WW: Wild West Fire Exit
The exit sign over the door was washed out by the flash, but it is there and it is illuminated as required. I wonder if this door would/could actually be used in an emergency...
Decoded: Balconies, Terraces, and Courtyards (October 2016)
Many of today’s architectural designs incorporate outdoor spaces such as balconies, terraces, and courtyards, allowing building occupants access to natural light and fresh air. How do the model codes handle these areas?
Construction Specifier: Battling the Barricade
In the wake of any tragedy, society struggles collectively to process the loss. For some it is the loss of friends and loved ones, but for most it is our feelings of safety and trust in the overall goodness of our fellow man that are diminished or seemingly lost entirely. In their place, we are filled with an overwhelming desire to do something...
Controlled Egress vs. Delayed Egress (video)
For health care facilities, controlled egress can provide a greater level of safety for patients who require containment because of their clinical needs. This video explains the requirements for controlled egress and delayed egress...
FF: Two Bars Are Better Than One?
A while back, I posted some photos of a door that had panic hardware along with several stationary push bars. Although the model codes don't specifically address this application, I don't think it's acceptable...
Fail Secure vs. Fail Safe (video)
When working with electrified hardware it's very important to understand the difference between fail secure and fail safe products. I hope this video helps!
Stairwell Reentry (video)
I've received a lot of questions about stairwell reentry lately, so I think it's time for me to address that topic in another article for Doors & Hardware. In the meantime, here's a new whiteboard animation video about stairwell reentry!
WW: High School Gym Exit
These were taken DURING a high school basketball game. Thank you to John Borchmann of Allied Building Products for this week's Wordless Wednesday photos.
Horizontal Sliding Door
Charles Anderson sent me this photo of a horizontal sliding door he found on a marked exit in an antique store. So...is it code-compliant?
BUILDINGS BUZZ – Voices from the Industry
I currently have an article on BUILDINGS BUZZ…the blog for BUILDINGS, a magazine for commercial building owners and facilities management professionals. The article covers some of the code changes...
WW: Benched
It's Wordless Wednesday again, and there are 3 days left in the iDigHardware celebration and $100 gift card giveaway!
WW: Warehouse Exit
It's a good thing it's Wordless Wednesday, because I'm running out of words. Thank you to RB Sontag of Allegion for the photos.
Elopement from Schools
I read an article this morning about a 3-year-old boy who eloped from his preschool in Bangor, Maine. The teacher saw him go through the exterior door...
WWYD? Multiple Delayed Egress Locks
There is some confusion surrounding the use of multiple delayed egress locks in a means of egress – in part because of variations between the codes...
WW: Double Egress?
This Wordless Wednesday photo from Scott Straton of Allegion shows not just an exit that requires two operations to release the latch...the operations must be performed simultaneously! NOOOO!!!
Double-Acting Doors
Every so often, I'm asked whether a double-acting door can be used in a location where egress is required in both directions. A double-acting door is one that swings in and out...
FF: Sensor Release
Sometimes a system incorporating a sensor can be problematic, because traffic moving past the door can inadvertently unlock the mag-lock...
Classroom Locking Device – One Motion Egress
We have been asked to share our expertise and constructive feedback on this product idea for locking classroom doors...
Decoded: Small Assembly Occupancies
It is not uncommon for a building classified as another occupancy type to include an area used for assembly. For example, a nursing home would typically have a dining room, an office building might have a large conference center, or an apartment complex could have a function room that can be used for parties...
WW: Emergency Exit Only
Anyone see a problem with this Wordless Wednesday photo sent in by Art of Doors?
UCLA Students Unable to Lock Doors
During yesterday's shooting at UCLA, Brian Fochler tagged me in a photo tweeted from the engineering building where the shooting was taking place, which was my first indication that something lock-related was happening. Since then I've received many other emails...
WW: Cross-Corridor Door
Brian Lane of Allegion sent in the photos below (via Deputy Jeff Tock). This is a cross-corridor door in a health care facility. The wall behind the door MUST be temporary, but wow...
Classroom Security – Latch Prevention
Schools have been able to use magnets over locking mechanisms, allowing doors to be easily opened throughout the day and still lock quickly by simply removing the magnet. But by Jan. 1, 2018, that quick fix will no longer be enough...
WW: Gas Station Exit
I think we all know by now that egress doors are not allowed to be painted or covered in a way that would disguise them (except certain doors in health care occupancies where NFPA 101 allows murals)...
WWYD? Animal Research Facility
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...
NFPA 101 – A few more changes…
Last week I posted my next Decoded article - about changes affecting door openings between the 2000 edition of NFPA 101 and the 2012 edition. Paul Dzurinda of Russell Phillips & Associates sent me a few more changes that we should be aware of...
Decoded: Changes to the Life Safety Code for Health Care Occupancies (July 2016)
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...
BBS Memo – Temporary Door Locking Devices
Here's the latest on classroom barricade devices...let me know what's happening in your state.
Locks for Multi-Stall Restrooms
According to the IBC Commentary, the purpose of this requirement is to prevent people from locking themselves in the toilet room to create a safe haven for illicit activities...
WW: Were you raised in a barn?
This Wordless Wednesday photo could have easily been a Fixed-it Friday photo, but since this "fix" is on an occupied Assembly space, it left me Wordless. Thank you to Dave Ilardi of Allegion for sending me photos from the family vacation. :D
FF: Conference Center
In addition to yesterday's applied panels, which qualified as Fixed-it Friday photos, here are a few more applications from the conference center where I'm spending one more night. If you're in Orlando and saw any Fixed-it Friday doors during your stay, send them along!
WW: Double-Trouble
Take a close look. There are 2 doors in this opening - one inswinging, one outswinging. Each has 2 surface bolts. The request was to add yet another lock to these doors. Yikes.
Mag-Lock Follow-Up
I posted these photos (below) yesterday to ask what problems you all saw. Here's what I see...
WWYD? Mag-Locks
I am assuming that the airport requested and received the proper code modifications for the pair of doors in the photos below - serving the airport terminal. Anybody know what the required code modifications would be?
WW: Doors in the Corn
In addition to the fact that you're not supposed to disguise egress doors, those hinges are severely under-engineered for those doors. Photos sent in by Dave Ilardi of Allegion.
FF: Preschool Exit
This Fixed-it Friday solution is ok for a preschool since the average height of the occupants is 26 inches, right? WRONG!
Architexts – Code Question
Code question...fake it till you make it?
WW: XpresSpa or Exit?
See any problems here? Thanks to Tim Weller of Allegion for this Wordless Wednesday photo! The fun never ends!
Controlled Egress vs. Delayed Egress
While delayed egress locks must automatically unlock 15 seconds after a building occupant actuates the device, a controlled egress lock allows the egress doors serving certain areas to remain locked until they are unlocked by staff, the automatic fire protection system, or power failure...
WW: Courtyard Exit
This photo was taken in a high school, while school was in session. The doors lead from an enclosed courtyard into the school - the egress path should pass through the interior of the school and out the main exit doors to the public way...
Law allowing school barricade devices raises concerns in Portage
Safety officials are concerned a new state law that allows barricade devices on classroom doors could make a crisis situation worse. The idea sounds great...
Decoded 3 – Egress and Life Safety
I have finished the on-demand version of Class 3 in the Decoded series, so now 3 of the 4 classes are available - for free!
Keyes Life Safety Boot Camp
When I receive a question about the NFPA 101 - Life Safety Code requirements for health care facilities, I need to know not just what the code says but how it will be enforced...
WW: Should you trust a robot in an emergency?
I was very surprised at research conducted by the Georgia Tech Research Institute, which found that people trusted a robot to guide them to safety, even when it made mistakes or experienced technical difficulties...
Stairwell Reentry
Most stairwells in commercial and institutional buildings are designed to protect the means of egress using fire-resistant construction and fire door assemblies as opening protectives. When building occupants are within a stair enclosure during a fire...
Define: Occupied
The word "occupied" is not defined in the IBC or the IFC. When a term is not defined in these publications, the "ordinarily accepted meaning" applies, as defined in Merriam Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary...
WWYD? Escape Room
Escape rooms are popping up all over the world, and have already opened in many US cities. The premise is that you are locked in a room with friends, family members, coworkers...
FF: Egress Deterrent
This photo was taken at a VERY well-known theme park which does a great job with their door-related code-compliance, and is frequently inspected by the local code officials. The black part of this chain looks like it might be a magnet...
2018 IBC Change for Classroom Locking
THE VOTES ARE IN, and the code change proposed by BHMA to address classroom locking in the 2018 IBC has been approved as modified by public comment!
WW: Another Retail Exit
What do you think? Does this door meet the intent of NFPA 1 if the security devices are only engaged when the building is not occupied?