QQ: Signage on Fire Door Frames
Does NFPA 80 allow small signs on fire door frames? Are there limitations on the size, material, and method of attachment?
Door Loops / Door Cords for Fire Door Assemblies
One of the most frequently-cited products seems to be the door loop or door cord. In order to address this problem, Schlage series 788 and 789 armored door cords are now classified by UL to UL 10C, and are acceptable for use on fire door assemblies.
WWYD? How can we help UL spread their message?
You have all heard me talk about how important it is to sleep with your bedroom door closed at night - to benefit from the protection provided by a closed door. I've been writing about fire doors on iDigHardware for 9 YEARS(!), trying to inform as many people as possible about the purpose of fire doors, why they need to be closed and latched when a fire occurs, and what is involved with an annual fire door inspection.
WWYD? 5th/6th Screw in Closer Shoe
Should "missing" screws in a parallel-arm shoe be cited as a deficiency during a fire door inspection?
QQ: Empty Tab Slots
The increased enforcement of the inspection requirements for fire door assemblies has brought some pretty intense scrutiny upon the various components. In some cases we're finding that NFPA 80 and the model codes don't currently address the fine details of how these assemblies are tested and constructed.
WWYD? Fire Door Assembly Inspection
The extended deadline has now passed. Facilities that receive funding from Medicare and/or Medicaid must have fire door assembly inspections conducted annually and documented, with any deficiencies repaired "without delay."
I-Team: Fire-Rated, Self-Closing Door Was Required in Bronx Apartment Where Inferno Started
I suspect that many of you already know what the topic of today's post will be; many readers sent me links to news reports on last week's fire in a Bronx apartment building.
Specifying Zombie-Resistant Door Openings (Update)
While ensuring code-compliance, of course!
Decoded: Alterations to Fire Door Assemblies
You may remember that I'm working on a series of online code classes, which will be available early in 2018. To support those classes, I am updating some of my past Decoded articles to include revisions from new editions of the codes and standards. Here is the latest information regarding alterations of fire door assemblies.
Fire Door Clearances – Webinar Notes
The other day I posted a video of a webinar about the clearances around fire doors and the effects of those clearances on the performance of the assembly...
WW: Furniture Store
I know of several fires where the fire door protected the store from a fire in the warehouse; the doors in this photo won't be providing any protection whatsoever...
NFPA Webinar: Influence of gap size around swinging doors on fire and smoke development
NFPA recently posted the video of a webinar that answers some questions about clearances around fire door and smoke door assemblies...
WWYD? Fire Door Safety Week
A couple of years ago, someone called me during the UK's Fire Door Safety Week. I remember it clearly because not too many people call me these days...
Fire Door Video
It's Fire Door Safety Week in the UK, and although we don't have an official week dedicated to fire doors in the US, I'm going to share some of the great information from the UK...
Fire Door Latching
In order for a fire door assembly to perform as designed and tested, it's critical for the door to be closed and latched if/when a fire occurs...
Decoded: Fire Door Assembly Classifications
NFPA 80 – Standard for Fire Doors and Other Opening Protectives, classifies openings protected by fire door assemblies in one of five categories...
WWYD? Measuring Clearance
I was contacted last week by a door and hardware distributor who has provided fire door assemblies with hollow metal frames and wood doors on a hospital project...
Decoded: Securing Parking Garages (September 2017)
Without proper planning, parking garages can present security and life-safety challenges. People who are authorized to use the parking area – or unauthorized people who are able to enter an open parking garage – may attempt to gain access to other floors of the building...
Grenfell Tower Fire, London
While the exterior cladding on the building is being investigated for its contribution to the blaze, there are also news reports where witnesses are quoted as saying that the door leading to the apartment of fire origin was left open. This undoubtedly impacted the egress routes...
FF: Count the Fire Door Problems
Even if this jurisdiction is not yet enforcing fire door assembly inspections for schools, the school is required to keep their fire doors code-compliant and to repair them in a manner that is acceptable to NFPA 80...
WW: Double Labels
Can someone explain this please?
QQ/WWYD? Excessive Clearance on Fire Doors
The rapidly-approaching deadline for fire door inspections in health care facilities is resulting in LOTS of questions about fire door assemblies. The most FAQ in the last few weeks has been...
WWYD? Bottom Gap on Fire-Rated Frames
The application is in a building where the floors are out of level, and the fire door frames are installed with one jamb flush with the floor, leaving the other jamb with a gap...
QQ: Gasketing Requirements of NFPA 101
Which door openings are required to have gasketing, according to NFPA 101 - The Life Safety Code?
WW: Screwed
This Wordless Wednesday photo is from the newly-deputized Joe Cross of Allegion. I have no words...at least no words that would be allowed on a corporate website...
QQ: Does the Joint Commission require fire door inspectors to be certified?
I have received several calls from people who are interested in becoming fire door inspectors or who are wondering if an inspection by their in-house staff is acceptable to the Joint Commission...
QQ: Can fire exit hardware be installed on a non-fire-rated door?
What if a facility locksmith has fire exit hardware on the shelf and considers installing it on a non-fire-rated door? Or maybe a fire door is no longer needed...
Fire Door Inspection Checklist
A long, long time ago, I created a fire door inspection checklist; it was even published in a book. Given the new requirements for health care facilities...
Another Fire Door Win!
Readers often ask me to share photos of fire door assemblies that have helped to prevent a fire from spreading. I just received the photos below...
Cross-Corridor Pair Follow-Up
So far, there are 20 comments on the Fixed-it Friday post from last week, so I think a follow-up is in order...
FF: Cross-Corridor Pair
Today's Fixed-it Friday photo came from Revelation Door Inspections. This is a pair of fire doors in a university education building. See any problems?
In the News…
A code inspector in Schenectady, New York has been indicted along with the building manager, in connection with a 2015 apartment fire that resulted in 4 fatalities...
Fire Door Inspection App
About 5 years ago I was in a large hospital that had just spent thousands of dollars (probably tens of thousands) to have a "pre-Joint-Commission inspection" done...
Arson at Westlake Apartments
This fire was also mentioned in a report called Selected Published Incidents Involving Fire Doors, which was compiled for me by NFPA's One Stop Data Shop back in 2009...
Fire Door Inspection Training
I get calls every week about training on fire door inspections - how and where to learn more. I just read that NFPA and DSSF are teaming up to provide 1-day training sessions...
WW: Delayed Egress Mag-Lock
With the recent adoption of NFPA 101-2012 by CMS, the annual inspection of fire door assemblies has become a top priority for many health care facilities...
Open Fire Door = Insurance Won’t Pay?
If insurance companies stop paying claims because of fire door assemblies that are not properly maintained, or because a fire door was not closed and latched when the fire occurred, fire doors are going to start getting a lot more attention...
FF: Stairs
I am often asked to provide "proof" that this type of repair is unacceptable. Often the most direct route to find that evidence is to ask...
QQ: Does every component of a fire door assembly have to be listed/labeled?
At least once a week someone asks me whether each and every component of a fire door assembly has to be listed or labeled...
FDAI in the News
I have several Google News alerts set, so every day I receive a few emails with lists of articles that might be interesting to the readers of iDigHardware. There was one on today's list about fire door inspection...
FF: NOT Fire Door
Today's Fixed-it Friday post includes a serious question for all of you to ponder. I'll get to it in a minute. First...I received the photos below from a code official...
WW: Trouble in Texarkana
I am writing this blog post from a hotel in Texarkana, Arkansas, where I saw the Wordless Wednesday door in the photos below. I hope that by the time you read this post I will be back on the road. Fingers crossed!
WW: Kick-Down Stops
Nathan Burkhardt of Opening Technologies sent me this Wordless Wednesday photo of the kick-down stops (holders) they removed from the fire doors on one of their projects. Wow.
WW: Fire Door Inspection
John Lozano of Allegion sent me these photos from a recent class on fire door inspection. What problems do you see on this pair of fire doors in a health care facility?
Landlord Jailed for Door Failure
Jay Liptrot is a Wales landlord, and ironically - a firefighter, who failed to install a fire door assembly to protect an apartment where 2 adults and 3 children died in a tragic act of arson. Although he was originally charged with manslaughter, his charge was reduced and he was convicted and sentenced to 15 months in prison...
Fire Door Inspection Cards
A few months ago I posted some images of a new educational piece on fire door inspections. When I was in Carmel last month I saw one in person, and I think they're great! They're hard laminated cards - about 4 inches wide and 12 inches long. We have some in stock...
Field Labeling of Fire Doors and Frames
With increased enforcement of the fire door assembly inspection requirements, deficiencies will no longer be ignored. When an AHJ sees non-labeled doors or frames in a location where a fire door assembly is required, it may be an indicator of other problems with the opening protective. In the past, there were limited options...
Fire Door Safety Week
It’s Fire Door Safety Week in the UK, and I can’t help but wonder why the US is so far behind in educating the public about the value of fire doors. It’s a shame, really.
Anatomy of a Fire Door (video)
One of my original goals when I started this blog in 2009, was to make learning about codes less painful. I think these whiteboard animation videos do just that! Here's the latest...all about fire door assemblies!
FDNY and FDAI
We just got back from NYC, where we were invited to visit the FDNY fire station for Engine 320 and Ladder 167 by the developer of the Cease Fire hinge, which I wrote about last fall. The kids are working on a project to help reduce deaths in home fires, so it was a privilege to visit the station and get all of their questions answered...