Ensuring Door Compliance and Safety

As highlighted in Part 1 of this blog series, the role that adequate door security plays in protecting our nation’s schools cannot be understated. Ensuring the security of door openings needs to be a top priority in creating a safe learning environment. It’s also critically important that school doors comply with building codes and safety regulations, including ADA requirements, emergency egress standards, and fire safety protocols. NextGen Security and ASSA ABLOY's door solutions help K-12 schools achieve compliance while enhancing safety. There are many boxes to check when it comes to building code and safety requirements. Our customers count on our expertise to ensure their doors are up to code and in compliance. Highlighted below are some of the key compliance considerations notes by the School Security Classroom Door checklist compiled by the National Association of State Fire Marshals.

1. The door should be lockable from inside the classroom without requiring the door to be opened.
2. Egress from the classroom through the classroom door should be without the use of a key, a tool, special knowledge, or effort.
3. For egress, unlatching the classroom door from inside the classroom should be accomplished with one motion.
4. The classroom door should be lockable and unlockable from outside the classroom.
5. Door operating hardware should be operable without tight grasping, tight pinching, or twisting of the wrist.
6. Door hardware operable parts should be located between 34 and 48 inches above the floor.
7. The bottom 10 inches of the “push” side of the door surface should be smooth.
8. If the school building does not have an automatic fire sprinkler system, the classroom door and door hardware may be required to be fire-rated and the door should be self-closing and self-latching.
9. If the door is required to be fire-rated, the door should not be modified in any way that invalidates the required fire-rating of the door and / or door hardware

In the Classroom Door Checklist, “should” is used throughout. However, based upon building codes, life safety codes, fire codes, and federal, state, and / or local laws and regulations that are applicable to a particular school, these requirements may be mandatory. We at NextGen always check, and comply with, all applicable building and fire codes, life safety codes, and laws, regulations, and other requirements. In addition, it’s very important to reinforce exterior doors. They are vulnerable points of entry for attackers and susceptible to extreme weather events. NextGen Security's reinforced exterior doors protect against threats while maintaining accessibility and functionality. Properly selected doors and hardware ensure compliance with ADA, emergency egress, and fire safety codes, providing peace of mind for administrators, staff, and students. You can entrust all your school’s door security and compliance to NextGen. Call on us to learn more.