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(a) In exhibition facilities consisting of at least 500,000 square feet in area, during periods of incidental human occupancy, as defined in subsection (c) of this section, external exit doors may be secured by an electronic locking system equipped with approved automatic releasing devices that shall unlock all such exit doors upon:
(1) The activation of an approved automatic sprinkler system installed in accordance with Section 15-16-010;
(2) The activation of any one heat detector or any two smoke detectors of an approved fire alarm system installed in accordance with Section 15-16-110; or
(3) A loss of power controlling the locking system or a locking mechanism.
(b) No electronic locking system shall be installed or operated without the prior approval of the fire commissioner. No approval shall be given until the plans for such system have been reviewed and the operation of such system tested by the fire commissioner. The fire commissioner shall determine, based on the size of the facility and configuration of available exit doors, the number and location of doors which shall not be included in the electronic locking system. The fire commissioner shall also determine the appropriate markings for such 24-hour exit doors which may include, but shall not be limited to, a flashing rotating beacon light which is automatically activated when the electronic locking mechanism is engaged and a sign indicating “Fire Exit” is posted in a highly visible space near the rotating beacon light.
(c) No electronic locking device as described in subsection (a) herein shall be engaged at any time when the exhibition facility is open to the public or when exhibition workers are present. The electronic locking device may be engaged only during permitted periods when the facility contains such number of persons as to be deemed at a level of incidental human occupancy. For the purposes of this section, “incidental human occupancy” means the occupancy of an exhibition facility of 500,000 square feet or greater in an area by a minimal number of essential personnel, and in no event more than 50 persons, including such number of special fire guards as are required pursuant to Section 15-4-640.
(d) The permitted period during which an electronic door locking system may be engaged shall begin no sooner than one hour after the facility has become incidentally occupied and shall terminate no later than one hour before the facility ceases to be incidentally occupied. The owner, operator, or person in control of such facility shall maintain daily records indicating the period during which the electronic locking device was engaged. Such records shall be subject to inspection by the fire commissioner.
(Added Coun. J. 6-12-91, p. 1642; Amend Coun. J. 5-18-16, p. 24131, § 44)