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.
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.
Bryce King of Allegion sent me today's Wordless Wednesday photo...I guess this is one way to deal with a lockout! Send me your WW/FF photos to register to win some Yeti merch from iDH!
In this article, I covered not only how fail safe and fail secure electrified hardware products operate, but which type would commonly be used in various types of systems.
Should the model codes be modified to require immediate egress through doors with delayed egress locks during emergencies other than fires?
I graduated from college more than 30 years ago, and based on my experience with my soon-to-be college freshman, times have changed!
Media outlets have reported that locked electronic doors hindered law enforcement response in the recent Virginia Beach shooting. Authorized access should be addressed in each facility's emergency plan.
Warning: Today's Wordless Wednesday post is not wordless. Check out the video and scroll down for the words.
I can definitely see how a lock that is only controlled by a phone could be a problem, and the court agreed - the tenants now have keys. WWYD?
This application was found in an airport, and requires building occupants to use a pull station to initiate a delayed egress lock. Is it code-compliant?
When a shooting occurred at the University of North Carolina Charlotte last week, an electronic locking system was already in place that allowed the campus to be locked down in seconds.
Electric power transfers, thru-wire hinges, and door cords are used to transfer wires from the wall/frame to the door for electrified hardware. Or you can be creative and DIY.
I've heard it said that there are a thousand ways to screw up a door, and I think it's probably true. Here's just one of the many conflicts to watch out for.
Fifty people died in the shootings at the two mosques in Christchurch. How many could have survived if the egress door had allowed immediate evacuation?
If our industry is so complex that the students' research didn't turn up existing products or a hardware advisor, we need to get more user-friendly.
Do you know what this is a picture of? The Schlage AD lock on my oldest daughter's dorm for next year, at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville!
As the saying goes..."'A chain is only as strong as its weakest link," and this applies to mag-lock installations as well. I've seen some creative mounting efforts, but these have me shaking my head.
How do you choose which code section to use?
Is it code-compliant to add a deadbolt to a door with a mag-lock, that can be used to lock the door during a power failure?
This one is a real head-scratcher. How did this happen, AND what's the card reader for? #hardwaremysteries
Maintained and momentary switches are both used with electrified hardware - do you know when to specify or install each type?
A knob, lever, AND a mag-lock? And what's with the stainless plates? Are they covering old vision lights or do you think they were "original equipment"?
Quick Question: Is it code-compliant for a card reader on the egress side of the door to be used to monitor who uses the door?
Joe Fazio of Precision Doors & Hardware sent me today's Wordless Wednesday photo. I don't know what to say. How about you?
I really need your expertise on this one...talk to me about exit alarms to deter the use of classroom doors, or to at least notify the teacher that someone has opened the door.
When we think about code-compliance, it's not just about lines on a page in a book. It's about reducing the risk of tragedies like this one.
Of all the code requirements that apply to doors and hardware, electrified hardware raises the most questions. Here's a training opportunity to help!
Are pneumatic switches required as the auxiliary release devices for sensor-release electrified locking systems? Or are other types of switches acceptable? Please share your insight and experience!
What's the best/most reliable/most secure technology for a request-to-exit sensor in an access control system? If you have a preference, tell me why in the reply box (please).
I've received this question many times over the years...Can a break-glass switch be used to unlock a door in the means of egress?
This summer I visited quite a few colleges, and this dorm left me Wordless. :( Can you find all of the code-related issues with these fire doors and egress doors?
This pair of doors had one of my least favorite applications to begin with, and then access control was added. It's a challenging modification, and something is missing here.
Although electromagnetic locks are easier than some other electrified hardware to retrofit, I try to avoid using them in schools whenever possible. How about you?
Top jamb brackets for mag-locks are not the most aesthetically-pleasing application, and this installation has some extra modifications that will definitely affect the strength and durability.
Imagine that you work for a university, you read iDigHardware, and you find out that I'm wandering around your campus. I'm guessing there were some mixed emotions...
Today's my birthday and I've got a Wordless Wednesday present for you. Look closely at this grocery store exit...any theories about what is happening here, or how it operates in an emergency?
Elopement is a real concern for certain health care facilities, and there are more options than there were 10 years ago.
1) Are electromagnetic locks allowed to be used on fire door assemblies? 2) Do electromagnetic locks installed on fire door assemblies have to be labeled?
Does a delayed egress lock have to be rearmed manually after power failure and fire alarm release, or only when the 15-second timer is activated by an attempt to exit?
See anything odd in these Wordless Wednesday photos from Scott Straton of Allegion?
Can elevator lobby doors be locked, and only allow egress through the tenant space when there is a fire alarm?
I'm curious about what age children are prevented access by the 54-inch mounting height, and whether that jives with the age of children who can read the sign and enter the code.
These Wordless Wednesday photos, from Geno Markette of Yates and Felts, are not just your run-of-the-mill padlocked-gate photos.
There is a lesson behind today's Fixed-it Friday photo. Upon first glance you see an exterior door locked with padlocks and a chain attached to the lever on an adjacent door. But why?
The code requirements addressing delayed egress have evolved since they were first introduced in the 1981 edition of NFPA 101 – The Life Safety Code, and that evolution continues with the 2018 editions of both NFPA 101 and the International Building Code (IBC).
BHMA has proposed a change to the 2021 IBC, to create some guidelines for interlocks - called "control vestibules" in the proposed code language. We need your help to get this right!
The 2018 edition of the IBC includes an important clarification regarding doors with panic hardware and electromagnetic locks.
What are the considerations for an access control system in buildings that may continue to be occupied during a fire alarm?
Yes, there is an exit sign above this door.
Questions continue to arise regarding how to properly specify/supply hardware for a single restroom door with an automatic operator. The challenge is that the outside actuator (push button) for the automatic operator has to be interfaced with the locking system; otherwise, the actuator could open the door even when the restroom is occupied.