Ventura Municipal Code Art. 2 Protection, Accessible Exterior Openings

All accessible exterior openings of any building used for commercial purposes and subject to the provisions hereof and which are not otherwise protected by approved photo-electric ultrasonic or other intrusion detection devices shall be secured as provided in Sections 12.150.220 through 12.150.310.

However, exit doors serving an occupant load of more than 10 or serving hazardous rooms or areas shall be openable from the inside without the use of a key or any special knowledge or effort; and any additional locking device on such door shall be required only with the approval of the fire chief. In no case shall the installation of security devices conflict with Chapter 33 of the Uniform Building Code. (Code 1971, § 3621)

All exterior front doors of buildings or premises subject to these provisions shall comply with the following requirements:

A. Generally.

1. A single door shall be equipped with either a double cylinder deadbolt lock or with a cylinder deadbolt lock that unlocks with a key from the outside and an emergency exit locking device that unlocks with a key or sets off an alarm when opened without a key from the inside. All such bolts shall have a minimum throw of one inch.

2. On double doors the active leaf shall be equipped with the type of locks or locking devices are prescribed for single doors above and the inactive leaf shall be equipped with flush bolts at head and foot; such flush bolts shall be installed in such a way as to be concealed when the doors are closed.

B. Doors With Glass. Doors with glass panels and doors that have glass panels adjacent to the door frame shall be secured as follows:

1. The glass panel shall be covered with iron bars of at least one-half-inch round or one-inch-by-one-fourth-inch flat steel material, spaced not more than five inches apart; or

2. If the door or glass panel barrier is on the outside, it shall be secured with rounded head flush bolts on the outside.

3. If the remaining portion of a door panel exceeds eight inches by 12 inches (excluding door frame), is of wood, but not of solid core construction, or is less than one and three-eighths inches thick, such portion shall be covered on the inside with at least 16 gauge sheet steel attached with screws.

C. Wood Doors. Wood doors, not of solid core construction, or with panels therein less than one and three-eighths inches thick, shall be covered on the inside with at least 16 gauge sheet steel attached with screws.

D. Rolling Overhead Doors. Rolling overhead doors in commercial buildings that are not controlled or locked by electric power operation shall be equipped on the inside with the following protective devices in addition to an approved type padlock:

1. Manually operated doors shall be provided with slide bolts on the bottom bar.

2. Chain operated doors shall be provided with a cast iron keeper and pin for securing the hand chain.

3. Crank operated doors shall be provided with a means for securing the operating shaft.

E. Overhead, Swinging, Sliding or Garage Type Doors. A solid overhead, swinging, sliding or folding garage type door in a commercial building shall be secured with a cylinder lock, padlock or padlocked metal slide bar, bolt or cross bar on the inside when not controlled or locked by electric power operation.

F. Padlocks. Whenever a padlock is used on an exterior door of a commercial building, such padlock shall have a hardened steel shackle and a minimum of four pin tumblers.

G. Accordion Grate or Grill-Type Doors. Metal accordion grate or grill-type doors in a commercial building shall be equipped with metal guide track at top and bottom and a cylinder lock or padlock with hardened steel shackle and minimum four pin tumbler operation.

H. Outside Hinges. Outside hinges on all exterior doors shall be provided with nonremovable pins. Such hinge pins may be welded, flanged, or secured by a concealed screw.

I. Wooden Jambs. Wooden jambs shall be protected on the lock side by a metal covering of not less than 16 gauge sheet steel so as to prevent the easy chiseling of the jamb around the lock bolt. (Code 1971, § 3622)

All accessible rear, side and basement doors of any building or premises used for business purposes and subject to the provisions hereof shall comply with the provisions of subsections A to I of this section, inclusive.

A. Generally.

1. A single door shall be equipped with either a double cylinder deadbolt lock or with a cylinder deadbolt lock that unlocks with a key from the outside and an emergency exit locking device that unlocks with a key or sets off an alarm when opened without a key from the inside. All such bolts shall have a minimum throw of one inch. These doors may be equipped with a padlocked slide bolt, crossbar or padlock that is approved by the chief of police or building official.

2. On double doors the active leaf shall be equipped with the type of locks or locking devices as prescribed for single doors above and the inactive leaf shall be equipped with flush bolts at head and foot; such flush bolts shall be installed in such a way as to be concealed when the doors are closed.

B. Doors With Glass. Doors with glass panels and doors that have glass panels adjacent to the door frame shall be secured as follows:

1. The glass panel shall be covered with iron bars of at least one-half-inch round or one-inch-by-one-fourth-inch flat steel material, spaced not more than five inches apart; or

2. If the door or glass panel barrier is on the outside, it shall be secured with rounded head flush bolt on the inside.

3. If the remaining portion of a door panel exceeds eight inches by 12 inches (excluding door frame), is of wood, but not of solid core construction, or is less than one and three-eighths inches such portion shall be covered on the inside with at least 16 gauge sheet steel attached with screws.

C. Wood Doors. Wood doors, not of solid core construction, or with panels therein less than one and three-eighths inches thick, shall be covered on the inside with at least 16 gauge sheet steel attached with screws.

D. Rolling Overhead Doors. Rolling overhead doors in commercial buildings that are not controlled or locked by electric power operation shall be equipped on the inside with the following protective devices in addition to an approved type padlock:

1. Manually operated doors shall be provided with slide bolts on the bottom bar.

2. Chain operated doors shall be provided with a cast iron keeper and pin for securing the hand chain.

3. Crank operated doors shall be provided with a means for securing the operating shaft.

E. Overhead, Swinging, Sliding or Garage Type Doors. A solid overhead, swinging, sliding, or folding garage type door in a commercial building shall be secured with a cylinder lock padlock or padlocked metal slide bar, bolt or crossbar on the inside when not controlled or locked by electric power operation.

F. Padlocks. Whenever a padlock is used on an exterior door of a commercial building, such padlock shall have hardened steel shackle and a minimum of four pin tumblers.

G. Accordion Grate or Grill-Type Doors. Metal accordion grate or grill-type doors in a commercial building shall be equipped with metal guide track at top and bottom and a cylinder lock or padlock with hardened steel shackle and minimum four pin tumbler operation.

H. Outside Hinges. Outside hinges on all exterior doors shall be provided with nonremovable pins. Such hinge pins may be welded, flanged, or secured by a concealed screw.

I. Wooden Jambs. Wooden jambs shall be protected on the lock side by a metal covering of not less than 16 gauge sheet steel so as to prevent the easy chiseling of the jamb around the lock bolt. (Code 1971, § 3623)

All doors that exit onto the roof of any building or premises for business purposes and subject to the provisions hereof shall comply with the following requirements:

A. Doors With Glass. Doors with glass panels and any glass panels that are adjacent to the door frame shall be protected as follows:

1. The glass panel shall be covered with iron bars of at least one-half-inch round or one-inch-by-one-fourth-inch flat steel material, spaced not more than five inches apart; or

2. If the door or glass panel barrier is on the outside, it shall be secured with rounded head flush bolt on the outside.

3. If the remaining portion of a door panel exceeds eight inches by 12 inches (excluding door frame) and is made of wood, but not of solid core construction, or is less than one and three-eighths inches thick, such portion shall be covered on the inside with at least 16 gauge sheet steel attached with screws.

B. Wood Doors. Wood doors not of solid core construction, or with panels therein less than one and three-eighths inches thick, shall be covered on the inside with at least 16 gauge sheet steel attached with screws.

C. Locks on Roof Doors. All roof doors shall be provided with a lock that will permit the door to be opened from the inside without the use of a key or any special knowledge or effort.

D. Outside Hinges. Outside hinges on all roof doors shall be provided with nonremovable pins. Such hinge pins may be either welded, flanged or secured by a concealed screw. (Code 1971, § 3624)

The chief of police shall, with the approval of the fire chief, determine the extent of protection, if any, that will be required for accessible glass windows at the side or rear of commercial building. Glass windows shall be deemed accessible if less than 18 feet above ground. In making their determination the chief of police shall consider whether the side of the building fronts on a street, the area, location and contents thereof, and whether such openings are protected by intrusion detection devices.

A. Generally. The chief of police shall require side and rear glass windows with a pane exceeding 96 square inches in area, with its smallest dimension exceeding six inches, to be protected in the following manner:

1. Inside or outside iron bars of at least one-half-inch round or one-inch-by-one-fourth-inch flat steel material, spaced not more than five inches apart, securely fastened; or

2. If window barrier is on the outside, it shall be secured with rounded head flush bolt on the outside.

B. Openable Windows. If the side or rear window is of the type that can be opened, it shall, where applicable, be secured on the inside with either a padlocked glide bar, bolt, crossbar, or padlocked with hardened steel shackle, and minimum four pin tumbler operation.

C. Outside Hinges. Outside hinges on all side and rear glass windows shall be provided with nonremovable pins. Such hinge pins may be either welded, flanged, or secured by a concealed screw. (Code 1971, § 3625)

All exterior transoms exceeding eight inches by 12 inches on the side and rear of any building or premises used for business purposes and subject to the provisions hereof shall be protected by either of the following:

A. Iron Bars. Outside iron bars of at least one-half-inch round or one-inch-by-one-fourth-inch flat steel material, spaced not more than five inches apart; or

B. Flush Bolts. The window barrier shall be secured with rounded head flush bolts on the outside. (Code 1971, § 3626)

A. Skylights. All glass skylights on the roof of any building or premises used for business purposes and subject to the provisions hereof shall be provided with:

1. Iron bars of at least one-half-inch round or one-inch-by-one-fourth-inch flat steel material spaced not more than five inches apart under the skylight and securely fastened.

B. Hatchways. All hatchway openings on the roof of any buildings or premises used for business purposes and subject to the provisions hereof shall be secured as follows:

1. If the hatchway is of wooden material, it shall be covered on the inside with at least 16 gauge sheet steel attached with concealed screws.

2. The hatchway shall be secured from the inside with a slide bar or slide bolts. The use of crossbar or padlock is unauthorized, unless approved by the fire chief.

3. Outside hinges on all hatchway openings shall be provided with nonremovable pins. Such hinge pins may be either welded, flanged, or secured by a concealed screw.

C. Air Ducts, Vents. All air duct or air vent openings exceeding six inches by nine inches on the roof of any building or premises used for business purposes and subject to the provisions hereof shall be secured by covering such opening with either of the following:

1. Iron bars of at least one-half-inch round or one-inch-by-one-fourth-inch flat steel material, spaced no more than five inches apart and securely fastened; or

2. If the barrier is on the outside it shall be secured with rounded flush bolts on the outside. (Code 1971, § 3627)