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This article is currently posted on ConstructionSpecifier.com...The question, “When is panic hardware required by code?” is one that many specifiers continue to struggle with because there isn't a simple answer to this seemingly simple question...
This article was published in the October 2013 issue of Construction Specifier and won CSI's Construction Specifier Article of the Year Award!!
Specifiers are involved during the construction process—not throughout the life of the building, but there are many ways the choices made during the specification process can affect the durability and function of fire door assemblies for years to come.
This article was originally published in the Summer 2012 issue of Life Safety Digest, a publication of the Firestop Contractors International Association (FCIA). The article has been revised slightly to reference more recent codes.
As much as I like black/white-yes/no answers, sometimes it's not that easy. This is one of those questions, and it keeps coming back. Here's the scenario...I have an exterior aluminum door serving a large Assembly occupancy, with no fire rating required. I don't need the ability to dog* the device, and I have fire exit hardware left over from a previous project. Can I install the fire exit hardware on the aluminum storefront door?
A recent fire in a Bronx apartment building is yet another reminder of the importance of code-compliant fire door assemblies and the need for enforcement of the fire door inspections mandated by current codes and standards.
I originally wrote this article in 2012(!), and when someone asked me a question about this topic yesterday, I noticed that the post needed an update. Current information from the model codes and NFPA 80 is now included.
Do all fire exit doors have fire exit hardware? Even if you already know the answer to this question, today's blog post might help you explain it to someone who disagrees.
Here's an updated version of an in-depth summary of the code requirements and selection criteria for panic hardware. Feel free to share it with anyone who needs to get back-2-basics on panic hardware and fire exit hardware.
By request, I have updated this article on smoke doors to include the requirements of the 2021 IBC. When you have a question about a smoke door, just decide which of the 5 types it is and refer to the section for that type.
There is a change coming in the 2024 IBC related to doors that are required to have panic hardware and are also equipped with electromagnetic locks. I have updated the past post on this topic to include the change.
In order for a fire door assembly to perform as designed and tested, it's critical for the door to be closed and latched if/when a fire occurs...
Where can we continue to install fire-protection-rated openings (NFPA 252 or UL10C) and where do we need to install fire-resistance-rated openings (ASTM E119 or UL 263)? One clue can be found in NFPA 80. In the 2013 edition, Paragraph 6.3.3.3 states that transom frames and sidelight frames are permitted when a fire-protection rating of 3/4-hour or less is required...
Fire door assemblies play a vital role in the protection of life safety, yet many people remain unaware of their existence. We pass through these doors every day in commercial, institutional, and multi-family residential buildings. A lack of awareness...
It has been a while (6 years!) since I have written about the code requirements that apply to panic hardware in my Decoded column, so it’s time for an update...
In preparation for an upcoming class for access control professionals, I'm putting together some printable summaries of code tips on security-related topics. The first sheet I'm working on addresses requirements specific to fire door assemblies that would be important to an access control integrator or security consultant...
What if a facility locksmith has fire exit hardware on the shelf and considers installing it on a non-fire-rated door? Or maybe a fire door is no longer needed...
Panic hardware, also known as an exit device (or fire exit hardware when used on fire doors), is designed to provide fast and easy egress to allow building occupants to exit safely in an emergency. Code publications define panic hardware as, "a door-latching assembly incorporating a device that releases the latch upon the application of a force in the direction of egress travel.” Panic hardware may also be used because of durability or ease of use, even when it is not required by code.
I receive so many questions about fire doors vs. smoke doors; my article from the June issue of Construction Specifier answers many of them.
My next Decoded article for Door Security + Safety magazine highlights the importance of fire door assembly inspections in multi-unit residential buildings. Enforcing the inspection requirements and repairing deficiencies will undoubtedly save lives.
Because of some changes made in the 2024 editions of the I-Codes, I have updated this Decoded article addressing when to use fail secure vs. fail safe electrified hardware.
John Woestman of BHMA and I worked on this article together, addressing some important changes that will be included in the 2024 IBC. It's never too early to be aware of what's coming!
Because fire door assemblies are such an important part of the passive fire protection system of a building, the model codes and referenced standards require fire doors to be closed and latched during a fire. Learn more in today's post.
Question: What's the difference between panic hardware and fire exit hardware? And what's an exit device?
NFPA 80 – Standard for Fire Doors and Other Opening Protectives, classifies openings protected by fire door assemblies in one of five categories...
There are 7 basic code categories for electrified hardware used to control access or egress, and this edition of Decoded provides a brief refresher on each as well as some recent code changes. Many of these code applications, but not all, fall into the category commonly called “special locking arrangements.”
I received a question recently about testing of fire exit hardware - when panic hardware is tested for use on fire doors, is it mounted on the fire side (facing the furnace) or the non-fire-side of the door?
This article was published in the October 2019 issue of Locksmith Ledger, and includes some questions that you can use to determine whether your code knowledge is up-to-date.
My next Decoded column addresses important code clarifications related to electrified hardware used in access control systems. I hope this article will help with more consistent interpretations of the requirements.
When panic hardware is required by code for doors serving a particular room or space, is the panic hardware required for ALL of the doors in the means of egress from that space, including corridor doors, stair doors, and finally – the exterior doors?
