Lori Greene

About Lori Greene

Lori is the Manager, Codes and Resources for Allegion, and the creator of iDigHardware. With more than 35 years of experience in the door and hardware industry, in her current role she focuses exclusively on the code requirements that apply to door openings.

FF: Tea Time

FF: Tea Time

I think if I passed this Fixed-it Friday door while visiting this memory care unit my mind would have gone right to the NFPA 101 section that addresses exits disguised by murals in certain types of health care units. Maybe I wouldn't have focused on the actual artwork, but as Gail Erickson of Allegion pointed out when she sent the photo ("I wonder how many times the alarm goes off when they go to get a cup of tea?"), what is depicted in the mural could affect how well the disguise works...

By Lori Greene|2016-01-15T10:29:36-05:00January 15th, 2016|Fire Doors, Fixed-it Friday, Means of Egress|3 Comments

Intro to Codes (video)

Intro to Codes (video)

We've been working on a new series of whiteboard animation videos...here is one of my favorites!

By Lori Greene|2022-04-07T13:05:07-04:00January 14th, 2016|Accessibility, Fire Doors, Full Width, Means of Egress, Videos|12 Comments

WW: Do Not Lock

WW: Do Not Lock

I love it when non-hardwarey people send me photos of egress problems or faulty fire doors. Today's Wordless Wednesday photo is from my friend Gia Jobin, who saw this door on a university campus and recognized that there was a problem...

By Lori Greene|2016-01-12T19:08:30-05:00January 13th, 2016|Locks & Keys, Means of Egress, Wordless Wednesday|5 Comments

WWYD? Lactation Room

WWYD? Lactation Room

Yesterday someone asked me about the preferred lock function for a lactation room (aka mothers' room, lactorium), and I realized that I had not written about this before. Back when I needed a lactation room, one of my coworkers changed the passage set on my office to a privacy set...

By Lori Greene|2018-12-20T17:52:02-05:00January 12th, 2016|Electrified Hardware, WWYD?|23 Comments

Decoded: Fire-Protection-Rated vs. Fire-Resistance-Rated Assemblies

Decoded: Fire-Protection-Rated vs. Fire-Resistance-Rated Assemblies

Where can we continue to install fire-protection-rated openings (NFPA 252 or UL10C) and where do we need to install fire-resistance-rated openings (ASTM E119 or UL 263)? One clue can be found in NFPA 80. In the 2013 edition, Paragraph 6.3.3.3 states that transom frames and sidelight frames are permitted when a fire-protection rating of 3/4-hour or less is required...

By Lori Greene|2021-07-05T23:29:45-04:00January 11th, 2016|Articles, Fire Doors|9 Comments

FF: Double-L

FF: Double-L

Today's Fixed-it Friday photo was posted on the Truck Floor Training Facebook page by Brandon Stroud, a firefighter from Anderson, South Carolina. I don't know whether to laugh or cry...

By Lori Greene|2016-01-08T14:38:56-05:00January 8th, 2016|Fixed-it Friday, Means of Egress|13 Comments

Q&A: Solid Bar Gasketing

Q&A: Solid Bar Gasketing

After 7 years of posting a new piece of door & hardware information on this blog every day, it makes me very happy to receive a new question that I haven't thought about before. Last week's question was related to the solid bar gasketing designed to allow closer shoes (and other hardware) to be attached directly to the gasketing...

By Lori Greene|2016-01-07T18:16:20-05:00January 7th, 2016|Gasketing & Thresholds, Q&A|12 Comments

Good Egress – 99% Invisible

This public radio broadcast about egress and the accompanying article from 99% Invisible are both FABULOUS. Some of the old-fashioned inventions for exiting a building remind me of the "new" school safety and fire escape ideas...

By Lori Greene|2016-01-05T13:16:54-05:00January 5th, 2016|Means of Egress|1 Comment

Decoded 1 – Introduction to Codes and Accessibility

When I take time off for the holidays, I often leave a crossword puzzle or some other activity in case you decide to check in while I'm away. This time I'm posting the first of 4 Decoded classes for you to check out while things are relatively quiet...

By Lori Greene|2015-12-22T13:38:25-05:00December 22nd, 2015|Accessibility, Videos|5 Comments

SDI: Smoke Gasketing Requirements for Opening Protectives

SDI: Smoke Gasketing Requirements for Opening Protectives

Questions on smoke gasketing continue to come up, so the Steel Door Institute asked me to write about it for their quarterly newsletter. You can subscribe to their newsletter here...

By Lori Greene|2015-12-21T02:40:27-05:00December 21st, 2015|Doors & Frames, Gasketing & Thresholds, Smoke|4 Comments

FF: Break Glass

FF: Break Glass

This photo from Kristi Dietz of LaForce, Inc. (check out their blog!), is not just your everyday Fixed-it Friday photo. It is one of my favorite Fixed-it Friday photos OF ALL TIME! And no, it's not code-compliant...at least not in any jurisdiction that I know of...

By Lori Greene|2015-12-19T10:03:19-05:00December 18th, 2015|Doors Gone Wrong, Fixed-it Friday, Means of Egress|13 Comments

WW: Clearance Sale

WW: Clearance Sale

We've all seen this somewhere. Did you say something? Was the problem resolved?

By Lori Greene|2015-12-16T01:52:45-05:00December 16th, 2015|Means of Egress, Wordless Wednesday|5 Comments

School Fire in Bethel, Alaska

School Fire in Bethel, Alaska

Nobody ever thinks it will happen to them...a fire in their home, school, or workplace. But according to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), U.S. fire departments responded to an estimated annual average of 5,690 structure fires in educational properties between 2007 and 2011. I've written many times about how important it is...

By Lori Greene|2016-06-01T13:47:30-04:00December 14th, 2015|Fire Doors, News|2 Comments

Latest Update from Ohio

Latest Update from Ohio

Last Friday, the Ohio Board of Building Standards posted a 434-page business impact analysis containing all of the comments submitted with regard to the proposed code change on classroom barricade devices. My comments to the board included a comparison of the recommendations made in the July 2015 OBBS Final Report vs. the proposed code language...

By Lori Greene|2015-12-14T13:20:41-05:00December 14th, 2015|School Security|14 Comments

FF: Standard Oil

FF: Standard Oil

When Jess Dey found this closer on eBay, I was shocked to see such a beautiful potbelly closer! I've never seen a closer with decorative accents - usually architects want to hide the hardware. As it turns out, this closer from the Standard Oil Building in San Francisco was rescued from the trash heap as a standard closer...

By Lori Greene|2015-12-11T12:35:43-05:00December 11th, 2015|Beautiful Doors, Door Closers|10 Comments

NFPA Journal: What Price Security?

Every December I weed through my inbox so I can start fresh in the new year. I get A LOT of email...my inbox is currently down to only 525 emails waiting for some sort of action on my part. I just found an email that included a link to an article from NFPA Journal...

By Lori Greene|2015-12-10T08:58:16-05:00December 10th, 2015|Means of Egress, School Security|1 Comment

WW: Seek Alternate Route

WW: Seek Alternate Route

These photos were shared on the Truck Floor Training page on Facebook, and are posted here with the permission of Chris Morgani of the Fort Myers Beach Fire Department. In addition to the obvious problem, the door is welded shut. Maybe it's not a required exit, or maybe someone made an uneducated decision. We will probably never know...

By Lori Greene|2015-12-08T13:24:04-05:00December 9th, 2015|Means of Egress, Wordless Wednesday|7 Comments

Decoded: Communicating Doors Between Sleeping Rooms (February 2016)

Decoded: Communicating Doors Between Sleeping Rooms (February 2016)

A door opening between two adjoining hotel rooms is called a communicating door, and is created by installing two doors within one frame - each swinging in the opposite direction. The purpose of these doors is to allow convenience for family or friends sharing two hotel rooms, but the doors also provide security between the two rooms when occupied by separate parties...

By Lori Greene|2015-12-22T10:38:25-05:00December 7th, 2015|Articles, Fire Doors|20 Comments

Q&A – Do pairs of fire doors require astragals?

Q&A – Do pairs of fire doors require astragals?

NFPA 80 - Standard for Fire Doors & Other Opening Protectives no longer includes a prescriptive requirement for certain pairs of fire doors to have astragals. In the 1999 edition of this standard (and prior editions), an overlapping astragal was required for pairs of doors rated for more than 1 1/2 hours. In the 2007 edition, the requirement for an overlapping astragal was removed, and the use of the astragal is dependent on the manufacturer's listing procedures...

By Lori Greene|2021-07-05T16:36:32-04:00December 7th, 2015|Fire Doors, Q&A|10 Comments

FF: Black Friday

FF: Black Friday

There are many commenters who feel that while the blocks are a danger to firefighters, they're not a code issue if the building is not occupied. If the pallets are blocking required exits, I think they are a code issue, unless one of you can find something in the International Fire Code that says the means of egress requirements only apply when the building is occupied...

By Lori Greene|2015-12-04T09:58:28-05:00December 4th, 2015|Fixed-it Friday, Means of Egress|8 Comments

‘Issue Brief’ from AIA-Ohio on Classroom Barricade Devices

‘Issue Brief’ from AIA-Ohio on Classroom Barricade Devices

There is too much valuable information in this white paper for me to cut and paste small sections here - I'd recommend reading the complete document, but one paragraph did catch my eye...

By Lori Greene|2015-12-03T08:26:54-05:00December 2nd, 2015|School Security|5 Comments

WW: Panic Problem

WW: Panic Problem

Sometimes I wonder if y'all are creating these Wordless Wednesday and Fixed-it Friday photos just so you can get famous. :)

By Lori Greene|2015-12-01T22:02:07-05:00December 2nd, 2015|Doors Gone Wrong, Panic Hardware, Wordless Wednesday|22 Comments

Embarrassing 50% Failure Rate

Embarrassing 50% Failure Rate

Quite a few people sent this cartoon to me, so I obtained permission to post it here. It looks like the "normal" people are starting to figure out the secrets of the door and hardware industry. Enjoy!

By Lori Greene|2015-11-30T19:21:34-05:00December 1st, 2015|Doors & Frames, Locks & Keys|7 Comments

‘Borderline national crisis’ in fire safety, says BWF-CERTIFIRE chairman

This press release is from UK-based BWF Certifire, but the US faces the same fire door problems that are endangering building occupants every day. Kudos to BWF Certifire for raising awareness of the value of fire doors...we NEED a similar program in the US, but who is willing to take it on? Scroll down for an informative video produced by the British Woodworking Foundation...

By Lori Greene|2015-11-30T12:04:28-05:00November 30th, 2015|Fire Doors, News, Videos|3 Comments

FF: I’m Not Scared, I’m Prepared

What do you think about the idea of using a children's book, like this one from the ALICE Training Institute, to teach kids about preparing for a school shooting?

By Lori Greene|2015-11-27T10:09:24-05:00November 27th, 2015|Fixed-it Friday, School Security|3 Comments

WW: Happy Thanksgiving!

WW: Happy Thanksgiving!

I hope you all have a very happy Thanksgiving with friends and family!

By Lori Greene|2015-11-23T09:30:20-05:00November 25th, 2015|Means of Egress, Panic Hardware, Wordless Wednesday|10 Comments

Landlord Jailed for Door Failure

Landlord Jailed for Door Failure

Jay Liptrot is a Wales landlord, and ironically - a firefighter, who failed to install a fire door assembly to protect an apartment where 2 adults and 3 children died in a tragic act of arson. Although he was originally charged with manslaughter, his charge was reduced and he was convicted and sentenced to 15 months in prison...

By Lori Greene|2017-08-13T08:49:06-04:00November 24th, 2015|FDAI, Fire Doors, News|2 Comments

Partner Alliance for Safer Schools (PASS)

Partner Alliance for Safer Schools (PASS)

The Partner Alliance for Safer Schools (PASS) has released a white paper detailing their position on classroom barricade devices. This position statement provides valuable information for any jurisdiction or school district considering the use of these devices to secure classroom doors...

By Lori Greene|2019-03-07T11:48:32-05:00November 23rd, 2015|News, School Security|0 Comments

FF: Wrong Hand?

FF: Wrong Hand?

What is happening in this Fixed-it Friday photo sent to me by Daniel Cannon of Allegion? If the lever has to be turned up instead of down because it's the wrong hand, shouldn't the sign be on the other side of the door? Or...maybe someone could just make it right?

By Lori Greene|2015-11-19T22:29:59-05:00November 20th, 2015|Fixed-it Friday, Means of Egress, Panic Hardware|7 Comments

Florida Addresses Classroom Barricade Devices

Florida Addresses Classroom Barricade Devices

One of the arguments made by supporters of classroom barricade devices is that many other states have already changed their codes to allow the devices to be used. While a few states do allow the devices, the vast majority of state codes have not changed...

By Lori Greene|2015-11-19T09:41:48-05:00November 19th, 2015|School Security|4 Comments

WW: Classic on Ice

WW: Classic on Ice

Today's Wordless Wednesday photo, sent to me by Aaron Owens of Allegion, is not an unusual code violation. The location is what leaves me wordless - an NHL hockey arena...

By Lori Greene|2015-11-19T08:52:14-05:00November 17th, 2015|Means of Egress, Panic Hardware, Wordless Wednesday|16 Comments

Classroom Barricade Follow-Up

A few weeks ago I mentioned that there would be a meeting with the Ohio Board of Building Standards to discuss the proposed code language allowing classroom barricade devices. Quite a few of you left comments, and like me, most felt that the proposed language does not go far enough to keep teachers and students safe...

By Lori Greene|2016-04-26T20:05:41-04:00November 17th, 2015|News, School Security|2 Comments

FF: Inflate to Escape

I know...lots of videos this week. It's just a coincidence - not a new trend. I'll just leave this right here...

By Lori Greene|2015-11-13T15:27:01-05:00November 13th, 2015|News, School Security, Videos|9 Comments

Closed Door Follow-Up

On Tuesday I posted some news reports about the effects of a closed door during a fire. NBC-5 has released a follow-up story on the fact that national fire safety organizations have not been including the message to sleep with your bedroom door closed in their educational materials...

By Lori Greene|2015-12-16T09:59:56-05:00November 12th, 2015|Fire Doors, News, Videos|2 Comments

WW: Slippery Slope

WW: Slippery Slope

There are some AHJs who allow security measures that are not compliant for egress if they're only used "after hours." I always say that this is a slippery slope, because once the device is installed, there's no guarantee that anyone will remember that the door is supposed to be unlocked during business hours...

By Lori Greene|2015-11-11T01:26:16-05:00November 11th, 2015|Means of Egress, Wordless Wednesday|2 Comments

Close the Door

I've been talking about this for years with regard to fire doors as well as doors in a home, but it's nice to have someone from UL back me up...

By Lori Greene|2015-11-11T23:29:36-05:00November 10th, 2015|Fire Doors, News, Videos|0 Comments

Automatic-Closing Door Application

Automatic-Closing Door Application

Last week I received a really interesting question. The city of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, made a local code modification that requires certain stairwell doors to be automatic-closing. But what about security? This is the application I would use...

By Lori Greene|2017-05-31T09:37:07-04:00November 9th, 2015|Door Closers, Electrified Hardware|14 Comments

FF: Good Luck Getting Out

FF: Good Luck Getting Out

Some Fixed-it Friday photos result in mixed emotions - sadness that people resort to these methods, excitement that I have something to share with you that will make you shake your head, concern that the creative application could cause harm. Like these photos from Leo Lebovits of M&D Door & Hardware, taken at a public swimming pool...

By Lori Greene|2015-11-09T11:28:28-05:00November 6th, 2015|Doors Gone Wrong, Electrified Hardware, Fixed-it Friday, Means of Egress|14 Comments

Decoded: Code Requirements for UL 294 – Standard for Access Control System Units

Decoded: Code Requirements for UL 294 – Standard for Access Control System Units

The two common code questions that arise regarding UL 294 are - A) which electrified applications are subject to the listing requirements? and B) which components of a system are required to be listed?

By Lori Greene|2021-03-16T02:09:35-04:00November 5th, 2015|Articles, Electrified Hardware|18 Comments

WW: Double Trouble

WW: Double Trouble

These Wordless Wednesday photos are from Erich Friend of Teqniqal Systems. According to Erich, the first photo is the initial egress door out of the auditorium. If you make it past the lab table, you encounter the trash can and piano stored in front of the exit discharge. No words...

By Lori Greene|2015-11-03T14:42:15-05:00November 4th, 2015|Means of Egress, Wordless Wednesday|5 Comments

Fire Door Inspection Cards

Fire Door Inspection Cards

A few months ago I posted some images of a new educational piece on fire door inspections. When I was in Carmel last month I saw one in person, and I think they're great! They're hard laminated cards - about 4 inches wide and 12 inches long. We have some in stock...

By Lori Greene|2015-11-03T14:03:41-05:00November 3rd, 2015|FDAI, Fire Doors|23 Comments

FF: To Exit, Enter Current Year

FF: To Exit, Enter Current Year

Today's Fixed-it Friday photo was found on Imgur, so I don't know where it originated. It shows the creative use of an access control keypad to control egress. If this application was used in a memory care facility, it would be code-compliant if a delayed egress system or controlled egress system was used...

By Lori Greene|2015-10-30T12:01:36-04:00October 30th, 2015|Electrified Hardware, Fixed-it Friday, Means of Egress|10 Comments

Need CEUs? Training Alert!

Need CEUs? Training Alert!

On Thursday, November 12, my coworker (and old college friend!), Bill Lawliss, will be conducting webinars at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Eastern. Bill will cover Basic Hardware - products used to hang, secure, control, and protect the door. The webinar offers 1 CEU for AIA members and there is no charge to attend the class.

By Lori Greene|2015-10-29T13:35:33-04:00October 29th, 2015|Back-2-Basics, News|2 Comments

WW: Fire Door – Please Keep Closed

WW: Fire Door – Please Keep Closed

There are some of my favorite Wordless Wednesday photos ever. They're simple, yet complex in their irony. Found in a state office building and sent to me by John Gant from Allegion.

By Lori Greene|2015-10-27T17:27:49-04:00October 28th, 2015|Fire Doors|8 Comments

Al Jazeera America: In controversial effort to stop violence, Ohio tries school barricades

I'm working on some more information to post here, but for now I wanted to share this article from Al Jazeera America. It is the very FIRST mainstream media article I've seen that addresses some of the problems associated with the use of classroom barricade devices...

By Lori Greene|2015-10-27T17:31:30-04:00October 27th, 2015|News, School Security|6 Comments

Clear Opening Width for Double-Egress Pairs

Clear Opening Width for Double-Egress Pairs

This question landed on my desk recently...What is the minimum clear opening width for each leaf of a double-egress pair?

By Lori Greene|2021-06-14T20:38:54-04:00October 26th, 2015|Accessibility, Code Development, Means of Egress|1 Comment

FF: Airport Security

FF: Airport Security

According to the facility, the doors are no longer required as an exit, but if that's the case, why not just lock them up, add some signage ("Not an Exit"), remove the exit sign, and make it look less like a Fixed-it Friday contender?

By Lori Greene|2015-10-23T00:15:43-04:00October 23rd, 2015|Fixed-it Friday, Means of Egress|13 Comments

Update on Classroom Barricade Devices

If you're thinking that this post doesn't apply to you because you're not in Ohio, think again. Several states are becoming more proactive about this issue to try to avoid similar legislation...

By Lori Greene|2015-10-28T00:12:55-04:00October 22nd, 2015|School Security|5 Comments

WW: Tennis, Anyone?

WW: Tennis, Anyone?

This Wordless Wednesday photo kind of ties in with yesterday's pool gate post. This is NOT the way to provide access control on swimming pools, tennis courts, or any other chain link gate for that matter...

By Lori Greene|2015-10-20T23:27:34-04:00October 21st, 2015|Locks & Keys, Wordless Wednesday|5 Comments

Swimming Pool Access Control

Swimming Pool Access Control

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...

By Lori Greene|2015-10-20T12:49:21-04:00October 20th, 2015|Code Development, Electrified Hardware, Means of Egress|18 Comments

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