It's hard to believe that it has been 6 YEARS since I last updated this post on zombie-resistant door openings, and 9 YEARS sine I wrote the original version. With the new model codes coming out soon it's time for another update, and what better day to post it than on Halloween??
If you are responsible for inspecting fire door assemblies or keeping them code-compliant, you already know that one of the most common challenges is related to perimeter clearance. Do you have a few minutes to share your insight?
If you are an AHJ or a fire door inspector, or have used listed plates to cover holes in fire doors, please share your insight. Are there limitations on hole size, door material, or fire rating? Is permission from the door manufacturer required?
Today's Quick Question has come up several times lately with regard to the code requirements for hospitals, nursing homes, and similar types of facilities: What is the difference between a "corridor door" and a "smoke barrier door" in a health care occupancy?
As I have said many times before, we have a responsibility to learn from past fires and other tragedies where door openings played a role. This month is the anniversary of a fire at the Westchase Hilton Hotel in Houston, Texas, where 12 people lost their lives.
I'm going to put this Wordless Wednesday photo from Lee Frazier of Allegion in my special collection of photos to look at when I need a good cry. It was taken in a university. :(
Unless specifically exempt from the labeling requirements, each component of a fire door assembly must be labeled to show that it is acceptable for that purpose. Is the fire door label in this photo compliant with NFPA 80? WWYD?
Yesterday morning, a 10-alarm fire occurred at Brockton Hospital, a 216-bed health care facility in Massachusetts. The fire reportedly began in the main transformer room of the hospital, and approximately 160 patients were evacuated. More in today's post...
As the theme of the March issue of Door Security + Safety is talent and workforce development, my next Decoded column includes some of the code-related resources that I have shared here on iDigHardware.com.
In the year since 17 people lost their lives in a fire in the Bronx, NYC has taken steps to increase awareness of fire door safety and the importance of self-closing doors. A recent investigative report from News 12 shares more information about the current situation...
Based on the average number of fires that occur annually in multifamily residential buildings and the effects of non-compliant fire doors during past fires, I firmly believe that enforcing the annual requirements for fire door inspections will save lives.
I've said it before and I'll say it again...antique stores and thrift stores tend to be some of the worst when it comes to code-compliant door openings. This photo from Lisa Wright of Allegion is a great illustration - what purpose do these fire doors serve?
You may have to look closely at this Fixed-it Friday photo from Brian Lavallee of Doors by LAVA Inc. Have you ever seen this "creative" application in use?
If you are involved in conducting fire door inspections or educating people about fire doors, I have updated our laminated fire door inspection card and it's now available!
Don't worry...it's not actually November yet! But there's some training coming up next week that I don't want you to miss - including a couple of sessions that I'm presenting. I hope to see some of you there!
After last week's focus on fire doors for Fire Prevention Week, several people asked about altering fire doors in the field. This recent article that I wrote for Locksmith Ledger covers the requirements and limitations of NFPA 80.
Wrapping up Fire Prevention Week is our final category in the hardware set: Protect the Door. Although these are not typically the most complex components of a fire door assembly, proper product selection, installation, and maintenance are crucial.
Earlier this year, a fatal fire in a Bronx apartment building demonstrated the importance of code-compliant fire door assemblies that are closed and latched when a fire occurs. Today's post addresses NFPA 80's three categories of fire door operation.
Because fire door assemblies are such an important part of the passive fire protection system of a building, the model codes and referenced standards require fire doors to be closed and latched during a fire. Learn more in today's post.
For a fire door to close and latch reliably, it's crucial for the door to be hung properly, using architectural hinges, continuous hinges, or pivots that are correctly specified for the door size, weight, and usage.
This week I will be sharing some of the resources available on iDigHardware related to fire door assemblies, to increase awareness of the requirements of the codes and standards that help to ensure fire doors perform as designed and tested.
Remember last month when I mentioned that I might question the condition of a restaurant's kitchen based on their doors and hardware? Well, the same goes for hotels, and these Wordless Wednesday photos of my hotel's fire doors from last week's trip are a compelling example.
Back in 2016 (where does the time go??), I answered a Quick Question: Does every component of a fire door assembly have to be listed/labeled? Today's post includes some updated information found in the enhanced content for NFPA 80.
Specifiers are involved during the construction process—not throughout the life of the building, but there are many ways the choices made during the specification process can affect the durability and function of fire door assemblies for years to come.
After I posted my Decoded article about fire door clearance, I found out that Hal Kelton of DOORDATA Solutions is presenting a webinar TOMORROW (Wednesday) on how to mitigate problems with fire door gaps! Here's the info...
My next Decoded article addresses a recent study on clearances for fire door assemblies - the results of the testing may surprise you. Please share any input or questions before the article goes to print!
I get a lot of requests for training on fire door assembly inspection, and I just realized that one of my coworker Jeff Tock's sessions was recorded and made available on YouTube! You can check it out in today's post.
Last week, I received some photos of a pair of fire doors with LBR fire exit hardware installed without the auxiliary fire pin. Apparently the door manufacturer's listings did not require the pin, but the hardware listings do. WWYD?
When a good teaching tool comes along, I get really excited. Especially when the resource is shared in the mainstream media, so it's readily available to people outside of the door and hardware industry. Please share this widely.
Because of the holiday weekend and the Webinar Wednesday sessions scheduled for the first week of the month, this is a last-minute notification of the online training available TOMORROW - I hope some of you can make it!
After writing countless times about fire doors needing to close and latch, and hearing about the impact of open fire doors during a Bronx apartment fire earlier this year, seeing a stairwell fire door permanently prevented from closing is just too much.
In this Q&A feature with Facility Executive, I offer educated insight around the importance of fire doors in multifamily facilities, illustrating the impact with real-world examples, referencing codes and offering tips to facility managers to ensure compliance.
I just received this Wordless Wednesday photo from Allison Berejka of Allegion, and I'm beyond wordless. This is a stairwell fire door in a New York City apartment building, and it will serve no purpose if a fire occurs.
A while back, I posted a Quick Question about whether a missing closer cover on a fire door assembly should be noted as a deficiency during a fire door inspection. There is finally an official answer!
Today's Quick Question is a good one...When a specific requirement stated in a referenced standard is in conflict with what is allowed by the code that is referencing the standard, which requirement applies?
Webinar Wednesdays continue, along with a new Security in 30 session coming up this month! Electrified hardware, hollow metal doors and frames, fire doors, panic hardware, and a Security in 30 on some important health care research!
There are millions - yes, MILLIONS - of existing fire door assemblies that have been modified or damaged, or that have not been maintained properly. The only way to find them and fix them is to enforce the code requirements for fire door inspections. What's the hold up?
Last week, NYC Mayor Eric Adams signed an executive order that strengthens fire safety enforcement and outreach in the city. In addition, proposed city council legislation was filed that would increase penalties for non-compliant doors.
With the number of apartments in a metropolis like New York City, and the prevalence of fires in multifamily buildings, how are code officials ever going to get a handle on the non-code-compliant conditions?
Whether it's a smoking dryer in the laundry room or something more serious, fire door assemblies play a very important role in a building's fire protection system - even if most people don't realize it. Another fire door win!
I will be publishing several sets of frequently asked questions this year, with more detailed supporting articles on each topic. If you have a FAQ that you'd like to add to the list, leave it in the comment box and I will include it in a future article.
If you missed registering for any of the learning opportunities I mentioned last week, you can still access these informative sessions! Last week's presentations are available on-demand, and there are more scheduled for this week and next!
There are some great learning opportunities coming up - a two-hour webinar on fire door assemblies from Door Safety, an Allegion Security in 30 session, and an ICC panel discussion on tornado awareness...which one(s) will you attend?
There are still details that have not been released regarding the January 9th fire in a Bronx apartment building. Why didn't the apartment door and the stairwell door close and help prevent the smoke from spreading?
After an I-Team investigation, a Bronx landlord repaired fire door problems in their apartment buildings, including doors to stairwells, trash rooms, and apartments that were not self-closing. Here is a follow-up story from News 4.
I received this photo of a fire door in a hotel stairwell from Gabriel Montoya of Jansen Ornamental Supply. You might be thinking to yourself, "This doesn't leave me wordless...I see stuff like this all the time!" That's the point.
A recent fire in a Bronx apartment building is yet another reminder of the importance of code-compliant fire door assemblies and the need for enforcement of the fire door inspections mandated by current codes and standards.
As I'm working on some educational materials about fire doors for people who are not familiar with code requirements or with doors and hardware, I'm realizing that most people don't know how fire door assemblies are tested.
When it comes to fire doors, we should not rely only on the mantra, “Close the Door, Close the Door, Close the Door.” Every fire door assembly should be inspected annually – as required by current codes – and deficiencies repaired without delay.
In light of last weekend's fire in the Bronx, I am reviving this 5-year-old post. It won't be wordless, but it's an amazing illustration of the protection provided by fire doors that are closed and latched during a fire.
