What is the maximum allowable pressure for a latch on an emergency egress door?

What is the maximum allowable pressure for a latch on an emergency egress door?

• A. 12 psf
• B. 15 psf
• C. 8 psf
• D. 18 psf

Answer: (B)

Doors that form part of a fire or smoke barrier are tested for how much air pressure difference they can withstand without the hardware releasing or the door failing to stay closed. The latch on an emergency egress door has a maximum allowable pressure it must resist, so the door doesn’t blow open or leak under pressure during a fire or other hazard while still allowing occupants to push it open to escape. That standard value is 15 pounds per square foot. So the latch must hold against a pressure difference up to 15 psf, balancing security during hazardous conditions with the ability to be opened by someone pushing the door in an emergency. The other numbers aren’t the recognized threshold used in this requirement.

Doors that form part of a fire or smoke barrier are tested for how much air pressure difference they can withstand without the hardware releasing or the door failing to stay closed. The latch on an emergency egress door has a maximum allowable pressure it must resist, so the door doesn’t blow open or leak under pressure during a fire or other hazard while still allowing occupants to push it open to escape. That standard value is 15 pounds per square foot. So the latch must hold against a pressure difference up to 15 psf, balancing security during hazardous conditions with the ability to be opened by someone pushing the door in an emergency. The other numbers aren’t the recognized threshold used in this requirement.