Column

Q&A: Corridor door louvers

Brad Keyes discusses corridor door louvers

By Brad Keyes / Special to Healthcare Facilities Today


Q: Is there a code that says anything about adding a vent through a door that is in the corridor of our hospital?

A: Well… you might be able to do that legally on a very few specific corridor doors (i.e. bathroom doors, toilet rooms doors, shower room doors), but no, you cannot install a louver in a typical corridor door in a hospital because section 19.3.6.3.1 of the 2012 LSC says corridor doors have to resist the passage of smoke. Therefore, a louver in a door would not resist the passage of smoke.

Now, a very few specific corridor doors do not have to resist the passage of smoke as described in section 19.3.6.3.2 (1), and you would be permitted to install a louver in those doors. 

Brad Keyes, CHSP, is the owner of KEYES Life Safety Compliance, and his expertise is in the management of the Life Safety Program, including the Environment of Care and Emergency Management programs.

 

 



August 24, 2016


Topic Area: Regulations, Codes & Standards


Recent Posts

Cooling Towers at NYC Health + Hospitals/Lincoln Test Positive for Legionella

Hospital among the positive tests at 10 cooling towers in South Bronx.


Prefabricated Wall Panels Accelerate UCF Lake Nona Medical Center Construction

Case study: StoPanel exterior wall systems helped Wal-Mark Contracting meet strict Florida wind-load requirements and complete 136 panels in just 11 days.


University of Rhode Island Adds Clinical Space

Space dedicated to training students in counseling-related programs doubles in size.


How Retail Design Principles Can Improve Healthcare Wayfinding

Healthcare facilities are adopting retail-inspired design strategies to make spaces easier to navigate and more comfortable for patients.


Flexible Design Strategies Help OhioHealth Maximize Clinical Space

Doing more with less was key to the renovated facility’s design.


 
 


FREE Newsletter Signup Form

News & Updates | Webcast Alerts
Building Technologies | & More!

 
 
 


All fields are required. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.