Fire Door Vision Panel Regulations
Before the 2012 ibc the code provided for an exception that allowed fire protective glazing such as ceramics and wired glass to exceed 100 sq.
Fire door vision panel regulations. A vision panel is a small window in a door which allows people to look through without opening the door. Eg in the door to an inner room so the occupant s can see if there are signs of fire in the outer room. Vision panels are sometimes in walls generally adjacent to a door. Building regs approved document b requires vision panels in doors so that you can see if there are signs of fire on the other side.
Glass sizes and core regulations when working with fd60 and 44m doors. Regulations for maximum vision panel sizing on fire doors. Inches in door vision panels in 60 90 minute exit enclosure and passageway doors provided that building was fully sprinklered. Code change clarifies glazing panel size in 60 90 minute exit enclosure exist passageway doors.
For reasons of security door leaves and side panels wider than 450mm have vision panels towards the leading edge of the door whose vertical dimensions include at least the minimum zone or zones of visibility between 500mm and 1500mm from the floor if necessary interrupted. Vision panels exceeding 100 square inches in 60 and 90 minute doors require fire resistive glazing. Glass sizes and core regulations when working with fd30 and 44m doors. Subject to door size.
A vision panel is something you can see through. Glazed vision panels are often used within door leaves to let light into a room for aesthetic reasons or for safety i e. The vision panel may be a single panel or may be interrupted between 800mm and 1150mm to accommodate a horizontal mid rail if necessary. Ada section 404 2 11 requires that at least one of the vision panels in a door and sidelites adjacent to a door be no more than 43 inches 1090 mm above the floor line to provide visibility and safe access for all.
Vision panels are needed where doors on escape routes sub divide corridors or where any doors are hung to swing both ways. If it is covered then it is no longer a vision panel. Unless it can be argued otherwise in the access statement e g. Standard vision panels not available in fd90 fd120.
Note also the provision in approved document m access to and use of buildings concerning vision panels in doors across accessible corridors.