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The 2010 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Standards for Accessible Design went into effect in March 2012, but there are several requirements that continue to surprise architects and specifiers...
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 recently taught an interactive code update class for an enthusiastic and competitive group of conference attendees, and I'm sharing some of the information from that session in this article, so everyone can benefit from what was covered in the presentation.
This article was published in the March 2013 issue of Construction Specifier.
This article addresses an important change to the BHMA standards for automatic doors operated by a motion sensor or control mat...
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?
How do you choose which code section to use?
The 2010 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Standards for Accessible Design went into effect in March of 2012, but there are several requirements that continue to surprise architects and specifiers as well as door and hardware suppliers. These issues can be costly to resolve if they’re discovered after the doors and hardware are on-site, so it’s important to stay current on the requirements...
This post was printed in the September 2013 issue of Doors & Hardware
This video is pretty amazing. Swallows nesting in a university parking garage could have been locked in when doors were added to convert the garage to the campus bike center. Is this an example of the swallows' intelligence, or dumb luck?...
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...
Ten years ago I wrote my very first Decoded article, and the column has run continuously since December of 2010. Who knew I'd have so much to write about??
In a recent discussion about code change proposals, there was a question about whether electromagnetic locks should be an acceptable alternative to panic hardware, on doors serving Assembly occupancies - essentially the application shown in the photos below. If approved, a door serving an assembly space, and perhaps even Educational occupancies depending on how the proposal was written, could have mag-locks released by a sensor, and no panic hardware - no latching device at all...
Misinterpretations of the model code requirements for electrified hardware continue to hit my inbox on a regular basis, BUT - I expect some help from the ICC soon. In the meantime, I hope this Decoded article will reach the people who need it - feel free to share it!
Many doors have to meet multiple sets of code requirements, for code-compliant egress, fire protection, and accessibility. There are dozens of applicable mandates that apply to door openings in a multifamily residential building; here are five to consider...
Sliding doors are being specified more frequently, and it's important to understand the applicable code requirements to ensure that the mandates for egress, fire protection, and accessibility are met. In this post I have answered some of the FAQs.
It's hard to believe that it has been 6 YEARS since I last updated this post on zombie-resistant door openings, and 9 YEARS sine I wrote the original version. With the new model codes coming out soon it's time for another update, and what better day to post it than on Halloween??
In case you haven't noticed, there is an interesting conversation happening on my post from earlier in the week about classroom barricade devices. If you have something informative to add in response to the manufacturers of these products...
This post was printed in the October 2013 issue of Doors & Hardware
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.
I'm at the NFPA School Safety Summit this week and it has been an amazing opportunity to hear from code officials, first responders, and other experts, and to break into smaller groups to discuss school safety issues and the necessary code changes. I'll definitely have more to report on this later.
This post was printed in the March 2012 issue of Doors & Hardware
Although there is a section in the I-Codes dedicated to automatic doors, this section does not address the hardware used for security and egress. Locks for automatic sliding doors are covered in other sections of the model codes.
While ensuring code-compliance, of course!
Last week, I was asked how I would handle the hardware for an animal research lab, where animals (particularly primates) may need to be prevented from eloping...
Electrified hardware causes a lot of confusion regarding the applicable code requirements, but understanding one concept would help to clear up many of the misinterpretations: Is every opening with electrified hardware considered a "special locking arrangement"?
If a low-energy operator is actuated by a motion sensor, it has to meet the requirements of A156.10 instead of A156.19, which usually means the door must have guide rails and safety sensors. What about the "wave-to-open" switches...are these considered motion sensors?
Last week someone called me with a "quick question" about a double egress pair in a hospital. The hospital wanted to install shear locks on a pair of double egress doors, to use during emergency lock-downs. Unfortunately, as some of you have figured out by now, I don't usually have a quick answer. There are actually two issues here:
I'm spending the night in Miami Beach for the International Association of Professional Security Consultants (IAPSC) conference. I had some free time this afternoon so I took a drive around looking for some doors to share with you all. Despite my hunting, almost every commercial door I saw was run-of-the-mill aluminum storefront. No custom pulls, no fancy glass, nothing ornate...I'm sure they're here somewhere, but I didn't find them.
