Exit Door Direction

[sgw1009]

An amusement venue in northern Ohio just recently opened a new restaurant facility. This is a two story building. The first floor consists of several eating areas, along with a bar, and a working kitchen (with fire hoods over the grills). The second floor consists of additional eating areas, along with two outside roof areas that are also used for eating or viewing. The exterior doors on the second floor open inwards, which I thought was a no-no. The upstairs doors provide access to a roof area at each end of the building, so it is technically not an exit from the building, just from the enclosed part of the building. But one would think that inward-opening exits would not be allowed in any part of a public building, from lessons learned decades ago. Does this make sense?

 

[LittleInch]

Does to me.

The Scandinavians take it even further and even doors on a hotel corridor ( and even public toilets(!) open out into the corridor. Make sure you walk down the middle of a corridor out there....

Human nature will seek escape to the open air if anything happens.

However if it suddenly starts raining then the reverse flow might happen.

Double acting doors?

Remember - More details = better answers
Also: If you get a response it's polite to respond to it.

 

[cdafd]

A few variables going on

Without a floor plan hard to answer question

Without occupant load for 2nd floor inside and outside areas, hard to answer question

Is there one or two ways to the 2nd floor, from inside 1st?

My guess on the door swing, is because of the 2nd floor outside areas,,,, the required exiting is back into the building

Just wondering, does not change answer, are you a customer, employee, other??

 

[sgw1009]

Regarding the floor plan, the building is two story, with three sets of stairs between the first and second floors, plus an elevator. The center half of the building is two stories, while the northern and southern quarters are exterior (being just the roof of the first floor). In other words, it is possible to go from the second floor of the building out onto the roof of the first floor of the building - this describing the northern and southern quarters of the building. The exit doors in question are those on the second floor going out onto the roof areas. All of the building, including the roof areas, is open to the general public, with the exception of the kitchen area, which is in the center of the first floor.

While it is possible to escape a second-story hazard by going down the stairs to the first floor, it is also possible that a hazard (a large hazard) on the first floor could keep people from escaping that way, or if bad enough, from escaping via the other "roof" exit. Someone in that corner of the second floor would become trapped, and if enough people (10?) were in that situation, it is possible with mob effect to press against the exit door and thus preventing it from opening. And yes, escaping to the roof area is not the same as escaping the building altogether. However, I was surprised to see *any* egress point from a public building opening inward.

To answer your last question, I would be a customer (part of the general public).

 

[cdafd]

I know you cannot get one,,, put without a floor plan still hard to answer

I think the outside area was designed to exit back into the building, thus doors swing in.

Hopefully this place had plan review and was inspected????

You can talk to the local Building Official, and that person should be able to answer your questions

 

[cdafd]

You can also post your question here,,, to see what replies you get

https://www.thebuildingcodeforum.com/forum/forums/commercial-building-codes.17/