Locks

Best Practices for Securing Classrooms

According to industry best practices, locks on classroom doors should meet the following parameters:

• Outside levers should be lockable from inside the room without opening the door. ^{(Sandy Hook, MSD, Robb, FED, PASS)}
• Locks on classroom doors should be able to open from outside of the room with key or credential, allowing access for administration or law enforcement.^{(FED, PASS, Model Codes)}
• Classroom locking devices should comply with fire, life safety and ADA codes and requirements.^{(Sandy Hook, FED)}
• Keys or credentials should be always in the possession of teachers and staff.^{(MSD, Robb)}
• Locks should have visual indicators so occupants of the room can see the status of the door (locked or unlocked).^(PASS)

Sandy Hook Final Report of the Sandy Hook Advisory Commission, 03/2015 MSD Marjory Stoneman Douglass High School Public Safety Commission, 01/02/2019 Robb Investigative Committee on the Robb Elementary Shooting, Texas House of Representatives, Interim Report July 17, 2022 FED Final Report of the Federal Commission on School Safety, 12/18/2018, PASS Guidelines 6th Edition, 2023, Model Codes including International Building Code (IBC), 2018 and subsequent editions, International Fire Code (IFC), 2018 and subsequent editions, NFPA 101 — Life Safety Code, 2018 and subsequent editions