Decoded: Doors Provided for Egress Purposes
If it looks like a door and swings like a door, building occupants (and the code official) will probably think it’s a door, and it should operate like doors are supposed to.
WW: Stay Inside
It's Wordless Wednesday and my 10th day of staying inside the house. I hope you are all safe and healthy - and code-compliant!
FF: Not. O.K.
Seriously...how does anyone justify this Fixed-it Friday "fix"? If someone tells you this was approved by the fire marshal, I wouldn't believe it.
WW: Another Restaurant Exit
Thank you to Chad Jenkins of the National Locksmith Institute for today's Wordless Wednesday photos. And yes, the restaurant was open for business.
FF: Delayed Egress Modification
You may have to zoom in and look around to see exactly what's happening in this Fixed-it Friday photo. All I have to say is...there are better ways to transfer power.
WWYD? Vestibule Pair
For aesthetic purposes, a change is being considered to the configuration of this swinging pair of doors - each leaf would be increased from 36 inches wide to 62 inches wide. WWYD?
WW: Office Exit
It's Wordless Wednesday, and I don't know which contributes more to my wordlessness...the impeded egress, or the compromised security.
Security Sales & Integration: Cracking the Code
My recent article in Security Sales & Integration addresses panic hardware from an access control perspective.
FF: Plastic Loops
The intent of the application in today's Fixed-it Friday photos is obviously to deter the use of the doors - do you think this is code-compliant? Have you ever seen any documentation on these plastic loops?
21 News Investigates: School Barricades
Remember when Ohio's state codes were changed in order to allow classroom barricade devices? Almost 5 years later, questions are being raised about safety.
WWYD? Preventing Elopement
When a child with autism or an adult with dementia is living at home, it's crucial for their family to be able to deter elopement while still providing safe egress. WWYD?
WW: Medical Office Egress
When you complain about U.S. code requirements just remember, this WW door is typical in many countries that don't have strong life safety codes or people to enforce them.
WW: ¿Baños o Salida?
Some of the life safety features that we've come to expect in the US are not so common in other countries. This makes awareness of your surroundings even more critical.
FF: Licorice Laces
I know these doors aren't actually secured with licorice, and I HOPE this building is under construction and unoccupied. Thank you to Keith Zettler for today's Fixed-it Friday photo.
WW: OSHA Fines for Blocked Emergency Exits
OSHA requires emergency exits to be kept clear, to allow workers to exit quickly in an emergency. Failure to comply can result in seriously large fines. #wordless
Museum Exit
I have to admit, it was kind of cool to have someone send in a photo of a door they had seen, when it turned out that the door was on a project that I wrote the hardware spec for!
WW: Back Door
Have you watched the Six Locked Doors documentary yet? And yes, this door has an exit sign. And a "no exit" sign. And an "emergency exit" sign. :(
WWYD? Temporary Vestibules
Are the doors on these temporary vestibules required to meet the requirements of the codes and standards? If not, why not? And if yes...why are most of them non-compliant?
Decoded: Barricade Devices and the ADA (March 2020)
My next Decoded article explains why it is important for the ADA and all adopted codes and standards to be considered when choosing security products. Let me know if I missed anything!
WW: Children’s Museum
There are so many code issues with this "exit" in a children's museum that I'm just going to remain #wordless. Could you quickly operate this door in an emergency?
Two Kitchen Fires
Fire, panic, and other emergencies can strike anywhere, any time. To offer the highest level of protection, buildings must be code-compliant everywhere, all the time.
Six Locked Doors – Watch it.
This documentary should be required viewing - not just for those of us who are involved in codes, but for anyone who enters buildings (that means everyone).
Paul Timm: How to Best Invest Your Security Dollars
The new year (and some rest over the holidays) has renewed my resolve to continue educating school districts and others about the dangers of some types of retrofit security devices...
WW: Chinese Restaurant Exit
This Chinese restaurant has 30 tables, which means that the occupant load is probably over 100 people - definitely over 50. What's wrong with this (WW) picture?
Safe Exit (video)
This video was made by Von Duprin in the 1940's...I'm very proud that I can continue to share the importance of life safety and free egress!
Peebles High School: Hero teacher had to ‘batter down’ fire escape door to rescue pupils
News reports indicate during a serious fire that occurred last month in a Scotland high school, the lockdown system prevented immediate egress.
FF: Angled Opening
Check out this opening, installed on a ramp in a restaurant. The building was originally a warehouse for a grain mill and other materials shipped by train during the mid-1800s. Can you see the "fix"?
WW: Library Egress
Today's Wordless Wednesday photo shows a non-code-compliant modification that occurred after project completion. What other examples of post-construction changes do you commonly see?
WWYD? All-Glass Sliders
Originally, these doors did not need to lock, but that has changed, and the architect is looking for a way to add code-compliant locks to the doors which have already been installed. WWYD?
NFPA Learn Something New: Cocoanut Grove
This week marks 77 years since the fire at the Cocoanut Grove Nightclub in Boston, and the fire is the topic of this month's Learn Something New video from NFPA.
Apply It: High School Music Classroom – Answers
Here are the answers to yesterday's real-world questions about the egress requirements for this high school music classroom. Read the other post first if you want to give it a try.
Apply It: High School Music Classroom
Try applying your knowledge of the International Building Code to a real-world example...can you answer these 4 questions about the egress requirements for this high school music classroom?
WW: Do Not Block
It's Wordless Wednesday again...can you believe that I've been posting WW photos every week since January of 2011?? And there's no end in sight! Keep the WW and FF photos coming!
Locksmith Ledger: Codes Matter – For the Safety of Building Occupants, AND Your Bottom Line
This article was published in the October 2019 issue of Locksmith Ledger, and includes some questions that you can use to determine whether your code knowledge is up-to-date.
FF: Camo Panic
Ahhh...that feeling you get when you overhear someone telling their coworker that they think they've spotted a code violation - and they took a photo of it!
NFPA Journal – Learn Something New: Dynamic Exit Signs
What will the future of exit signs look like? Do they need an upgrade using new technology?
WW: Rebar
It took me a second to see what was happening here, and now I'm #wordless. Thank you to Kim Murkette of Isenhour Door for the photo!
WW: Seen on Odditymall
End users MUST understand the applicable code requirements before purchasing security products, and it's our job to educate them. We can't focus solely on security at the expense of life safety.
Training Opportunity (with AIA and DHI credit)!!
If you're anywhere near Cleveland, Ohio, I just found out about a great opportunity on Thursday, November 7th for you to attend our Code Update Roundtable!
FF: Key/Tool, Special Knowledge AND Effort
It can sometimes be difficult to determine whether a particular type of hardware requires special knowledge or effort to operate since this is left up to each AHJ to interpret. Not this time...
WW: More Zip Ties
I can almost understand how trash cans get placed in front of exit doors, but the (semi-permanent) use of zip-ties is hard to take.
Doors Provided for Egress Purposes
People ask me all the time...Do ALL doors have to meet the requirements of the IBC? How do you differentiate between an egress door and a non-egress door?
Minimum Egress Width
What do you think about the width of the aisle leading to this restaurant exit - is it sufficient? And can you spot the other code issue with this door?
FF: Auditorium Exit
How quickly we forget the lessons learned in tragic events such as the fires at the Iroquois Theatre and the Cocoanut Grove Nightclub. If you see something, say something!
Live Rescue: “You can come out now.”
I know that many of us notice funky hardware applications on TV and in movies...here's one that we can actually learn a few things from.
WW: Another Retail Exit
Charles Anderson sent me the photos below, of a "secondary" exit from a retail store. I know it's Wordless Wednesday, but here's something you should know...
FF: Wordless
I'm Wordless about today's Fixed-it Friday photo. Considering that this is a retail store, I'm not even sure how/why this happened. Any theories?
WW: Extra Patient Room
During a flu epidemic in 1974, hospital staff was desperate to accommodate the patients needing treatment. Luckily, someone was watching out for the life safety of all of the hospital's occupants.
FF: Church Exit
Looking past the Fixed-it Friday "fix" and the non-code-compliant hardware, what do you think about the design of this opening? Are these exit doors easily identifiable?
Double-Cylinder Deadbolts Revisited
Can a double-cylinder deadbolt be installed on a multi-stall restroom door in an office building? Of course not! But wait...are you sure about that?