In buildings in occupancy Group A having an occupant load of how many or less, the main door or doors may be equipped with key-operated locking devices from the egress side?

In occupancy Group A, which typically includes assembly areas such as theaters, auditoriums, and assembly halls, the occupant load is critical in determining safety and accessibility requirements. The provision that allows key-operated locking devices on main doors from the egress side is designed to ensure that occupants can exit the building quickly and safely in an emergency.

For an occupant load of 300 or less, the code allows the main door(s) to have these locking mechanisms, thereby not significantly hampering egress while still allowing for security when the building is unoccupied. This balance between security and safety is crucial; it enables the doors to be secured against unauthorized access while ensuring that in the event of an emergency, anyone inside can exit without delays caused by having to find a key or bypass a lock.

This regulation helps to manage lines of escape and minimizes risk during emergencies, which is why the specific occupancy threshold of 300 is set. Occupancies with a larger number of occupants would require more stringent egress provisions to ensure safe evacuation, which is why a lesser occupant load threshold is allowed to utilize such locking mechanisms.