Building Occupancy Codes and Access Control Tutorial

By Brian Rhodes, Published Aug 30, 2021, 01:57pm EDT (Info+)

A building or room's classification greatly impacts where exit devices should be used. Occupancy codes impact which type of lock hardware can be fitted to doors, most commonly the use of exit devices - often adding hundreds of dollars per door.

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This report explains the occupancy classification of a space and which codes apply.

The points we cover include:

  • Why classification is necessary
  • Code impact on lock hardware selection
  • Classification definition and key categories
  • Finding classification ratings
  • Comparing classification types
  • Handling mixed occupancies
  • Developing manual ratings

Exit ******* ******** ** ***** ******

********* ***** '*', '*', '*', '*', 'M', *** '*' ******* **** ******* to ** **** *** ************** *** ***(********* ***** *** ***** ******* *** most ** *** **). ******/***** **** residential '*' ************** ** *** ******* exit ******* ** *****.

** ***** *****, ******** ****** ******** ******* *********** ********* ******* ********* ***** **** (*.*., 'I' ****) ***** *** ***** ***** do *** ******** ****. *** **** may ***** ** ********** **** ***** like ******** - ***** ***** *** not ******** ****, *** ***** **** do *** ***** ** ***** ** defined ** ********* ***** ** ***** local **********.

Architects, *********, *** ******** ******** ********* ********* *****

*********** *** ****** ********* ** *** assign ******** ***** ** ******. ****** the *********/********* *** **********/******** ******* **** define **** ****** ******.

** *********** ** *** **** *** Occupancy **** ************ ** ** ****, they ****** *** ***** ****** *** them.

******* ****** *********** *** ******** ** design/implement ***** ******* ********* *********/****** *****, **** ******** ******** ****** ******* to **** **** ** *** **** devices ** ***** ** ***** *****, or *********** **** *********.

Exit ****** ****** ** ****** ****** *******

***** **** ******* ** ***** ******* of ***** ******* ******* ***** **** of ********** **** ** **** (*.*., mortise ** ******* ******).

** **** ******* *** ********, ** often ***** ***** ******** ************, ******* integrating *** ****-******** ******* *******-**-**** ********* to **** ******* ********* ***** ******** hundreds *** **** *** ** *** needed **** ***** ******** *******.

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

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Special ***** ********* **** *******

*** *,*** **** ****** '*' ***********, panic ******** ** ******** ** *** regardless ** *** ****** ** ****** it *** ****.

******* ****** ********, **** ***, ******** **** ******* *** ***** serving ********, ***********, ********, *** *** Care ***********.

*** *******, **** ** (******** ********** ****) ******** ***** ******** ** **** exit ******** ** ***** ****** ** feet ** *** ******** ******* ***** for '****-*******' *****, ******* ******** **** than *** *****, **** **** *** amps, ** ******* ********/******* ***** ********** ******** ******** ***** ** **** trucks.

Ratings ***** ** ****** *********

** **** *****, ***** ******* *** available ** ******* **** ** ********** usually ******* ** ** "********* ********". The **** ********* **** ***** ********* have *** *** "********* **************" ** each ****, ***** ******** ** *** in *** ******* *****:

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***** ***** ********* ******** **** *********** like ***** ********** *****, ** ********* is *** ********* *** ****** ********** but ***** ** *** ***** ****** like ****, **********, ** **** ******.

Classification *****

*** ** ********* *************** ******* ** the************* ******** **** (***)*** ** ********* **** ************ *** exit *******:

******** *********

  • ********: ****** *
  • ********: ***** *
  • ***********: ***** *
  • ******* *** **********: ****** *
  • **********: ***** *

******** *****

  • **** ******: ****** *

* ****** *** ** ******* ** high ****** ***** ** ** *** facility ** **** ********* ***** *** allowing ********* ********* ** ****** *** area.

*** ******** ** *** ********

  • *************: ****** *
  • *******: ****** *
  • ******* *** *************: ***** * (**** Devices *** ******** ** ***** *****)

***** ***** *** *** ******** ** IBC ************, **** *** ** ******** for ***** ********** ***** ** ***.

*** ******** *********

  • ***********: ****** *

****: *********** **** ********* ***** ***** (<16 ******) ******, ******* ***** ******** (200+ ******) ********* ********* *** *********** can ******* **** ******* ** **********.

Mixed ***********

********** ***** ** ***** ****** ********* can ** ***** ***********. **** ** an ********* ******* ** **** *********, and *** ***** ************** ** ******** of * ******** *** ****** ***** critical ********* **** ******* **** ********** equipment, ****** ** *********, ********* ****** routes, ** **** ******** ************ *** occupants.

** *******, '***** ***********' *** * factor ** ****** ******* ******* ** a ****** ** ********** **** *** a **** ********* **** ****** ** egress *********** **** *** ***** *********** it, *** **** ********* **** **** be ******** ** *** *********** ****.

*** *******, ** * ******* ****** is ***** * '**** ******' **** and ** ********** ** * **** stringent '*******' ******, *** ****** ***** must ***** ** *** ******* ** a '**** ******' ************** *** *** entire *****. ** ********* *****, **** may **** ********* *** ****** ***** with **** ******* *** *** ******* even **** ********* ***** ** *** immediate ***** ** ** ******* ****.

*** **** ************ *** ***** ** a ***** ** * ******* ********* (perhaps ** '*' ****) **** ******** a ***** ***** **** ** **** room (** '*' ****). ** **** case, *** ****** ****** ***** ***** need ** ** ******** **** **** devices ********** ** **** **** ******* in ** '*' **** ** *** because ** *** '*' ***** ********* area.

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

* ******* ** ********* *** ****** is *** ****** ************** ** ******.

*********** ***** ****** **** ** *** *******, ***** over *** ***** ********* **** ******* of * **** ** **** ****** routes *** ****** ** *** ********.

***** *********, **** ***'* ************ ********** ****(***** *****, ******* ****** ***), **** showed *** ********** ** ******** ******** and ********** ****** ****** ** * structure. **** ******** ********** ******** ** the ******* ** *** **** *** modern ****/****** *****:

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****** **** *** **** ** ****** because ***** **** ****** **** *** inside,*** *********:

******* *** ***** ** *** ********** and ***** **** ******– * ****** ******** ** *** time ** ******* ******* **** ****** unauthorized ****** *** ** ****** *****– **** ** *** ******* ***** not ****** **** *** ******* ******** and ****** **** *** **** *******.

****** ********* ***** *** *** *********** for **** ******* ****** **** ***** are *** ******, ********** ********* **** escaping ** ** *********.

[****: **** *** ********** ********* ** 2016 *** ************* ********* ** ****.]

Comments (16)

Shannon Davis

IPVMU Certified | 08/30/21 08:18pm

*** **** ****** ******* *** *** the **** ********* ******* ** *** access ******* *** **** ********. *** often ********** ** *** ***** ******** and *** ***** **** ******* ** the ************ **********.

** *** ****** *** *** ****** bid * *** ** **** *** hopefully *** ** *** ** **** is ******** ****** *** **** *** possibly **** *** ** ****** *****.

Agree: 1
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Undisclosed Integrator #1

08/31/21 12:46pm

*'* ********* *******; *** ***** ** us ******* ** *** ****** ******, I **** ***** **** ** *** use *** *** *** ***** ** occupancy ** ******** ***************. * **** only **** **** **** ***** ****. I **** **** ** ***** ********* speaking *** ***** *** **** ****** big *********** **** ** ***** ** delayed ****** ********. *** **** ** far **** ********** ** ******* ****** hardware *** ******** *********** (***** **** airport ******** *******) ******** ****** **** alarm ***** *** ** ***** *** the ******** ** *********. **** *** years * **** *** ******* ******** with ********** ***** ******* ****** *****. They ******** **** *** *** *** controlling **** *** ****'* **** ** use ******* ****** ***** **** * knew *** * **** *** *** was ***** **** *** ** ***** be ****.

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Brian Rhodes

IPVMU Certified | In reply to Undisclosed Integrator #1 | 08/31/21 01:42pm

****** *** **** *******!

* **** ***** **** ** *** use *** *** *** ***** ** occupancy ** ******** ***************. * **** only **** **** **** ***** ****. I **** **** ** ***** ********* speaking *** ***** *** **** ****** big *********** **** ** ***** ** delayed ****** ********.

** ** ********* ****, *** **** code ********** (****) *** *** *** fire ********, *** *** ******* ******** codes *********. **** *** *** ********* in ***** ****, ** * ***** it ****** *** ** *** **************/*********** of ********* *****.

**** ** **** ****** ** ** used ** **** ********. ****'* ** interesting ***********.

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Undisclosed Integrator #1

In reply to Brian Rhodes | 08/31/21 05:01pm

**** *****, * ********* **** ** metro ***** *** *** *** ** almost ****** *** **** *******.

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Wanchai Siriwalothakul

Smart Entry Systems
IPVMU Certified | 09/01/21 03:18am

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Wanchai Siriwalothakul

Smart Entry Systems
IPVMU Certified | In reply to Wanchai Siriwalothakul | 09/01/21 03:35am

***** *** ** ******** ** ********** in *** ******** *******.

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**** ******** *** ****

***** ***** ** **** *** / NFPA **** ********* ***** **. *** Occupancy ****** | ****

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Brian Rhodes

IPVMU Certified | In reply to Wanchai Siriwalothakul | 09/01/21 04:01am

* ******* **** **** ** ********* is *** *** ****. *'** ******* the **** ** ** ****** ** that *****. ****** *** *** **** you ***.

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Brian Rhodes

IPVMU Certified | In reply to Wanchai Siriwalothakul | 09/01/21 04:09am

****, **** ** **** **** ********* facilities/dormitories *** '***** ***********' ******, *** generally, *** **** ********* ****** ************** prevails *** ***** *********** ** **** are ******.

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Wanchai Siriwalothakul

Smart Entry Systems
IPVMU Certified | In reply to Brian Rhodes | 09/01/21 08:21pm

*** *** ********* ** *** "***** occupancies?"

**** ********** **** * *** ****** easily ***** ***** "******** ***** ***** the ********* *** ********* ********* ** nature."

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Wanchai Siriwalothakul

Smart Entry Systems
IPVMU Certified | 09/02/21 06:55pm

******* ** *** ****** ** ****** responding ** **** ******** *******, * guess ***** ***'* * ***** *** of ****** ******* *********** ** ****.

** ********* **** **** **** *** the *******?

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John Honovich

IPVM | In reply to Wanchai Siriwalothakul | 09/02/21 06:58pm

*** ****, **** ****** ******* **** are ********** ** ***** **** ****** control, ****** **** ** ***** * niche ******* **** *** ****** *******.

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Wanchai Siriwalothakul

Smart Entry Systems
IPVMU Certified | In reply to John Honovich | 09/03/21 02:34am

* **** *** **** **** **:

***** *********** ****** **** **** ****** Control

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Undisclosed #2

IPVMU Certified | 09/05/21 01:13am

* ***** ** ******* **** *****, but ****’* ***** *** ********** ** conflict:

Special ***** ********* **** *******

*** *** **** ****** '*' ***********, panic ******** ** ******** ** *** regardless ** *** **** ****** ** can ****.

***

******** *****

  • **** ******: ****** *

* ****** *** ** ******* ** high ****** ***** ** ** *** facility ** **** ********* ***** *** allowing ********* ********* ** ****** *** area.

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Brian Rhodes

IPVMU Certified | In reply to Undisclosed #2 | 09/05/21 03:50am

**** *****, ******. * **** *** fixed - '***' ********* ** '****'. I **** ******** ** ** **** easier.

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Undisclosed End User #3

09/17/21 04:29pm

**** ****, ****** * ***** ********* the **** **** *** **** ****** will ** *** ************* ** *** the ****'* ****** ***** *** **********. My ******** **, **** * ******** under * ***** ********* **** *** an **** ** ***** ***** * will *** ******* ******** ****** ** Group * ************?

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Brian Rhodes

IPVMU Certified | In reply to Undisclosed End User #3 | 09/17/21 04:37pm

**** ** * **** ******** **** comes **** ** *** *** ** my **********.

** **** *****, *** ****** ** strict ********* **** ********* ** * mixed ***** **** ******* ** *** rooms/spaces/egress ***** *********** ********* *** *****, but ***** *** **** **** **** just '******-*****' *** ****** ******** ** needing ** ***** ** *** **** strict **************.

** ***** **** ******** ** ********-*******, the ******* **** ** ************!

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