Assembly areas:
Students learn and gather in the gymnasium, auditorium, cafeteria and other large spaces, making them an extension of the classroom. These areas should be able to quickly lockdown, just like traditional classrooms. These doors are also very important to consider because of the potential for many building occupants to be gathered there, which means they must also meet fire code.
Featured products for assembly areas:
Steelcraft’s patented Paladin™ PW Glass Light Series tornado doors are the first fire rated, tornado doors on the market. They’re the perfect solution when utilizing a large assembly area as a storm shelter, providing the critical visibility and safety needed, while allowing natural light to enter the room.
Exit devices are required on any space that can hold more than 50 people. Von Duprin offers products to fit all a variety of needs with options for reducing noise, visual indicators to show if the door is locked, and automatic lockdown.
TGP Pilkington Pyrostop® with School Guard Glass® protects against flames, smoke and heat transfer, as well as being resistant to bullets and forced entry.
Middletown High School case study
University Center at the New School case study
Zero STC2 sound control systems are perfect for use in band and choir classrooms, as well as the auditorium to control sound and reduce noise.
View Allegion’s Interactive School Solutions App (Use the in-app menu in the top right corner to select K-12)
Cross-Corridor Doors:
An additional point of security to consider is the use of cross-corridor doors. These doors allow for a section of the building to be blocked off and locked. They were originally intended to contain smoke during a fire. However, they also play an important purpose when it comes to school security.
Considerations when using cross-corridor doors to compartmentalize for security:
- The school must have a means of immediately notifying building occupants that a security breach is taking place.
- In most cases, the doors must allow free egress from the push side and can only be locked on the pull side.
- Impact-resistant glazing should be used in doors and sidelights adjacent to the door hardware, to delay access to the inside lever or touchpad through broken glass.
- Planned egress routes should lead out of the building through outer doors—preferably directing occupants away from lobbies and other congested areas.
- Periodic drills should address the use of cross-corridor doors and the planned egress routes.
- Keys or access-control credentials should be readily available to allow emergency access to secured areas.
Example Solution for Cross Corridor Doors
- Specify panic hardware that is locked on the access (pull) side, with wall-mounted electromagnetic holders.
- The doors are held open most of the time but can be released with the push of a button-typically in the main office-that cuts power to the magnetic holders.
- Depending on the system, this could also be done automatically when the alarm sounds to indicate a security breach.
- Since the access side of the hardware is already locked, the doors are automatically secure as soon as they are closed.
