As we discussed in Elevator Lobby: Part 1, elevator lobby design is a consistent issue when it comes to code compliance in commercial buildings. In addition to the construction related items discussed in that blog post, means of egress design in an elevator lobby is often an issue as it comes to blending security and life safety.  

Specifically, it is frequently desired by tenants and their design teams to prevent free access to the tenant space from the elevator lobby. This poses a challenge when a tenant leases an entire floor, leaving no shared corridors. Frequently, magnetic locks connected to card access readers are installed on the elevator lobby doors. However, requiring card access to exit the elevator lobby can create issues from a life safety and egress standpoint. Simply installing a “break glass and push button” mechanism to unlock the doors does not meet code compliance. 

Under the International Building Code, a typical code-compliant means of egress for this configuration would require at least one egress door from the lobby to be equipped with delayed egress hardware. However, Massachusetts provides an exception that allows a magnetically locked door to serve as the sole means of egress from an elevator lobby. To meet this exception, the following conditions must be met:

1. The building must have a 24-hour staffed security station.
   
2. The supervised fire protection and fire alarm must interface with the access control system to unlock the door automatically upon activation of either system.  
   
3. The elevator lobby must have a telephone connected directly to the staffed security station. The phone must have a sign with 1-inch block letters located directly above the phone that states “In case of emergency, pick up telephone, you will be connected directly to security personnel.”  
   
4. In addition to the above, the building must comply with all other applicable code requirements, which may vary depending on the specific characteristics of the building.

If you have any questions related to how these requirements apply to your project, please contact us at support@jigsawlifesafety.com.