WAC 296-800-31030. Exit doors must be readily opened from the inside

Exemption: An exit door may be locked or blocked from the inside in a mental, penal, or correctional institution, if supervisory personnel are continuously on duty and a plan exists to remove employees and inmates during an emergency. You must make sure all exit doors readily open from the inside without keys, tools, or special knowledge. A device that locks only from the outside, such as a panic bar, is permitted. An exit door must be free of any device or alarm that could restrict emergency use of an exit if the device or alarm fails.