This Decoded article was published in the March issue of Door Security + Safety
.

For more than twenty years I have dedicated my time to the code requirements that apply to door openings, offering training and support as well as participating in code development.  I use iDigHardware.com as a way to make this information accessible to all.  Understanding of these requirements is crucial for anyone involved in specifying, supplying, installing, or maintaining doors, frames, and hardware.

As the theme of this issue of Door Security + Safety is talent and workforce development, this month’s column includes some of the code-related resources that I have shared on the site.  All are free and available on-demand, providing a great way to learn more about the model codes and referenced standards.

Decoded Course:  iDigHardware.com/decoded

The Decoded course is an introductory 4-class series that covers the code requirements applicable to doors and hardware.  The course is based on the following codes and standards:

• International Building Code (IBC)
• NFPA 101 – The Life Safety Code
• NFPA 80 – Standard for Fire Doors and Other Opening Protectives
• ICC A117.1 – Standard for Accessible and Usable Buildings and Facilities
• ADA Standards for Accessible Design

Each recorded class is less than one hour long, and additional resources and exercises are included.  Classes in the Decoded course cover the following subject areas:

• Class 1: Introduction to Codes, and Accessibility Requirements
• Class 2: Fire Door Assemblies
• Class 3: Life Safety and Egress
• Class 4: Codes for Electrified Hardware

ShortCodes Series:  iDigHardware.com/shortcodes

This series of short segments on various code requirements can be used as a start-to-finish education on the codes that impact door openings, or you can jump straight to the topic you want to learn more about.   The classes include videos, articles, and additional information on various code requirements, and each class is designed to take no more than 15-20 minutes to complete.

There are five modules in the ShortCodes series:

• Introduction to Codes (3 classes)
• Accessibility Requirements (12 classes)
• Fire Door Assemblies (15 classes)
• Life Safety and Egress (13 classes)
• Electrified Hardware (6 classes)

Webinars:  iDigHardware.com/webinars

For more in-depth information on a particular subject, there are recordings of my past webinars on the Webinars page of iDigHardware.  The webinars currently available include:

• Code Changes Affecting Classroom Security
• Panic Hardware – When, Where, and Why?
• Introduction to the Code Requirements for Electrified Hardware
• Decoded: Touchless Solutions for Healthy Environments
• Decoded: Delayed Egress and Controlled Egress Locking Systems
• Decoded: 2021 Model Code Update
• Crash Course in Codes

Articles:  iDigHardware.com/articles

The Decoded column first appeared in Doors & Hardware magazine in December of 2010, and it has run continuously since then.  Each article covers a topic in detail, with code references provided for additional research.  The Articles page of iDigHardware includes all of the past Decoded articles, as well as articles published in other trade journals.  There are currently more than 150 articles in total.

Allegion Code Reference Guide:  iDigHardware.com/guide

The first version of this resource was created more than 20 years ago, and has evolved into a 40-page guide that includes the door-related highlights of the codes and standards commonly used in the industry.  The most common requirements related to door openings are summarized in the guide, with paragraph numbers to help locate the full text in the adopted codes.  In addition, there are in-depth articles on code requirements for electrified hardware, fire door assembly inspections, code requirements for panic hardware, codes affecting door closers, and a classroom security fact sheet.

The guide is updated every three years when new model codes are released, with the next update due in 2024.  A PDF of the guide can be downloaded from the site, and hard copies are also available.

All of these resources can be accessed at any time, and at no charge.  Some may be used for continuing education units.  A new post is added to the site each weekday, so subscribing to email notifications is a great way to make sure that no important information is missed.  The ACE Network can be contacted for support on individual code questions, via the link in the right sidebar of iDigHardware.com.

You need to login or register to bookmark/favorite this content.