Today’s Fixed-it Friday photos show a fire door with fire exit hardware in a church. Because fire exit hardware is not allowed to have mechanical dogging, it looks like someone took matters into their own hands. The nail (which has also been glued in place) holds the touchpad in the depressed position, which keeps the latch retracted and the door unlocked. This means that the door will not latch as required by NFPA 80 for swinging fire door assemblies. Why does convenience so often win out over safety??
Thank you to Amy Farquhar of Twin City Hardware for sending the photos!
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The public has simply never been told that door hardware is important. Doors are viewed as security, a nuisance, expensive, and that’s all.
I have never talked to any lay person about this who has not been astonished that I believe these things are important… that by simply failing to finish and test my work, I could kill people I never meet.
Convenience always wins because most people– even many locksmiths, sad to say– don’t even realize they’re making a choice.
That’s a great point, Rick. I wonder if the education surrounding closed bedroom doors as fire protection and locked classroom doors for security will help give doors and hardware some good publicity!
– Lori
I don’t think “close before you doze” translates to anything beyond that with the lay person. Most people don’t spend time thinking about things like doors/hardware. Why would they. Just as there are codes and regulations for other industries that we know little or nothing about. Unfortunately, almost everyone uses doors on a regular basis. As Rick mentioned, most people have no idea there is so much detail involved in our industry. Doors only serve the purpose of securing a room or keeping the elements out.
That’s ok, just make sure everyone has a #2 Phillips screw driver on them, it’s quicker with a cordless driver though…Kidding, I live for these “Fixed-It-Fridays”. Merry Christmas Lori!
Since fire exit hardware is not allowed to be dogged down, why does it sometimes comes with the capability to do or would that be just for panic hardware only. It’s hard for me to tell by the picture but the hardware does appear to listed as fire exit hardware. There are many devices that allow one to disengage the hardware so that it won’t latch. It would also be a huge security issue regardless of ratings.
Hi Donnie –
Fire exit hardware should never arrive on-site with mechanical dogging capability – BUT some fire exit hardware has the hole for the dogging wrench even though there is no dogging mechanism inside. Usually, that hole has a plastic cap. Fire exit hardware can be electrically dogged, if it releases automatically when there is a fire.
– Lori
Lori, convenience wins because it is an every day matter, and it happens with each use of the door, while fire is not. That’s the psychology behind it, sadly to say.
Once again ,I cannot believe the number of people that will fix it Wrong … rather than Right … oh yea it all comes down to the bottom line ..
Know why its called the “Bottom Line” … because your lining the bottom of a grave when you mess up …
I think Rick Hendricks hit the nail (or screw in this case) on the head. People simply don’t know any different, not even locksmiths. Even my husband and I argue about things because he doesn’t fully understand the code implications or specialized requirements of certain hardware (nor does he understand the concept of a lock only keeps honest people out).