A request-to-exit sensor tells an access-control system that a person is leaving through a controlled opening. If detection is late or unreliable, the door may remain locked, generate a forced-door alarm or create an unsafe egress condition. Testing should cover the sensor, controller logic, lock and door-position contact as one sequence.
Confirm the intended egress design
Identify whether the opening uses a motion sensor, push button, touch bar, lock hardware signal or a combination. The approved life-safety design and local requirements determine which device releases the lock and which signal only suppresses an alarm.
Document the detection area and expected approach paths. A sensor aimed too broadly may unlock the door when people merely pass nearby. A narrow field can miss someone approaching from the side or using a mobility aid.
Test timing and state correlation
Approach the door at different speeds and angles. Record when the request signal appears, when the lock releases and when the door-position contact changes. The release must occur early enough for normal egress without leaving an unnecessarily long unlocked interval.
Verify that a valid request suppresses the forced-door alarm only for the intended door and time window. The system should still generate a held-open condition if the opening remains unsecured beyond the approved delay.
Exercise failure conditions
Disconnect or obstruct the sensor using an approved test method and confirm whether the fault becomes visible. Test controller communications loss, power transfer and fire-alarm interface behavior. The expected fail-safe or fail-secure state must match the approved design rather than an installer’s assumption.
Check tailgating and repeated passage. One request may allow several people to exit, but it should not mask a later unauthorized opening after the timer expires. Review audit logs to confirm that request, release, door opening and restoration are recorded in a useful order.
Maintain a controlled baseline
Record sensor model, location, detection field, delay values, lock behavior and test results. Repeat after ceiling work, furniture changes, door-hardware replacement or nuisance-alarm complaints. Seemingly minor environmental changes can alter motion detection.
Request-to-exit assurance supports the wider Access Control & Identity program. A passing test proves more than sensor activation: it shows that safe egress, alarm classification, evidence logging and physical relatching remain coordinated.
Review event data after commissioning
Track forced-door alarms, egress requests and held-open events by opening. A rise in forced alarms may indicate sensor misalignment, a changed approach path or controller timing rather than intentional misuse. Use the event sequence to decide whether hardware, configuration or user behavior needs correction.
Keep approved timing values and test evidence with the door record. Temporary overrides should have an owner and expiry time. Periodic testing should include the normal exit path and a controlled failure scenario so the site can demonstrate both safe release and accurate alarm classification.
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