What kind of permitting is required by the City of Houston?
The City of Houston requires that all electronic egress control (magnetic locking) devices are permitted, inspected, approved, and a permit sticker applied by the City Building Department, Planning and Development, Code Enforcement section prior to being allowed into service. That is, any electronic lock installed on any door in any commercial building must be installed in accordance with the policy provided by City. The policy is very specific relating to the integration of the door locking hardware or security equipment with the fire alarm system and general traffic flow through exit routes. Devices found without approved Field Test Permits and stickers are regarded by the Fire Marshal as an illegal exit and ordered to be immediately disconnected and disabled, until approval is obtained from the Building Department. Fines can range from $500-$2000 per violation. A copy of the IBC 2006 code with Houston Amendments can be downloaded below.
City of
Current Code Amendments: http://www.publicworks.houstontx.gov/planning/codeupdates_amend.html
Real Time Plan Check Status: http://www.pdinet.pd.houstontx.gov/cohilms/webs/Plan_LookUp.asp
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Mayor Annise D. Parker and the City of
How do I make sure that my electronic locks are compliant?
AIC Inc. can be contracted to do this for you. We will modify floor plans of your facility or lease space showing the required life safety devices in your building and submit to the City of Houston Code Enforcement Department for approval. We submit all our plans in standard AutoCAD format to plan review for permit and inspection. All originals are retained on-site, with you the customer, for future inspector visits. After we get the plans approved, we schedule an inspection with the City. The City inspector will want to confirm that all the electronic door locks release upon activation of the fire alarm system. We provide this service for you and include the cost in all our proposals when it is required.
Is there a quick way to tell if a doorway which has a cardreader and magnetic door lock has been inspected?
The City lock inspector will install a conspicuous sticker with the City emblem and a number on it which signifies that the door has passed the inspection. The sticker would be placed somewhere inside the door frame. This is a quick method for a City inspector or Fire Marshal to identify that the door has been tested. The only way to tell for sure is to contact the building manager or tenant and inquire. Approved plans are usually left on-site at the property and presented to the Fire Marshal upon request.
If you have questions that have not been answered here, please feel free to contact us. Send inquiries to ken@aic-security.com.