Identify the problem with this door.

• A. The door is too narrow.
• B. The panic bar is mounted too high.
• C. The panic bar is mounted too low.
• D. The door is too short.

Answer: (A)

The key idea is that doors used for means of egress must provide a sufficient clear opening to allow safe and swift evacuation. If the door is too narrow, it creates a bottleneck during an emergency and can block or slow people, including someone using a wheelchair or carrying belongings. Codes generally require a minimum clear width of about 32 inches for exit doors, with some situations needing even more for accessible egress. Even if the panic hardware is installed correctly, a door that doesn’t meet this width standard won’t provide a safe or compliant exit. To fix it, the door or frame would need to be widened or replaced to meet the required clear opening, while the hardware height should still be checked separately to ensure operability.