Not to be a smart a.., but have you ever been involved with, and in, a supposedly calm rush to escape from an event in a limited space, through a limited space? Even though you should have two ways out (over 50 persons) and panic hardware (hard to get those push bars working on the "in" direction), most people in an emergency situation remember to the exit from the event by the same way they came in. Proven time and time again. Swing them out and avoid a "station nightclub" pile at the door by trying to open the doors in, while everyone else is pushing out. If you need visuals to assist in your decision, just Google the "station nightclub" incident. History is a great thing, but let's not make a situation repeat liking to that incident, even though that incident had nothing to do with the direction of the door swings.
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Randy Ohler AIA
Littlestown PA
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