Means of Egress

Senior Home Fire – L’Isle Verte, Quebec

One of the worst feelings for me is that of being powerless...of seeing a critical need before me and having no way to help.  I can't imagine how it felt for the firefighters, neighbors, family members, and others who were forced to watch last week's senior home fire in Quebec, without any way to rescue most of the residents - some of whom could be seen or heard until they were taken by the smoke and flames.  Heartbreaking stories are emerging, including one of a man who was able to reach his mother on her balcony and wrap her in warm clothing or blankets, but could not rescue her.  The fire in L'Isle-Verte is believed to have killed 32 of the home's elderly residents, although recovery of the victims is extremely slow because the remnants of the building are encased in ice.

By |2014-01-27T14:54:01-05:00January 27th, 2014|Fire Doors, Means of Egress, News|0 Comments
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FF: Lock Jaw

I know some of you will have something to say about this video, sent to me by Jim Elder of Secured Design...the ease of lock bumping, code-compliance of the product, ineffectiveness of deadbolts, double-sided tape...what do you think?  The national security expert explains the product at 3:25.

By |2014-01-24T09:37:18-05:00January 24th, 2014|Fixed-it Friday, Locks & Keys, Means of Egress|6 Comments
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Variable Door Thickness

I've specified hardware for A LOT of doors.  Thousands.  But I've never worked on a door like this one, where the door thickness varied from top to bottom.  When you have a door with an unusual thickness, you need to consider the interface between the lever trim/control, the lock body, and the panic hardware, along with the length of the fasteners and cylinder.  With a mortise lockset or a mortise panic like this Von Duprin 5575 device, the location of the lock body within the door thickness factors into the equation.  For example, if it was a 3" thick door but the lock body was installed at the push side face of the door, only the connection between the lever and the lock body would need to be addressed.  If the lock body was installed at the pull side face of the door, only the connection between the lock body and the panic hardware would need to be addressed.  If the lock was centered in the door thickness, both connections would be affected, as below.

By |2017-05-30T16:08:09-04:00January 21st, 2014|Means of Egress, Panic Hardware|0 Comments
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CBS Chicago: Would-Be Burglar Thwarted After Pulling Door Marked ‘Push’

The fact that this door swings in instead of out seems to confuse the burglar enough that he can't figure out how to get in. However, I would NOT recommend inswinging doors as a security measure! Considering that people generally try to exit the way they came in, I think this opening could be an egress problem unless it is serving a very small bar.  What do you think?

By |2015-12-23T08:58:32-05:00January 19th, 2014|Means of Egress, News, Videos|1 Comment
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BUILDINGS BUZZ – Voices from the Industry

I always enjoy having a chance to work with facility managers to make sure they're up to date on what's new in my world - whether it's a new product or a recent code change.  I often answer specific questions and help with product applications one-on-one, but I really appreciate the opportunity to connect with them en masse.

By |2014-01-29T13:25:53-05:00January 16th, 2014|Accessibility, Fire Doors, Means of Egress, News|1 Comment
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Q&A: Life Safety Code 2012

A few years ago I met Brad Keyes of Keyes Life Safety Compliance, who is a terrific resource when it comes to life safety questions about health care facilities.  When I received the question below I sent it to Brad, and his answer was so comprehensive and helpful that I asked if I could post it here.  It is relevant to all types of health care facilities, not just ambulatory health care.  Thank you Brad, for allowing me to share this information!

By |2014-01-29T13:26:56-05:00January 13th, 2014|Electrified Hardware, Health Care, Means of Egress|2 Comments
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WWYD? Connecting Classroom Doors

Many classrooms have a door connecting to the adjacent classroom.  Correct me if I'm wrong, but since most classrooms do not require a second means of egress, I think those doors are typically there for convenience.  I tried to find something in past codes that would have required the second door, but so far I only see the requirement for a second means of egress when the occupant load reaches 50 or more.  (Note: There are some situations where a classroom may need to have a second means of egress because it is not located on the ground floor.)

By |2013-12-27T00:08:36-05:00December 17th, 2013|Locks & Keys, Means of Egress, Panic Hardware, School Security, WWYD?|19 Comments
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WW: Ice Time

This photo, from an ice arena, gives me the chills.  Ice rinks are notoriously difficult locations for doors and hardware...lots of abuse, often a high occupant load, humidity and corrosion issues, and other contributing factors.  In case you don't see the problem right away, look at the top of the mullion.  Angle brackets have been bolted to each door, and there is a pin inserted through one bracket, through the mullion, and through the other bracket.  Someone trying to exit through these doors would likely have no idea why they won't open.

By |2013-12-18T15:34:37-05:00December 11th, 2013|Doors Gone Wrong, Means of Egress, Wordless Wednesday|9 Comments
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WW: Look Closer

I just had an idea.  I'm putting together an online code class for my coworkers, which will be available to others outside of the company next year.  The way I like to teach about codes is to explain the intent behind the requirement, show examples, reference the applicable section of the code, and preferably to break up the education into small chunks so it's easier to absorb over time.  The way I initially tried to learn was to read the code books and highlight the sections, but it didn't really stick with me.  So many people email me to say, "I know the code says something about *this*, but where is it?"...something they have read or heard may have left an impression on them about the requirement, but it didn't settle into their brain for the long haul.

By |2013-12-04T23:27:53-05:00November 20th, 2013|Locks & Keys, Means of Egress, Wordless Wednesday|19 Comments
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WW: Down at the DMV

I find the Department of Motor Vehicles so frustrating that one year I actually cried because after waiting over an hour they said I didn't bring the right utility bill.  AND...my car got hit by someone taking his driving test in the parking lot (he failed).  It might have all been worthwhile if I could have spotted an exit at the DMV like this one, sent in by Lisa Augerson of Ingersoll Rand Security Technologies.  According to Lisa, the DMV person said they keep it unlocked during business hours.

By |2013-12-04T23:18:50-05:00November 6th, 2013|Flush Bolts and Coordinators, Means of Egress, Wordless Wednesday|6 Comments
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School Locks Doors from the Inside

Sometimes it's hard to believe that this continues to happen, but I love to hear about people pushing for code-compliance and protection of building occupants.  Sadly, I'm sure the locks were present for a long time before someone noticed or said something, but the good news is that they were removed before tragedy struck.

By |2013-10-04T13:55:53-04:00October 4th, 2013|Means of Egress, News|5 Comments
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Public Library – Nashville, Tennessee

I'm in Nashville this week for the CONSTRUCT show, and I've been scoping out some of the beautiful doors in town. My 1 vs. 100 Fire/Life-Safety class went well today...nobody fell asleep or faked an injury so they could leave early. Tomorrow I have 1 vs. 100 Electrified Hardware at 2:45, so if you're here at CONSTRUCT, head over to the Learning Pavilion. I decided today that the only thing worse than speaking to a large crowd is speaking to nobody, but luckily I had a pretty full class. Tomorrow will be the same "game show" format but with a different topic, so come back if you attended today! On Friday morning at 9:30 (room 205C), I'm participating in the CONSTRUCT Bloggers Panel, so if you've ever thought about starting a blog, have any questions about blogging, or just want to meet some bloggers, come on down!

By |2013-09-29T19:10:00-04:00September 25th, 2013|Beautiful Doors, Means of Egress, Road Trips|5 Comments
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WW: Push-Pull-Panic

Cory Yamaguchi of Ingersoll Rand Security Technologies sent me this photo of an egress door he saw on an outing to the local dairy farm with his family.  I'm picturing a farm that hosts lots of visitors, not the type where the cow:human ratio is 100:1.  In addition to the creative application of pull handles, there are loops up at the top (one looks like it's missing) if they need a little extra security.  If you're just tuning in, this is not code-compliant.

By |2013-09-29T19:11:32-04:00September 18th, 2013|Means of Egress, Panic Hardware, Wordless Wednesday|9 Comments
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Reader Photos

Thank you to everyone who has sent me photos of doors they've seen in their travels (or while laying on the couch).  Kelly Chimilar from Allmar Inc. noticed these doors with an obvious egress problem while watching Thursday Night Football.  If you don't know what the problem is, I will hold a special online study session for you after work tonight.  ;)

By |2016-07-25T18:02:56-04:00September 6th, 2013|Beautiful Doors, Door Closers, FDAI, Fire Doors, Hinges & Pivots, Locks & Keys, Means of Egress, Panic Hardware, Reader Photos|9 Comments
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Science Lab Doors

Several questions have come up lately regarding the door and hardware requirements for science labs in schools.  When a short article about a chemical fire in a lab storage cabinet came across my desk, I decided to do a little digging.  I found that fires in school science labs are not uncommon, in fact, the number of injuries to students has grown - in part because of changing educational requirements which advocate more hands-on science instruction.  In the event of a lab fire, building code requirements can help to limit the damage to the lab and prevent the fire and smoke from spreading.

By |2017-10-26T12:51:37-04:00July 5th, 2013|Fire Doors, Means of Egress|5 Comments
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WWYD: Help Wanted

I answer A LOT of questions every day, and I love doing it.  I'm so glad to be able to provide this resource for our staff and customers, and anyone else who comes across my site.  But sometimes I get questions that I don't have a good answer for, and that's where you come in.  Please leave a comment if you have any insight on ANY of these questions...

By |2017-10-26T12:51:43-04:00July 2nd, 2013|Door Closers, Fire Doors, Hinges & Pivots, Means of Egress, WWYD?|18 Comments
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Beautiful Doors of Denver

I'm in Denver for the AIA conference, and this afternoon I played a rousing game of Code Jeopardy with the Denver Chapter of DHI.  If you're at the AIA conference this week, stop at our booth (#530) to play a short version of Code Jeopardy and your name will be entered to win an iPad Mini!  You can enter whether you get the questions right or not, and you'll probably learn something about a new code requirement in the process.

By |2013-07-10T15:32:05-04:00June 20th, 2013|Accessibility, Beautiful Doors, Fire Doors, Means of Egress|3 Comments
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