STATE BUILDING CODE INTERPRETATION NO. 95-14
 
CODE: 1992 State Regulations for Barrier-Free Facilities (as Revised 1993)
SECTION:  Section 51-20-3106 (j) 5
QUESTION:  Section 3106 (j) 5, requires that power operated doors automatically reopen when they encounter an obstacle other than the strike jam.  Neither the Uniform Building Code (U.B.C.) nor Washington State amendments define power doors.  The Washington amendments do supply definitions for automatic and power assisted doors.  Was it the intent of this section to apply to both automatic doors and power assist doors or just to apply to automatic doors?
ANSWER:  It is the intent of the code that automatic doors, that is doors that are both opened and closed by a mechanical device, must meet this requirement.
 
It is not the intent of the code to require power assisted doors, that is doors that are opened by either a mechanical device or by standard means, to meet this regulation.
SUPERSEDES: None 
REQUESTED BY:  City of Tumwater
 
THIS INTERPRETATION HAS NOT BEEN CERTIFIED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE AS MEETING THE INTENT OF THE ADA