This was not the first (nor the last) time that I have seen a conflict between a chute door and a swinging fire door that provides a convenient way to hold the doors open. This has now been addressed in the International Building Code (IBC).
Last week while I was on a short spring break trip with the kids, I was perusing the IBC, and I found a change that I forgot to write about; the change is related to escape rooms. The 2021 IBC now includes three options for egress from these rooms.
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!
The 2022 edition of NFPA 80 includes some important changes related to the size and attachment methods for signage on fire doors. Can you spot what's new in the updated standard?
This post is going to require some patience and focus, but it will be worth the effort if you have ever run into misinterpretations about the code requirements for access control hardware that allows free egress at all times.
When inspecting a fire door assembly, how do you measure the clearance at the bottom of the door when the clearance varies between the push side and the pull side?
Given that NFPA 3000 is a standard for preparation and response to an active shooting, how does that affect the door and hardware industry?
The increased enforcement of the inspection requirements for fire door assemblies has brought some pretty intense scrutiny upon the various components. In some cases we're finding that NFPA 80 and the model codes don't currently address the fine details of how these assemblies are tested and constructed.
This is our big chance to propose some changes to the IBC, to help make it easier to interpret, and to address new developments in products or technologies, or new safety issues that have arisen...
The questions about stairwell reentry never seem to end. I think it's time to work on some code development proposals to add some clarity...
Let's not look back on this moment in history and think, "If only we had done something..."
When a proposal was made to add a reference in Chapter 7 to the exceptions for 2 operations, the Technical Committee on Means of Egress almost unanimously opposed this change...
On further thought, I realized I really don't know much about the countless codes and regulations that govern construction...
I've had several situations where an AHJ interpreted the term "bolt lock," used in the International Building Code (IBC), to mean a deadbolt...
"When I'm installing a fire-rated frame into an existing opening using existing wall anchors, how much space can I have around the frame, and what is permissible to use to seal that gap?"
The classroom security change that will be included in the 2018 IFC is consistent with the IBC, and early adoption of this language would go a long way toward maintaining life safety and creating a uniform set of requirements across the United States.
I read an article this morning about a 3-year-old boy who eloped from his preschool in Bangor, Maine. The teacher saw him go through the exterior door...
Every so often, I'm asked whether a double-acting door can be used in a location where egress is required in both directions. A double-acting door is one that swings in and out...
According to the IBC Commentary, the purpose of this requirement is to prevent people from locking themselves in the toilet room to create a safe haven for illicit activities...
Here's a question for all of the distributors, fire door inspectors, AHJs, CDCs, and anyone else out there who has an opinion. When you're calculating the "prefit" door widths for a double-egress pair...
Two paragraphs were added in the 2013 edition of NFPA 80 to address continuous hinges used on fire doors. I've seen these sections many times and never noticed a potential problem, until it came up twice in the last couple of weeks...
This question landed on my desk recently...What is the minimum clear opening width for each leaf of a double-egress pair?
I know that much of the US is beyond swimming pool season, but this question just came up again so I'll leave it right here for you to find when you need it...
A question hit my inbox a few weeks ago that I had never considered before: Does a door with spring hinges require the same maneuvering clearance as a door with a door closer?
I was asked this question last week - when testing a swinging fire door to determine whether it closes and latches, what degree of opening is used? Do you open the door fully? Does the door have to close and latch from any position?
Two of our specwriters recently asked me about elevator machine rooms (which would fit the description of "rooms not normally occupied by humans"), because they had specified manual flush bolts on elevator machine rooms, and had been told that automatic flush bolts are required...
Is rescue hardware allowed on a corridor door in a hospital or nursing home? Is the door able to provide an effective barrier to limit the passage of smoke without the frame stop?
Recently a question from a code official landed in my inbox - "Can an electric strike on a fire door be operated by a motion sensor?" For example, if a door was often used by people carrying boxes or other large items, could a sensor release the strike so the building occupants could just push on the door rather than turning the lever to exit?
I'm sure you've seen panic hardware with some sort of guard or protection above, below, or around the panic. Should the codes define a certain area of free space around the panic hardware, ensuring that the actuating portion is obvious and readily available to someone using the exit? How much clear space is needed?
Something recently caught me by surprise and I feel like I should bring it to light so that anyone who is specifying, supplying, or installing electrified hardware on stairwell doors would be aware of the potential issue...
