There were a few incidents where people were crushed to death by a panicked crowd trying to flee burning buildings. With that much force behind you, there’s no

There were a few incidents where people were crushed to death by a panicked crowd trying to flee burning buildings. With that much force behind you, there’s no way to open an inward door. It’ll also generate a lot of friction between the bolt and strike plate, making a traditional doorknob hard to open. The new-style emergency exit door is designed to act like a pressure release valve— if a person is pressed up against the inside with life threatening force, the door opens automatically and lets the fleeing crowd out.