Time-Sensitive Opportunities!
There are 3 educational opportunities coming up, but you have to act fast! An on-demand video of a fire door test - 1 week only! Access Control Training begins Thursday! The next online Decoded course begins tomorrow!
Beautiful Doors of Baltimore
Here are some photos from last week's trip to CONSTRUCT in Baltimore...I'm headed to Phoenix & Scottsdale soon, so let me know if there are doors there that I should share!
FF: Bondo Hides All Sins (not)
All I can say about these photos of a field-prepped electric strike is...this is why we specify all of the hardware, including access-control hardware, in the hardware specification. Field preps do happen on occasion, but not all installers are created equal...
Assembly Doors with Mag-Locks
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...
WW: Fly Trap
What can I say? Thank you to Gary Huizen of Huizen's Locksmith Service for posting this Wordless Wednesday photo on the iDigHardware Facebook page!
Fatal Apartment Fire – Chicago, Illinois
According to news reports, it sounds like an open door or possibly two open doors, along with an illegally locked second exit and insufficient smoke detectors may have contributed to the deaths of 4 children in Chicago's Roseland neighborhood...
Decoded Quick-Tips: Fire Door Assemblies
In preparation for an upcoming class for access control professionals, I'm putting together some printable summaries of code tips on security-related topics. The first sheet I'm working on addresses requirements specific to fire door assemblies that would be important to an access control integrator or security consultant...
FF: My Door Won’t Close
Thank you to Tim Meegan of Doors Incorporated for today's Fixed-it Friday photo! It's a classic! In case anyone is wondering, this article talks about the mounting guidelines for auto operator actuators!
Stairwell Reentry – Revisited
Something recently caught me by surprise and I feel like I should bring it to light so that anyone who is specifying, supplying, or installing electrified hardware on stairwell doors would be aware of the potential issue...
WW: Hot Mess
I'm working on a blog post - hopefully for tomorrow, about a code problem involving stairwell reentry requirements. And it's not good news. But for today, from Edward Marchakitus of Cornell Storefront Systems, the emergency exit on a retail store. You'll be happy to know that this is the "before" photo:
WWYD? School Security
In addition to providing support and training on door-related code requirements, my job also includes participating in code development - helping to propose changes to the codes that affect our business, and reviewing proposals from others. There is currently research underway that may propose to add school security requirements to a national code...
FF: Magnetic Holder Bracket
For the record, this is not a code-compliant way of providing an extension for a magnetic holder...
Decoded Online Training
In a few weeks I will be teaching my Decoded online course again, this time on behalf of the Center for Campus Fire Safety. The Decoded course is a 4-class series on code requirements applicable to doors and hardware, and is based on the following codes and standards...
WW: Obstructed Egress
An architect's office can't claim that they didn't understand the requirements for an unobstructed means of egress, right?
Doors in the News
Keith Brooks, Head of Prevention and Protection at Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service said: “This case is a perfect example of how important fire doors are when a fire breaks out both in the home and the workplace. They play a critical element in saving lives and property and should never be propped open..."
Gasketing on Stair Doors
If you read this paragraph in a vacuum, it seems like all fire doors have to limit the air infiltration to this level (in most cases this would require gasketing), but this paragraph falls under section 716.5.3 - Door assemblies in corridors and smoke barriers. There are two sections following 716.5.3 that apply to other types of fire doors...
FF: 5 Operations to Exit
Eric Rieckers of Yadon Construction Specialties sent me this classic Fixed-it Friday photo of a door gone wrong. Security must not be enhanced at the expense of life safety, and doors in a means of egress must be unlatched with one operation. Several of these locks are also mounted outside of the allowable range for operable hardware.
WW: Special Closer Mounting
These photos were taken by Todd Borsch from Allegion. This is not a special template authorized by LCN!
Back-2-Basics: Handing 101
I have been asked about door handing SO MANY TIMES over the years...hopefully with your help we can address the questions once and for all. Leave me a comment if I forgot anything!
School Shootings – A Closer Look at the Statistics
Every school shooting is disturbing, but seeing a number like 74 shootings is enough to drive schools to use any methods possible to protect students and staff from the imminent threat of an intruder. As we've discussed before, many of the security devices being employed by schools are not code-compliant, and/or not a good long-term solution.
FF: Essaouira, Morocco
And now...for my last post from Morocco, some Fixed-it Friday photos from Essaouira. If you've never visited, it is a beautiful city with an old fort, a busy port, talented wood carvers, a sandy beach, fresh seafood, and the fattest cats in all of Morocco. Oh - and lots of doors that are fighting corrosion from the salt air. Enjoy!
Locked in Mazagan
This was not the first time I've been locked in. My youngest daughter locked us in a hotel room on another summer road trip, and once I got locked in the Trinity Church stairwell. Hopefully being locked in Mazagan makes #3 of 3...
WW: Fire Extinguisher Access
When the wrong lock function is installed, there are ways to rectify the situation. Today's Wordless Wednesday post is one of them...
Lock Shopping in Marrakech
This is not the first time I've shopped for locks in Marrakech (here are some photos from the last time), but today I stumbled upon two craftsmen in the haddadine (metalworkers' souk) that made THE MOST AMAZING LOCKS. I bought one of the padlocks so I was able to take lots of photos of one of the shops. Check them out!
Decoded: Fair Housing Act
A common misconception is that the Fair Housing Act applies only to federally-funded housing projects, but according to the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, “The Fair Housing Act requires all ‘covered multifamily dwellings’ designed and constructed for first occupancy after March 13, 1991 to be accessible to and usable by people with disabilities. Covered multifamily dwellings are all dwelling units in buildings containing four or more units with one or more elevators, and all ground floor units in buildings containing four or more units, without an elevator.”
FF: From Chefchaouen
As much as I love the beautiful doors of Chefchaouen, I think I love the well-loved old doors with their patches and repairs even more. Here are some of my favorites for today's Fixed-it Friday post...
Chefchaouen, Morocco
I have to get on the road early today, so I only have time to post a teeny preview...I will post more tonight!
WW: Fez Egress
In Fez, we stayed in two riads - beautiful old houses that have been converted to guesthouses. Check out the stairs...I wouldn't want to have to get out quickly. The egress rules are a little different here...
More From Fez
We spent a few hours in the Fez medina today. There are beautiful doors EVERYWHERE! Here are a few...
Dar el Menia – Fez, Morocco
It's that time of the year again, when I take a little time off and share some of the amazing doors I see in my summer travels. This is a little personal, but THIS is my bedroom door for tonight. Amazing right?
FF: Communicating Door Closers
Today's my birthday!! David Barbaree of St. Vrain Valley School District sent me this present...a special application for closers on communicating doors - two doors in one frame. Communication doors are usually found between hotel rooms and do not have door closers, but in this case the two doors are the exterior doors for a school kitchen...
WWYD? School Multi-Stall Bathrooms
A couple of weeks ago I posted about my teacher-friend Shilana, who shared with me (and y'all) a bit about her school's lockdown procedures. I asked her about several scenarios...what she would do if she and the kids were on the playground, in the gym, or in the restroom when the lockdown alarm sounded...
WW: All Points Electric
This week's Wordless Wednesday post is surveillance video of a break-in at All Points Electric in Brandon, Manitoba, Canada. For educational purposes, what type of glass breaks like this?
Wired: The App I Used to Break Into My Neighbor’s Home
Joe Prosser from LaForce, Inc., sent me a link to an article in Wired magazine, which describes the procedure for key duplication using KeyMe, a service that allows you to upload photos of keys and pick up duplicate keys from kiosks in NYC...
FF: Rod Guards
Products installed as part of a fire door assembly must be listed or labeled for that purpose. Components that are not listed or labeled must not be attached to the fire door and may void the label. In two recent cases I have seen non-listed protective guards for hardware as well as blinds installed on fire doors...
TBT: Wide Throw Hinge
These photos were sent in by Eyal Bedrik of Entry Systems Ltd., after his recent trip to the US from Israel. The photos were taken at the George Eastman House in Rochester, New York. The home was built between 1902 and 1905, and is 35,000 square feet with 50 rooms!
WW: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
If you're not an avid reader of Doors & Hardware (what??), you may not be familiar with the Real Openings column by Mark Berger of Securitech. Mark's photos ALWAYS leave me wordless. With Mark's permission, here are his photos from the July issue...
NFPA 101 on Fire Door Inspection
Last week I was asked whether the 2012 edition of NFPA 101 - The Life Safety Code requires annual fire door inspections for health care facilities. As many of you know, the Joint Commission and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) will soon be using the 2012 edition of NFPA 101 when they survey health care facilities...
Help Wanted: Emhart Templates
I know someone out there has an old Emhart template book, or knows someone who does. A facility is reusing the locks below with new hollow metal doors, and they need a template. The existing locks are working fine and accessibility is not an issue. New locks are not in the budget. Can anyone help with the templates?
Doors of Burlington, Vermont
Last month I spent a long weekend in Burlington, Vermont, and of course I came home with some door photos to share...
FF: Canadian Ingenuity
My friend Bill Elliott sent me these photos from a recent trip to Canada. The hold-open device is pretty crafty, but check out the non-slip surface on the ramp!
TBT: Golden Oldies
A few weeks ago I received an email from Peter Bernard, who recently took the position of Facilities and Operations Manager at Hildene, The Lincoln Family Home in Manchester, Vermont. His email said, "Look what I found in the basement of the mansion."...
WW: Fan Club
This is a marked exit from a dry cleaner's. The photo was posted on the Truck Floor Training page on Facebook - a group for firefighter training. It's interesting to look at this door from both perspectives...
WWYD? Classroom Vision Lite
Last weekend I was at a party and found myself across the table from an unsuspecting teacher-friend who had no idea that she was about to be grilled about the security procedures at her school...
Fatal Fire – Lowell, Massachusetts
It's too early to know whether fire doors or other passive fire protection measures played any role in the fire last week in a Lowell, Massachusetts apartment building where 7 residents were killed. Regardless, this fire underscores the value of passive fire protection, because many apartment buildings do not have active fire suppression systems - sprinklers...
FF: Disguised Doors
For those of us concerned with egress requirements, disguising the egress side of a door is a questionable method of preventing elopement, since egress doors must be readily distinguishable...
School Security in the News
The following article announces yet another "classroom security device." Despite the inventors' best intentions, I do not support methods of securing classrooms that a) inhibit free egress, b) prevent fire doors from latching, or c) can be used by unauthorized individuals...
WW: Casting Fail Follow-Up
A couple of weeks ago I posted a photo of a broken door closer casting for Wordless Wednesday, and there were a lot of questions and comments...
Decoded: Calculating the Occupant Load
Many code requirements are dependent upon the occupant load of the room or space in question. For example, the International Building Code (IBC) requires panic hardware for doors equipped with a lock or latch, which serve Assembly or Educational occupancies with an occupant load of 50 or more (the occupant load limit for NFPA 101 – The Life Safety Code is 100 or more)...