Can the door to a kitchen be locked?
<p>I was just wondering if it is legal for a restaurant to lock the doors of a kitchen where food is being prepared. The door can be opened from the inside</p>

<p>It would seem that in case of a fire in the kitchen, the door would not open from the outside, creating a safety hazard. </p>

<p>Thanks for the info. </p>

<h2>There is a difference between emergency exits and ordinary exits</h2>
<p>Building codes (which vary by jurisdiction) require egress routes for use in an emergency. These exits are quite often different from the ones used in non emergency situations. Indeed, they are usually different exits, that is, the emergency exits are <em>only</em> used in emergencies and the normal exits are <em>not</em> emergency exits.</p>
<p>Emergency exits are <em>usually</em> one-way - they allow egress but prevent access. Think of a cinema complex - you can enter through the front door but there will be several emergency exits which are locked from the outside.</p>
<p>Providing the locked door is not blocking an egress route, it’s fine.</p>

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