Help Me Help You (please)
I need your help! And for the first 10 people who find a mistake that nobody else has found, I'll send you a $25 Amazon.com gift card by email (limit - one gift card per person).
FF: Access Control Override
This Fixed-it Friday photo illustrates the common problem of an access control system that has been modified for convenience. No matter how much time and money are invested in planning and installing a system, human intervention is always a factor...
Delayed Egress vs. Controlled Egress
Delayed egress vs. controlled egress...can you explain the difference? Do you know when and where each type of locking hardware is allowed, and what the IBC requires in order to ensure life safety?
MFA Auditorium Egress
I often find that I am more cautious about modifying code requirements than even the AHJ. This opening is serving an Assembly occupancy, where delayed egress is not allowed by the IBC. In addition, the AHJ approved the 30-second delay instead of 15 seconds...
WW: Bungee Exit Alarm
I have nothing to say except "thank you to Grah Security for today's Wordless Wednesday photo."
Delayed Egress Timer
I checked with the ICC and NFPA for a code opinion, and both staff members acknowledged that the code does not address this specific issue, so it would be left up to the AHJ. One made a good point - the time to initiate the timer and the time to release the device should be two separate periods...
WW: Exit Signs
Jeff Payton of Williams Electronics sent today's Wordless Wednesday photo. I'm the first to admit that I'm not an expert on exit signs. If you ARE an expert on exit signs, can you explain the need for the high-level sign? If only the door closer installer had taken as much pride in the installation as the conduit installer. :)
FF: Emergency Exit Alarm
What's wrong with this Fixed-it Friday photo, sent in by David Seeley 0f Clark Security Products?
WWYD? Cooler Access Control
Securing cooler doors with access control products is likely to become a more common application as facilities become increasingly automated. Without an access control system it's tough to control what is taken once the door is opened (like the coin-operated newspaper vending machines). Have any of you seen a system that works well to secure cooler doors and interface with a system like the one pictured here, where supplies are ordered online and then picked up from the cooler?
WWYD? Noisy Mag-Locks
I know that some of you will be able to help with this question from a contractor, who has all-glass doors with direct-hold magnets making noise when the doors close and when the mag-locks engage...
AIA Webinar: Access Control Design
Today's post was delayed because of a computer glitch, but I want to make sure the notification reaches my subscribers asap in case any of you want to participate in this upcoming webinar offered by Allegion - AIA continuing education credit is available. Sorry for the late-night notification!
FF: Fire Escape Exit Alarm
This photo may be one of my favorite Fixed-it Friday photos ever. It was sent to me by Michael Carney of Allegion. This application is in place on the roof door and all of the fire escape access doors in a dormitory high-rise. A very creative way to install an exit alarm, but I don't know how secure or how durable it is...
Schlage NDE Wireless Lock
The Schlage® NDE Series wireless lock with ENGAGE technology has been selected as a finalist in the Architizer A+ Awards in the Hardware category! The winner is determined by the product that gets the most votes...you can vote here until April 3rd!
Infant Abduction
There was an important change to the 2015 International Building Code (IBC) that could help to reduce the occurrence of child abduction from hospitals. Many maternity wards have infant abduction systems that use a sensor to activate a delayed egress lock when a baby is taken near the exit. But for some facilities, delayed egress locks may not be enough...
FF: Power Transfer?
Today's Fixed-it Friday photo from an anonymous friend is a classic example of the coordination problems that can so easily arise when doors, frame, and hardware from multiple vendors arrive on the job-site...
Last Decoded Class – Codes for Electrified Hardware
There is one more online class in the series of four that I'm teaching on behalf of the Door & Hardware Institute - this Wednesday, February 18th, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Eastern. I'll be covering the code requirements pertaining to electrified hardware...
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.”
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...
WW: Hard Wired
Today's Wordless Wednesday photos were sent by Jim McDonald of Twin City Hardware (who is not responsible for this installation!)...
FF: Do Not Pull
Most magnetic holders provide 20-30 pounds of holding force, and can be released manually by pulling on the door to separate the door-mounted armature from the wall-mounted magnet. The signage here tells me that the magnet is probably not anchored to the wall properly, and I guess adding a sign is one way to fix the problem...
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...
FF: I’m Wordless
I know it's Fixed-it Friday, but I'm Wordless. Maybe you can help? Caption this...
Mag-Locks Revisited
I'm at the NFPA School Safety Summit this week and it has been an amazing opportunity to hear from code officials, first responders, and other experts, and to break into smaller groups to discuss school safety issues and the necessary code changes. I'll definitely have more to report on this later.
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...
Schlage L909x
I don't know about you, but once a product number takes root in my head I have a tough time getting used to a new one. I've still got numbers in there from the 80's! But it's time to do a memory upgrade because the Schlage L9080-EL and L9080-EU locksets have been replaced with a series of new and improved electrified mortise locks...
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: Intermittent Arcing
Paul Goldense of Goldense Building Products took today's Wordless Wednesday photo while searching for the problem causing mag-locks in a psychiatric unit to work intermittently. I think he found the issue...
More on Electric Strikes on Fire Door Assemblies
Recently a question from a code official landed in my inbox - "Can an electric strike on a fire door be operated by a motion sensor?" For example, if a door was often used by people carrying boxes or other large items, could a sensor release the strike so the building occupants could just push on the door rather than turning the lever to exit?
FF: Thru-Wire Hinge
On a thru-wire hinge, the wires are typically run through the thickness of the hinge leaf. Like inside of the hinge leaf where you can't see them. Not actually through the hinge. Oh never mind. You're doing it wrong.
FF: Bondo Hides All Sins (not)
All I can say about these photos of a field-prepped electric strike is...this is why we specify all of the hardware, including access-control hardware, in the hardware specification. Field preps do happen on occasion, but not all installers are created equal...
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...
WWYD? Elopement in Schools
Even if we only consider the space with the smallest occupant load - the classroom, the codes do not give us many options for preventing a student from eloping. If the classroom has an exterior door that is required for egress, it can not be locked in the direction of egress....
WWYD? School Seclusion Room
Some schools include seclusion rooms, where a child may be placed if he/she needs time to calm down without endangering themselves or others...
WW: Electric Hinge
Something a little different for today's Wordless Wednesday photo - less of a fire door / egress code issue and more of a...fire hazard (and probably an electrical code problem!)?
Memory Care Egress
To some, locking doors to prevent egress may seem like a step backward. But in some applications, the danger of elopement is much greater than potential hazards of controlled egress. Until now, it has been difficult for memory care facilities to balance the code requirements for free egress or delayed egress, with the needs of their residents...
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!
FF: What Happened Here?
For the record, I DO know what happened here...do you? I've only seen this one other time in my travels. This photo is from Lloyd Seliber of Keying Solutions from Macau, China.
Schlage CO-220 Standalone Classroom Lockdown Solution
Are you interested in trying a sample of Schlage's new CO-220? Read on.
Special Egress Locks in I-2 Occupancies
This article was published in the October 2013 issue of the Locksmith Ledger:
WW: Well, that’s one way of doing it.
To all of the architects out there...this is what can happen if you forgo the hardware consultant and let the electrician work out the details on-site. Call us - we can help! ;)
WWYD? Gate with Access Control and Panic Hardware
Here's a tough one...
WW: No power? No problem!
When I'm teaching about the code-compliant ways to hold open a fire door, I always say that my preference is to use a wall-mounted magnetic holder because there are no moving parts, and not much can go wrong if it's installed correctly. But if there's no power to the magnetic holder, it won't hold the door open. And if the door won't stay open, someone will always come along with a creative solution.
Decoded: Elevator Lobby Egress
This post was printed in the October 2013 issue of Doors & Hardware
Reader Photos – What’s wrong with this picture?
I've received lots of photos lately that illustrated problems with how products were specified, supplied, or installed. So let's play...what's wrong with this picture???
Decoded: Fusible Links and Smoke-Activated Hold-Opens
I’m asked quite often if fusible link arms are still allowed to be used on fire doors. The logical place to start is NFPA 80 – Standard for Fire Doors and Other Opening Protectives...
WW: Dead Battery – No Problem!
Today's Wordless Wednesday photo was submitted by Joy Davis of the Construction Specifications Institute (@CSIConstruction on Twitter). Thanks Joy!
Code Requirements for Doors with Access Control
This article was published in the March 2013 issue of Construction Specifier.