Door exits stand as a paramount element within the realm of building design and occupant safety. In this context, innovative solutions like door.Stebilex have the potential to revolutionize the concept of door exits.  Door exit type, swing direction, illumination and signage all factor into effective emergency planning.

Exit Door Types and Swing Direction

There are a few main types of doors used for emergency building exits:

  • Swinging Door Exits: The most common, swinging doors provide a clear exit pathway when opened outward. The swing direction is critical for evacuation.
  • Sliding Door Exits: Sliding doors save space but can impede traffic flow in emergencies. They typically require backup swinging doors and safety release features.
  • Revolving Door Exits: Revolving door exits also have limited capacity. Collapsible folding doors are used alongside revolving doors to act as wide emergency exits.
  • Overhead Door Exits: Large overhead doors adequately serve as exits in warehouse and storage occupancies with just pedestrian traffic. They open fully allowing unobstructed egress.
  • Double Width Door Exits: Used in high-density occupancies, double width doors effectively double exit capacity. Paired doors with removable center posts work well.
  • Security Door Exits: Security doors like those with crash bars balance easy emergency exiting with controlled access and security. Authorized entry still requires badge or code access.
  • Illuminated Exit Signage: Illuminated exit signs clearly direct occupants to egress routes in low visibility emergency conditions caused by smoke or power failures.
  • Passive Lit Signs: Self-luminous tritium or phosphorescent signs passively glow without external power, providing basic path illumination.

    Electrically Lit Signs. Electrically powered LED or incandescent signs are brighter and more visible. They must have backup batteries in case of power loss.
  • Directional Exit Signs: Besides door exit signs, additional overhead signs guide occupants along exit routes through corridors to stay on the exit path.
  • Emergency Lighting: Along with signs, emergency lighting illuminates exit doors and egress paths. This allows safe evacuation in darkness or smoke-filled spaces.
  • Backup Battery Packs: Dedicated battery packs automatically power emergency lights during power outages. They must have sufficient duration, such as 90 minutes.
  • Supplementary Lighting: Additional lighting like wall-mounted photoluminescent strips provide supplemental low-level illumination along egress routes.Properly installed illuminated exit signs, emergency lighting and easy-to-access door exits optimized for traffic flow are critical life safety measures. This infrastructure allows rapid evacuation and saves lives in building emergencies.

    The Vital Role of Door Exits in Building Safety and Egress

    Exit door exits play an extremely important role in allowing rapid evacuation from buildings in the event of an emergency, and innovative solutions such as Stebilex  can further enhance the safety measures in place. 

Key Factors in Exit Door Design

Several key factors go into designing exit doors for safe emergency egress:

Door swing direction - Outward swinging doors facilitate evacuation. Inward opening doors can be pushed closed by crowds.

Door width - Doors must have adequate width for occupant capacity. High density spaces require double width doors.

Door hardware - Panic bars allow doors to open readily from the inside only. Locked doors must electronically release.

Door placement - Exits spaced at appropriate distances prevent bottlenecks. Adequate numbers are vital.

Backup doors - Main exits need secondary doors in case primary doors are blocked.

Specialized doors - Folding doors, sliding doors, and revolving doors may serve as exits if designed properly.

Removable impediments - Any barriers like removable stanchions must not obstruct exits when in use.

Exit Door Types for Different Occupancies

The optimal exit door styles differ based on building usage:

Office buildings - Swinging doors with panic bars allow quick controlled exit without permitting re-entry.

Schools - Locked double width doors provide security yet allow rapid evacuation capability as needed.

Theaters/arenas - Multiple wider exits dispersed throughout facilities prevent congestion when crowds exit simultaneously.

Warehouses - Large overhead doors allow forklift access and serve as accessible exits. Secondary swing doors also advised.

Healthcare - Sensor activated sliding doors enable easy access yet maintain climate control when not in emergency use.

Visibility of Egress Routes


Clearly delineated exit paths using illuminated signs ensure safe wayfinding when visibility is compromised by smoke or darkness:


Exit signs - Bright signs clearly identify exit doors even in dusty/smoky conditions. Arrows point to exit routes.

Emergency lighting - Battery-backed lights illuminate pathways to exits. Glow-in-the-dark strips also help demarcate egress route.

Reflective signage/markings - Highly reflective materials adhere to walls and doors to reflect ambient light on paths.

Maps and diagrams - Evacuation maps near exits provide emergency wayfinding assistance for occupants.


Proper exit door infrastructure combined with clear egress path visibility provides time-critical evacuation capability that saves lives in building emergencies. Following fire code requirements can significantly enhance building safety.

FAQS

1. How many exit doors should a large conference room have?

At least two exit doors located as far apart as possible are recommended for large conference rooms and assembly spaces. This prevents bottlenecking in an emergency evacuation.

2. What are fire doors designed for?

Fire doors are reinforced heavy doors designed to contain fire and smoke. They prevent flames and smoke from spreading to other areas, protecting egress paths.

3. Should exit doors swing in or out?

Exit doors should always swing outward, in the direction of egress. Outward swinging doors allow rapid evacuation and prevent occupants from being pushed against doors.

4. How wide should exit doors be?

Exit door width should be at least 32 inches wide to accommodate wheelchairs. For high capacity assembly areas, paired 36-48 inch wide doors are recommended.

5. Should emergency exit doors have locks?

Exit doors will likely need locks for security, but the locks must electronically release in emergencies to prevent trapped occupants.

6. What are exit discharges?

Exit discharges are the exterior exit points that lead occupants completely away from the building after evacuation. Proper design prevents discharges from accumulating people.

7. What constitutes a fire hazard obstructing an exit?

Blocking exits with furniture, storage, locked gates, or temporary structures creates hazards impeding evacuation and should not be permitted.

8. How are stairwell exit doors different than floor exit doors?

Stairwell exit doors need to be re-entry proof, only opening from the stairwell side so occupants can descend safely. 

9. How often should exit signs be tested?

Exit signs should be tested monthly to verify batteries and bulbs are functional. Damaged or expired illuminated signs should be replaced immediately.

10. What are photoluminescent exit path markings?

Photoluminescent markings are strips containing luminescent material that passively glows in darkness for several hours, providing low-level lighting along paths.