' (****: ****.*.*.*; ****: ****.*.*.*; 2009: ****.*.*.*; ****, ****: ****.*.*.*)
  • ***: '******************* ****** ****** *****' (****: 1010.1.9.9; ****: ****.*.*.*; ****: ****.*.*.*)

NFPA **

************, **** **** ******** **** ***** and *** **** *** ******** **** for ********** ** * ********.

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** **** *****, ***** **** ***** are **** ****** ** ****** ******-********** openings, *** *** '***** ** ******* (6.4.4)' ******* ********* ***** ************* *** permitted *** ****** *** ******* ******* their **** **** *******. ** *******, the ************* ******** ** ******* ******* mortise ******* *** **** *******-******* ***** like **** ******* *** ******** ****** be ********* ** **** ***** ******* exceeding ***** ************ **********.

International *****

******* **** *** *** ******* ******* authorities ** ** ***** ***** *** cited **** ****** *** ******* *********** governing ****** ******* ** *** **.

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*** *******, ** ******, **** ***** codes *** ****** *** ***** ** the '******** ******** ****: ***'. ******** cited ***** *** ***** **: '**** Release ******** (****, ****: *.*.*.**; ****:*.*.*.**)'

Local **** ********** **** ********

******** ** *********-******** ***** *** ********** ratified ** ************** ****** ************ (****), *** ** ** *** ************** of ****** ******* ********* ** ********* if ***** *********** ****** **** ** normally ******* ** ***** *****.

*** ***** ***** ******* ******** ** local **** ********** **** **** ** obtained ******* *** ***** ***'* ******:

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*******, **** **** ***** ********** *****, the ******* ****** ** *** ****: life ****** **** ** *********.

******, ** ** *************; ****** *********, emergency *********, ** **** ********* ***********, can * **** ******* ** ******** from ******** *** ********.

How ** ********* ***** ***** ***** ** ** *******

** ***** ** ********* ***** ****** codes ***** ** * ******** ******* or **** ** * *******, *** three ***** ***** **** ****** *** answer:

  1. ********* ********** ***** ****
  2. ******** ********* *****
  3. ********* ** ******* ** ********* ******

Determine ********** ***** ****

** *** *****, *** ***** **** is ** ********* ***** ***** ***** and ******** ***** ** * *******.

***** *********** **** ****** ************* **** ********** ***** *** **** whom*** *** ***** ** ****.

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Building ********* *****

****, ************ *********** ********* ********* **** ****** ***** ******** ** code ***** ** * ***** *******.

********* ***** ****** ***** **** ** lock ******** *** ** ****** ** doors, **** ******** *** *** (** not) ** **** ******* *** ********. In **** ***** '*** **** **** not *** ***', *** **** ******* can **** ********* ** *** ****'* occupancy *** **************.

** **** ***** ***** ******* *** available ** ******* **** ** **********, usually ******* ** ** "********* ********" like **** *******:

IPVM Image

********* ******** '******* *****' ** ****** in ******** **** **************, **** '******** room' ** '******' ********** ***** ***** differ ***** ** **** *** ***** loading. ***** *** **** **** '********* Loads' *** '********* (** ********) **************', the ****** ***** *** *** ***** can ** **********.

** ***** *****, *** ******** **** need ***** *** ***** ******* ************ ** ** ******** by *** ***. ** ******* *** basic *********** ****** ** *** ***** section "********** ****** *******".

Establish ** ******* ** ********* ******

*******, ********* ** ** ******-********** ******* is ** ****** **** *** ** confirmed ** ****** ***********.

** **** *****, ** *** ******* is ******** ** *********** ********* **** signs, ** ** * ******** ********** the ******* ** * ****** ********* egress **** *** *** ** ******** entryway ** ******** ****.

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******* ****** ** ** ********* ** subject ***** *** ********* ** ****** emergency ********** *****:

IPVM Image

*** ***** ******** ***** **** **** access ********* ********** ***** ***** ****** system **************.

Door ******** *********

***** **** ******** ***************, *** ******** of * ********** ******* ** **** an ********* *************. *** ***** ** doors ***** **** ******* ************** **** installed ** **** ** ****** *******:

  • **** *****:*** ******** *** **** **** **** secured ********; **** ******* ** ******** safety ******** ** ***** **** ** a **** *********. ******* ** **** function, *** ***** ******* ************, **** doors **** ** ********** ******* ** a **** *** ****** ** ********* cut ** ******** *** ******** *** instead **** ** *********** **** '**-***' locking ******** ** ***** **** ***** that ** *** ****** ************ ********** defined ** **** **.
  • ********* *****: ******* ********* ***** *** ******, to ******* ************ ****** ****** ****** conditions, *** ** * **** ***** locks **** ** ******* ** ** occupant ******* * **** ****** ** trapped ** * *********. *** **** reason, ******-********** ********* ***** *** ********* configured ** ******* ***.
  • ******* ****** *****:***** ******* **** *********** '**** *********** in' *** ******* ** ******* *********, and *** **** ***** ** ********* is ********* ******** ** ****, **** how **** * '***** ******' *** be (** ** ** *******) ** which ***** *** ** **** ****** to ******* ************ **** (*.*.: ******** and ******* **** **********).

*********** *** ******** **** **** *** floorplan *** ******** ********* **** ** vital, *** ******* ************ **** ******** are *********** ** ***** ***** **** be **** ******* ****** *** ************ work *********.

Comments (7)
PS
Phil Shanahan
Nov 10, 2019

*'* ** *** ****** **** *** every *** *** ******** ** **** doors **** *** ******* *** ** override ***** ***** ***** *****. * don't **** ** *** **** ***** in *** ** *** **** *** common ***** ** ****** *** *** wired ** ****** **** *** ******* power ** *** *** ****** ***** to ***** ** *** **** ** an ********* ** ******* *** ******* on *** ******.

* *** ** * ************* ****** not **** *** ***** ******** *** pointed *** **** **** ***'* **** break ***** ***** ** ***** ********* doors, **** *** ** ******* ** you ***'* **** **** *** *'* saying **** ** *** ********** ***** up, **'* **** ** **** ***** happens.... ******'* *** **** ** * few ***** ***** ** *** ****** in *** ******** **** ******* *** REX ****** ** *** **********, ******* a ********** ****** ***** *** **** many ***** **** *** **** ** years **** **** ******* *********.

**** ***** ** *** ***** **** this ***** ***** **** ********* **** others, * ****** ** ****** *** years *** *** ***** * ** the **** ******** ***** **** ****** you *** ****** * ********.

(6)
(1)
AA
Abdulwahab Al-Ibrahim
Dec 12, 2019
IPVMU Certified

*** ****** ***** ** *** *** best/recommended **** ********* *** ****** ******* systems ? ***** *** **** **** mentioning *** ************ *** *** *** can ******* ** & *** *** can ** ** ** * *** that ** ** ****** *** *********** (which ** ** *** **** ********). I **** ** **** *******.

*'* ****** **** * *** **** something **** ***** **** ******/**** ******** . ***** ** ** ** ******* best ********* *** ******* *************.

Avatar
Brian Rhodes
Dec 12, 2019
IPVMU Certified

*** ***** ************* ***-****, ********** ****** *** ******** (ESS) ****** ****** *** ************** **** Practice.

***** *** ******* ******** **, *** it *** *** '******* ****' ** begin ****, *** *** ****** ******* guidelines, ** ** * ******** *********.

** ***** ** ******, **** ****** to ** ** ** **** ** these *******, *** ** ***** *** other **** ********* ******* ***, * am ********** ** ******* *************** ***.

(2)
(2)
AA
Abdulwahab Al-Ibrahim
Dec 12, 2019
IPVMU Certified

**** * ***** * **** ***** with ****. *** ****** * **** a **** ******** ****** ** ****. Since * **** ********* **** * can ***** ** **** ** **** any ******* **** ** **** ** issue.

** ** **** ****, **** ** u ********* ** ***** ** ** need ** ***** * ******** *** ACS.? * ***'* ** **** ***** to *****.

** ** **** ** **** *** own *****/******** ** * ******* *** we ***** ** *****?

AA
Abdulwahab Al-Ibrahim
Dec 17, 2019
IPVMU Certified

* ***** *** ***** ** ******* NFPA ***
"******** *** *** ************ ** ********** Premises ******** *******". ***'* *** ***** that *** **** ** ***** ** it ** *** *** ******** ?

NM
Nick McNabb
Jan 25, 2021

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**** ****** **** *** *** ***** and ********* (****.***)

**** **** ***** ** ** ******. Is ***** ** ******* ****?

(2)
Avatar
Brian Rhodes
Jan 25, 2021
IPVMU Certified

*** ****:

****** *** ******** ****. ** *** a ******** ********* ** *** **** you're ******* ***. * ******* **** part ******* ** **** *** *********. The **** ***'** ******* *** ** the **** ***'** ******* ***.