FF: Panic Problem
Today's Fixed-it Friday photo was sent in by Rick Turcotte of Horner Commercial Sales. A few questions for you: a) This is a 4'-wide stairwell door. What's wrong with this picture?...
NASFM: Classroom Door Security and Locking Hardware
The National Association of State Fire Marshals (NASFM) has posted a document on their website which offers that support, by providing guidance on the use of classroom door security and locking hardware. The 6-page document includes a suggested classroom door checklist, with code references for each item on the list...
2015 Edition of the Allegion Code Reference Guide
As most of you know, the code development cycle is typically 3 years, which means that the codes are constantly evolving. The 2015 editions of the International Building Code (IBC) and NFPA 101 - The Life Safety Code were recently released, and I have revised the Allegion Code Reference Guide to include these changes...
Ohio decision will have nationwide impact
If you don't think the Ohio barricade situation applies to you because you don't live in Ohio, or because you don't do school-related work, think again. Please read the article below. It is crucial for us to spread the word about a balanced approach to school security.
WW: Special Knowledge and Effort
Most egress doors are required to be readily openable with no special knowledge or effort. The door must unlatch with one operation, and the operable hardware must be mounted between 34 inches and 48 inches above the floor. There are several problems with this Wordless Wednesday dutch door found at a cell phone store...
Decoded: 2015 IBC Roundtable
If you are a member of the New England Chapter of DHI I hope you already know about this upcoming class, but in case you didn't get the memo...I will be teaching a code class next week along with Jeff Batick, Greg DeGirolamo, Paul Goldense, and Jim White. This class will be available for other DHI chapters to teach, as long as there are a few members who can act as facilitators. If you're interested in hosting the class, drop me an email and I'll get you in touch with the right person at DHI. We are using the 2015 IBC for next week's class, but it could be taught using other editions of the IBC if necessary. The class is worth 9 DHI CEP points, with 4 additional points for the facilitators.
The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio schools can’t use barricades to keep gunmen out
Will lawmakers uphold the codes that have been protecting us for decades, or will they change state laws to satisfy the parents and teachers who are pushing for a change that would sacrifice free egress in favor of inexpensive locking methods?
WW: Frost Heaves
In the Wordless Wednesday photos below, one door is stuck partially open and the other pair has been taken out of commission. How do you balance the life safety requirements with the feasibility of addressing problems that will probably last for several more weeks if not longer?
State board rules against classroom door blocking devices
The group ultimately raised over $30,000 and purchased the devices, but were then told that the devices did not comply with egress code requirements and a variance would be needed before the devices could be used. The variance hearing for the barricade devices to be used on the district's high school was held yesterday, and the variance request was denied...
WW: Chained Exit
These photos are the definition of Wordless Wednesday. I saw them posted on the Truck Floor Training Facebook page and asked for permission to share them here...
ALICE does not endorse any brand of barricading devices
When discussing code-compliant security with staff from schools and other types of facilities, I've heard one comment several times..."If ALICE training [the FBI, the Department of Homeland Security, our local police department] advocates the barricading of doors with furniture, why can't we use the door barricade devices that are now on the market?"
Decoded: Electrified Hardware Refresher (April 2015)
There are 7 basic code categories for electrified hardware used to control access or egress, and this edition of Decoded provides a brief refresher on each as well as some recent code changes. Many of these code applications, but not all, fall into the category commonly called “special locking arrangements.”
WW: Surviving an Active Shooter
This PSA was recently released by the LA County Sheriff's Department. It is a very graphic representation of how to survive an active shooter situation. It is obviously not acceptable for use with kids, but it does show a classroom security lock used by a teacher, as well as a locked exit blocking the escape of a victim...
Baby It’s Cold Outside – Phil Chandler
We've received close to 4 feet of snow in the last week, so when I saw The Inspector's column in this month's e-NewZone monthly newsletter from The Center for Campus Fire Safety, I asked them if I could share it here...
FF: Scenes from an Italian Restaurant
I really love this restaurant, but every time I go I wonder if someone approved this egress arrangement or it just sorta happened as they were hanging the drapes...
WW: Don’t Dowel Doors
Paul Elliott sent me these Wordless Wednesday photos of retail egress issues he has run across. When he mentioned the dowel to a store employee, the employee said, "No problem. We’ll untie it if there’s a fire." No joke.
“Buyer Beware” – Paul Timm, RETA Security
Paul Timm: "For those pursuing alternative solutions, it is important to consider that some schools have installed after-market devices only to find out that code violations require their removal. Buyer beware!"
FF: Screwed Up
The card reader in this photo was installed to prevent access to the stairs on the other side of this door. A card reader on the push side of a door with an electric strike and panic hardware doesn't provide security, because you can just push on the touchpad of the panic to exit. To rectify that "problem," someone installed a screw in the panic hardware so the touchpad will not retract the latch.
WW: Shop Till You Drop
Since it's Wordless Wednesday, I'll let you tell me what's wrong with this "key-operated lock" application. Extra credit if you can tell me what changed about the key-operated lock requirements in the 2015 IBC...
Decoded: Egress Terminology
As I mentioned in my previous column, there are other factors that affect the quantity and location of egress doors, beyond the general requirements for 2, 3, or 4 exits depending on the occupant load. For example, doors used for egress need to be located remotely...
Series on Historic Fires
There have been many fires throughout history that have shaped our current codes, and I recently ran across a series in the Enid (Oklahoma) News which includes several events that impacted the door and hardware industry specifically. As I've said before, I think we can learn a lot from the past...
Online Training Ops
My next online Decoded class will be held on Wednesday, January 21st from 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Eastern. This is the third class in the series of 4 presented on behalf of the Door & Hardware Institute, and I will cover the requirements for life safety and egress...
School Security – How to Build and Strengthen a School Safety Program, by Paul Timm
Paul Timm: "...The riskiest options employed today rely on relatively inexpensive aftermarket products that cover strike plates, prop open locked doors, or prevent ingress from the hallway..."
Retrofit Security Devices In the News
A few weeks ago I wrote about a community group in Ohio that raised $30,000 to purchase a barricade device for each classroom door in their school district. Over the weekend I saw a headline about this school district from the Newark Advocate: SWL Schools Unable to Use Donated Door Barricades...
Decoded: Test Your Knowledge (January 2015)
You may have already noticed...I've been taking a little time off between the holidays, but here's something to keep you busy until I'm back in action next Monday...
Locked Egress Doors in Health Care Facilities
In January of this year, I wrote about a tragic fire at a senior home in L'Isle Verte, Quebec, in which 32 of the home's residents were killed. The inquest into this incident is currently underway, and I've been keeping an ear to the ground to see if there are any lessons to share...
WW: Please Open Door Slowly
Today's Wordless Wednesday photo was spotted on Flickr by Deputy Jeff Tock of Allegion. I wonder how long this sign has been dangling...
WW: Not an Exit (Any More)
This door is in a high school auditorium, and although it no longer seems to be used as an exit (and there are marked exits nearby), it is the first door you see when attempting to exit. Many AHJs will tell you that if it looks like an exit, it has to act like an exit...
FF: I’m Wordless
I know it's Fixed-it Friday, but I'm Wordless. Maybe you can help? Caption this...
WW: Esoteric Exits
If I had a dollar for every time I was asked to make a door invisible, I'd have enough money to buy that desert island I've been dreaming of. But then y'all would have to find a new place to send your Wordless Wednesday photos...
WW: Booth by the Exit
I have to admit, I do like to sit where I can see the exit. But this might be a little too close for comfort...
Feng Shui
To be honest, I haven't spent a lot of time thinking about feng shui, which is an ancient art and science developed over 3,000 years ago in China. The goal of Feng Shui is to balance the energies of a space to ensure health and good fortune. I do know that I'm not supposed to store stuff under my bed, which might be the reason I'm often unbalanced.
WW: Emerald City
Did you know??? NFPA 101 - The Life Safety Code states, "It shall be the duty of principals, teachers, or staff to inspect all exit facilities daily to ensure that all stairways, doors, and other exits are in proper condition." I think someone missed this one...
WW: Climb to Exit
Jerry Rice of DH Pace sent me today's Wordless Wednesday photo. This behavior isn't going to change until someone gets in trouble...
WW: Good Luck
It's Wordless Wednesday again...thank you to Keith Moore who sent this photo via Jeff Tock of Allegion.
Happy Halloween!
Last weekend our church had a Halloween party with a haunted house for the kids. Because (as Popeye always said) "I yam what I yam," I wondered about the egress plans if there was an emergency. Maybe a maze made of cardboard and sheets with no open flames in a church basement for 3 hours with lots of adult supervision isn't a huge concern, but haunted houses have become big business...
WW: Exit – Keep Locked!
It's Wordless Wednesday, and this "exit" leaves me wordless...
Decoded Quick-Tips: Delayed Egress
Today is the second webinar in the series for access control integrators, so here is my second list of Quick-Tips (the first list can be downloaded here). There have been some changes in the 2015 edition of the IBC, so it's worth a review...
WW: BHMA in AZ
I spent most of last week in Arizona at the BHMA meeting, and I found this great (terrible) Wordless Wednesday photo for you. If you're new to this site, the problem with this exit is that it has been modified for use as display space in a souvenir shop at the Phoenix airport. Doors in the means of egress must be visible, with no decorations, mirrors, curtains, or stuffed monkeys...
Fire Champ
Personally, I would love to take a photo, fill in some information, and have it routed to the correct fire department. But there are challenges when considering an app like this for use on a wider scale...
Upcoming Webinars
Allegion is conducting a series of monthly webinars for access control integrators, which address code compliant access solutions for various applications. All webinars are held at 2 p.m. Eastern. Click here to register or to access recordings of past webinars in this series...
WW: School Security
These are egress doors in an occupied school gym. Luckily they are going to be replaced shortly, but meanwhile, I'm Wordless.
WW: Hotel Exit
When I stay in a hotel I always check the fire doors and egress doors, and unfortunately I usually find issues. I guess I'm not the only one...
Access to Panic Hardware
I'm sure you've seen panic hardware with some sort of guard or protection above, below, or around the panic. Should the codes define a certain area of free space around the panic hardware, ensuring that the actuating portion is obvious and readily available to someone using the exit? How much clear space is needed?
WW: Have a Coke and a Smile
It's Wordless Wednesday again, and these photos DEFINITELY left me wordless...
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!
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...
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...
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: