Today is the 75th anniversary of the fire at the Cocoanut Grove nightclub in Boston - one of the tragedies that had the biggest impact on the codes that pertain to doors, hardware, and means of egress. A new documentary recounts the stories of some of the survivors, and memorializes the 492 people who lost their lives that day.
A vision light is not required in each door opening on an accessible route, but if vision lights are provided for viewing purposes in doors or sidelights, the bottom of at least one of these lights must be located no more than 43 inches above the floor...
In certain parts of the US and Canada I've heard that it's getting chilly...here's one way to deal with that pesky problem of closer fluid that thickens in the cold weather and slows down the closing speed.
If I have a pair of doors leading to a stairwell, do both leaves have to allow reentry?
Most of us know that stored materials don't belong in stairwells, including the space under the stairs. But with square footage at a premium, we are sometimes asked to "prove it"...
Well, this is one way to solve the problems with your panic hardware - NOT! Thanks to Charles Anderson for these Fixed-it Friday photos!
Does your state Board of Education publish a set of guidelines like the ones used in Illinois? I'd love to see them!
Ian Baron of Katonah Architectural Hardware sent me this link to an article in the Daily Mail, and although only a few of the fails in the article are door-related, the photos definitely left me Wordless!
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...
Michael Wallick of Kelley Brothers sent today's Fixed-it Friday photos of a DIY application he spotted at a hotel. I think this is the first time I've ever seen swing-clear hinges that appear to have been fabricated on-site...
The IBC includes 14 exemptions for areas that are not required to comply with the accessibility standards. Do you know which locations are exempt?
This is the moment I've been dreaming of...an article in the Somerset (UK) News about someone tweeting their anger regarding the placement of a table and chair in front of an egress door!
For most types of buildings, lever-handle locksets are standard equipment, but some existing buildings may be equipped with knobs. Are knobs acceptable by code in existing health care facilities?
I occasionally publish a post from a guest blogger – if you have a post you’d like to share, drop me an email. Today’s post is from David Gloriso of Allegion...
Any bets on how long this installation will last? Thank you to Eyal Bedrik of Entry Systems for this Fixed-it Friday photo...
Leo Lebovits of M&D Door & Hardware sent me these photos from a recent trip to an amusement park. Are these doors code-compliant for a building of this type? Why, or why not?
All I can say is...wow. That's a pretty nice modification to the duct to accommodate the closer arm...
While ensuring code-compliance, of course!
Our last whiteboard animation video for this year will address the 2018 model code requirements for classroom security...
Joe Prosser of LaForce, Inc., sent me a link to an article about a product called Surfaceskins, which is a "push-pad" (pulls are also available) that releases a small amount of antibacterial gel when touched...
I was recently asked to write an article for Domestic Preparedness, on behalf of several industry organizations and individuals who share concerns about the methods used to secure classroom doors...
I received this Wordless Wednesday photo from both Estefano Pilonieta and Rossen Marinov, so I'm sharing it with the rest of the iDigHardware world (originally posted on Reddit)...
This article addresses an important change to the BHMA standards for automatic doors operated by a motion sensor or control mat...
When Good Morning America starts talking about closing doors, you know this important advice will (finally!) start to reach the masses. Check out this UL test and see the amount of protection provided by the closed doors, and share it with your friends and loved ones using the Share/Save icon above...
I know...these would not be code-compliant on the egress side of a door in the means of egress, but you have to admit they're cool. Thanks to Leo Lebovits of M&D Door & Hardware for sending me the links to these Fixed-it Friday videos!
You may remember that I'm working on a series of online code classes, which will be available early in 2018. To support those classes, I am updating some of my past Decoded articles to include revisions from new editions of the codes and standards. Here is the latest information regarding alterations of fire door assemblies.
I really don't know what to say about this Wordless Wednesday photo, which was sent to me by Jim Heberlein of Block Iron & Supply Company. The good news is, the doors and hardware are being replaced!
What is required when a recessed piece of hardware is to be installed in a fire barrier?
This week is National Safe Schools Week in the US, and many organizations have resources available to help improve the safety of our schools...
I don't know if this is a fire door, but it looks like it might have some sort of access-control lock. Unfortunately, convenience often prevails over fire protection and security...
For such a simple piece of hardware, protection plates installed on fire doors have caused more than their fair share of trouble, particularly in health care facilities...
Today's Wordless Wednesday photos were sent by Austin Bammann of Central Indiana Hardware. This is NOT the way I would provide security at the entrance to a school. :(
This lockset has been installed for a couple of months. The room is labeled "Acid" on the plans, and it is in a building that houses an indoor swimming pool...
The codes and standards limit the opening force for interior, non-fire-rated, manually-operated doors to 5 pounds, hence the question...
Guess what this is for. And once you figure it out, what do you think about the potential impact on free egress?
The other day I posted a video of a webinar about the clearances around fire doors and the effects of those clearances on the performance of the assembly...
I know of several fires where the fire door protected the store from a fire in the warehouse; the doors in this photo won't be providing any protection whatsoever...
NFPA recently posted the video of a webinar that answers some questions about clearances around fire door and smoke door assemblies...
For weeks, it feels like I've been waking up to bad news. Earthquakes, floods, fires, now yet another mass shooting...
Jeff Dunham of BEA sent me today's Fixed-it Friday photos. While this fire door looks pretty good at first glance, a closer look reveals someone's creative and inexpensive method of keeping the latch retracted...
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...
This video made the rounds on social media last week. I will refrain from commenting since it is Wordless Wednesday...
A couple of years ago, someone called me during the UK's Fire Door Safety Week. I remember it clearly because not too many people call me these days...
It's Fire Door Safety Week in the UK, and although we don't have an official week dedicated to fire doors in the US, I'm going to share some of the great information from the UK...
Today's Fixed-it Friday photos are from Leo Lebovits at M&D Door & Hardware. Someone had the forethought to remove the exit sign...I wonder if this was approved by the AHJ...
By now you have likely heard about the earthquake that caused property damage, injuries, and deaths in Mexico City and the state of Puebla on Tuesday. This one followed on the heels of another earthquake about a week and a half before, near the border of Mexico and Guatemala. I am fine and we didn't feel a thing, although it shook me up a bit to receive bits and pieces of the news from friends as I was trying to do a code update via webinar.
I was so excited to see this video from the Texas State Fire Marshal's office talking about egress and fire hazards, but I noticed a little problem with one of the doors. Can you find it?
In January of this year, a bill was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Representative Ted Poe of Texas. On September 7th, the House Judiciary Committee voted to advance this bill - H.R. 620...
Security bars or grilles are common on windows in many developing countries and in other areas where security is a major concern...
This makes me wonder what incident prompted the need to control which leaf is used for entrance/egress - especially on full-glass doors...
