In life safety terms, a locked door must balance preventing unauthorized entry with which requirement?

In life safety terms, a locked door must balance preventing unauthorized entry with which requirement?

• A. Allowing exit from inside without unlocking
• B. Being easily opened from outside
• C. Requiring keys for exit
• D. Locking automatically after hours

Answer: (A)

In life safety design, a door must stop intruders while still letting people escape quickly in an emergency. The essential balance is that occupants inside can exit without needing to unlock or perform extra steps. That’s why the best choice is the inside exit ability: people inside should be able to push the door open and leave even if they don’t have keys or special knowledge. This is often achieved with panic hardware or exit devices that open with a simple push. Doors can be secured from the outside, but the inside must remain readily operable. Options that would hinder safe egress—like being easy to open from the outside, requiring a key to exit, or locking automatically after hours without an approved egress mechanism—undermine safety.

In life safety design, a door must stop intruders while still letting people escape quickly in an emergency. The essential balance is that occupants inside can exit without needing to unlock or perform extra steps. That’s why the best choice is the inside exit ability: people inside should be able to push the door open and leave even if they don’t have keys or special knowledge.

This is often achieved with panic hardware or exit devices that open with a simple push. Doors can be secured from the outside, but the inside must remain readily operable.

Options that would hinder safe egress—like being easy to open from the outside, requiring a key to exit, or locking automatically after hours without an approved egress mechanism—undermine safety.