High-Rise Building Door Hardware Safety Checklist

In high-rise buildings, door hardware plays a critical role in life safety, fire containment, and evacuation efficiency. Unlike low-rise projects, high-rise buildings face unique challenges such as vertical evacuation, heavy fire doors, pressurized stairwells, and strict certification requirements.

Vertical Evacuation Requirements in High-Rise Buildings

During a fire or emergency, high-rise occupants rely primarily on stairwells rather than elevators. Door hardware must support fast, safe, and obstruction-free vertical evacuation.

Key Evacuation Hardware Principles

• • Doors must open easily with minimal force

• • Single-action egress is mandatory on escape routes

• • Hardware must remain operational under high heat and pressure

• • Doors must automatically self-close and latch after use

Typical Application Areas

• • Stairwell entrance doors

• • Refuge floors

• • Transfer corridors

• • Service and emergency access doors

Any hardware failure in these zones can severely delay evacuation and compromise life safety.

Fire-Rated Hardware Selection for High-Rise Projects

Fire-rated doors in high-rise buildings are designed to compartmentalize fire and smoke, buying valuable evacuation time.

Core Fire-Rated Hardware Components

• • Fire-rated mortise locks (CE EN 12209 / UL listed)

• • Fire-rated hinges (CE EN 1935 / UL)

• • Fire-rated door closers (CE EN 1154 / UL)

• • UL-listed panic exit devices where required ( CE EN1125 / UL 10C / UL305)

• • Fire-rated door handle (BS EN 1906)

• • Fire-rated lock cylinder (BS EN 1303)

Fire Rating Duration

Depending on building codes, high-rise fire doors may require:

• • 60 minutes

• • 90 minutes

• • 120–180 minutes

D&D Fire Rated Door Hardware:  Click to Certification

CE Door Hardware:

✔️ Door Hinge-BS EN1935 200,000 cycles test, EN1634 Fire Rated 192mins/260mins, EN1670 Corrosion Resistance 240 hours.
✔️ Concealed Hinge-BS EN1935 200,000 cycles test, EN1634 Fire Rated 132mins, EN1670 Corrosion Resistance 48 hours.
✔️ Door Lock-BS EN12209 200,000 cycles test, EN1634 Fire Rated 111mins/260mins, EN1670 Corrosion Resistance 240 hours.
✔️ Door Closer-BS EN1154 500,000 cycles test, EN1634 Fire Rated 120/180mins, EN1670 Corrosion Resistance 96 hours.
✔️ Door Handle-BS EN1906 300,000 cycles test, EN1634 Fire Rated 183/260mins, EN1670 Corrosion Resistance 240 hours.
✔️ Lock Cylinder-BS EN1303 100,000 cycles test, EN1634 Fire Rated 183mins, EN1670 Corrosion Resistance 96 hours.
✔️ Panic Exit Device-BS EN1125 200,000 cycles test, EN1634 Fire Rated 132/240mins, EN1670 Corrosion Resistance 240 hours.

UL Door Hardware:

✔️ Door Hinge-UL/cUL UL 10C Fire Rated 3 Hours, File No.R38013 & ANSI/BHMA Grade1 & Grade 2

✔️ Door Lock-UL 10C Fire Rated 3 Hours,File No.R40901

✔️ Door Closer-UL 10C Fire Rated 3 Hours, File No.R40717

✔️ Fire Exit Hardware- UL 10C Fire Rated 3 Hours, File No.R40486

✔️ Panic Hardware-UL305, File No.SA45817

All components must be tested as a complete door assembly. Mixing certified and non-certified hardware may invalidate the fire rating.

Heavy-Duty Hinges for Heavy Fire Doors

High-rise fire doors are often thicker, wider, and heavier than standard doors, requiring reinforced hinge solutions.

Recommended Hinge Specifications

• • ANSI Grade 1 heavy-duty hinges

• • High load-bearing capacity for steel or composite fire doors

• • Ball bearing construction for smooth operation

• • Tested for 200,000–2,500,000 cycles or more (ANSI Grade 1 2,500,000 cycles test, ANSI Grade 2 1,500,000 cycles test)

Material Recommendations

• • Stainless steel for corrosion resistance

• • Carbon steel with fire-rated coatings for structural strength

Proper hinge selection prevents door sagging, misalignment, and latch failure over time.

Door Closers for Pressurized Staircases

Pressurized stairwells are essential in high-rise fire safety systems, preventing smoke infiltration during evacuation.

Door Closer Requirements

• • Controlled closing under air pressure differences

• • Adjustable closing and latching speed

• • Reliable operation during power failure

• • Compatibility with fire alarm systems (where applicable)

Recommended Closer Types

• • Heavy-duty surface-mounted door closers

• • Concealed fire-rated door closers for architectural designs

• • Delayed action closers for accessibility compliance

All stairwell door closers must be CE EN 1154 and/or UL listed to ensure performance under fire conditions.

Certification Requirements: CE and UL

Certification is not optional in high-rise construction—it is a regulatory and liability requirement.

CE Certification (Europe & International Projects)

• • EN 1935 – Door hinges

• • EN 12209 – Mortise locks

• • EN 1154 – Door closers

• • EN 1125 – Panic exit devices

• • EN 1906 - Door handles

• • EN 1303 - Lock cylinders
  

UL Certification (North America & International Projects)

• • UL 10C – Fire resistance of door assemblies

• • UL 305 – Panic hardware

• • UL-listed hinges, locks, closers, fire exit hardware and accessories

Using CE and UL certified hardware ensures acceptance by inspectors, insurers, and international developers.

High-Rise Door Hardware Safety Checklist

Before project approval, confirm that:

• • All escape route doors have fire-rated, self-closing hardware

• • Hinges are heavy-duty and cycle-tested

• • Stairwell doors function properly under pressurizat

Click here for additional details on fire rated door hardware.

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Contact information for David Jian

Contact number: 0086-139 2903 7292

Email address: sales@danddhardware.com

High-Rise Building Door Hardware

Door Hardware for High-Rise Building

Door Hardware Safety Checklist