Recent News
Georgia school shooting: A hero emerges - Christian Science Monitor
Decoded: NFPA 80 – 2013 FDAI Changes (August 2013)
This post was printed in the August 2013 issue of Doors & Hardware
Impact of Citizen Involvement
I love it when people take action to rectify a code issue - especially when it's a door problem. Two articles landed on my desk in the last few days about just that - citizens who saw a deficiency and didn't let it drop until it got some attention. Both stories are from the UK and both involve high-rise apartment buildings - maybe Theodore Firedoor is helping to educate people about code-compliant fire doors.
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???
Reader Photos
Time to clean out the inbox! Here's the first batch:
WW: Voided Label
This photo was sent to me by Jeff Tock of Ingersoll Rand Security Technologies, who reported that there were numerous fire doors like this in the same hotel. Personally, if I did something and saw VOID, I would probably stop and consider what was causing that to happen.
Fire and Egress Doors in the News
Here are a few articles that have crossed my desk recently (and some not-so-recently but I'm cleaning house). If you find an article that you'd like to share, send it along!
WW: New and Improved Fire Door Hold-Open
It's Wednesday, and you know what that means! Another application that leaves me wordless! Jeff Tock of Ingersoll Rand Security Technologies sent me these photos of the integral stop on a door closer being used to hold the fire door open. Y'all know that's not ok - right?
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.
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...
WW: Cut it Out
Yes, this is a fire door. Anyone see a problem here?
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.
Online Code Resources
I've compiled some of the code resources I currently use, in hopes that some of them might be helpful to you. If there are other websites that you visit for code information, please leave a comment and I'll add them to the list.
Fire & Egress Doors in the News
Fire in China poultry plant kills more than 100 people - Al Jazeera (vide0)
Fire and Egress Doors in the News
I have read this first article several times and asked my codey friends for their thoughts. None of us could come up with any national building code requirement for a closer on a non-fire-rated exterior door. But then again...I try to avoid arguing with a building official. What say you?
WW: Manufacturer’s Standard Fasteners
This photo of a hospital corridor door was sent by Hyun Myung Kang. I'm pretty sure this installation doesn't comply with NFPA 80.
Fire & Egress Doors in the News
Theodore Firedoor...my hero! And I'm going to start using the word "dodgy" whenever possible. :D
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: April Fools
This article left me wordless: Fire Alarm Causes Panic in Housing Facilities
Closed Fire Door Saves the Day!
There's nothing like a fire at a television news station to make sure that it gets complete coverage. After a 2-alarm fire at News 4 WOAI in San Antonio, Fire Chief Charles Hood said that the closed 20-minute fire door saved the building.
Q&A: Continuous Hinge Retrofit
Question: I have a hollow metal fire door that is sagging due to failure of the top hinge reinforcement. Is it acceptable to remove the butt hinges and install a continuous hinge on the existing door and frame?
Solution for Oversized Undercuts
Last year as one of my projects neared completion, the architect called me to say that the bottom latches of the fire exit hardware were not long enough to reach the floor-mounted strikes. This is a pretty common problem because that clearance needs to be very tight for the latch/strike templating - sometimes as little as 1/4" between the bottom of the door and the surface where the strike is mounted.
Effects of Earthquake Damage on Fire Safety
While this test report was not heavy on door-related data, I thought some of you would enjoy reading about this groundbreaking study which looked at how a test building was affected by several simulated earthquakes, and then how the damaged building's fire safety systems performed in a series of fire tests. I found the video below fascinating:
Code-Compliant Doors: What to Look For
This article was published in the February 2013 issue of the Locksmith Ledger:
WW: Exit in Disguise, Fire Door with Accessories
Chuck Noble of Certified Fire Door sent me these Wordless Wednesday photos. At the risk of stating the obvious, exits have to be visible and can't be concealed by decorations, and items attached to a fire door must be listed for that use.
School Security Follow-Up
In the months since the tragedy at Sandy Hook School in Newtown, Connecticut, there have been renewed efforts on the part of many schools to improve their security and better protect students, staff, and visitors. While I'm very glad to see the focus on these improvements, I'm also very concerned about some well-meaning but misguided efforts that I've come across. This post is not meant as an attack on any particular product or idea, but a reminder that as we secure these facilities, we must not forget about the other codes affecting the same doors that are being addressed.
Early Christmas Present
I'm pretty sure I asked for a PAIR of boots for Christmas, but Santa must have misunderstood. I ended up with one walking boot after falling off of running fountain while trying to take the perfect photo of a door for y'all. OK...actually I stepped off a little lip in a walkway while checking into our hotel in the dark and did some ligament damage. We won't know the extent of the damage until the swelling goes down. BUT - I did get a photo.
Everywhere I Go
I recently compiled my family's annual photo book, and I found A TON of door photos in the process. Here are a few doors I've seen in my travels...
A Closed Door – The Best Ally in a Home Fire
I know I just posted some news stories a few days ago, but Zeke Wolfskehl sent another one that I have to share. It appeared in the New York Times on November 27th. Considering how difficult it is to make people understand the value of their fire doors and why they should be kept in working order, I think this article does a great job of illustrating the importance.
Fire and Egress Doors in the News
Bangladesh fire: Exit door locked - News 24
WW: Bollard Hold-Open
Yes, this is a fire door, and yes, the bollard is permanently bolted in place.
Providence School Inspections (and more)
Although the schools in Providence, Rhode Island, are supposed to be inspected by code officials annually, some had not been inspected for 10 YEARS. I wonder how many public schools are in the same boat?
Closer Pressure Equalizer
Today I was able to spend some time on the trade show floor at CoNEXTions 2012, the Door & Hardware Institute conference. It was great to see so many old friends and some new products. My pal and code aficionado, Steve Bettge, tracked me down and escorted me to a booth where there was a product that was right up my alley.
Meeting Room Pair
I'm in Tucson this week for the BHMA Fall Meeting. My husband thinks it's all fun and games, but we've been working hard on some new standards - one for ligature-resistant hardware and one for residential hardware. There's a lot more on the agenda over the next couple of days, but it's a beautiful area to have a meeting, the hotel is great, and I saw my first javelina today (I still think it was a wild boar :D).
Follow Up – UL Listings for Narrow Doors
Back in August, I posted some information about a change to the UL procedures regarding fire doors less than 32" wide. UL has just issued another bulletin, which reverses the August 2nd bulletin. There will be no special requirements for labeling doors less than 32" wide - doors can be labeled in accordance with the manufacturers' service procedures.
Fire Door Inspection – Top 10 Deficiencies
This article was originally published in the Summer 2012 issue of Life Safety Digest, a publication of the Firestop Contractors International Association (FCIA). The article has been revised slightly to reference more recent codes.
WW: Hotel Doors
How is it possible that hotels almost always have fire and egress door issues? It seems like they would get it right once, then duplicate those good applications across the chain and make sure that they're maintained. Yet hotels have been a great source of Doors Gone Wrong.
Fire and Egress Doors in the News
Free Webinar: NFPA 80, Inspection, Testing, and Maintenance of Swinging Fire Doors
WW: Measure Twice Drill 8 Times
I recently saw this closer prep on a brand-new fire door. Now what?
Filling Holes in Fire Doors
Whenever I teach a class on fire door inspection, questions always come up about holes in fire doors and how to fill them. I promised a class of 120 last fall at the Yankee Security Conference that I would write a blog post about it, but there was really no good solution, particularly for wood doors - until now.
UL Fire Doors <32" Wide
UPDATE: As of October 4, 2012, UL has reversed this directive. The bulletin can be downloaded here.
Aurora Apartment Fire Follow-Up
Earlier in the week I published a post about a fire in Aurora, Colorado. Today I ran across this news report which shows an apartment where the door was open, vs. an apartment where the door was closed. The reporter states that the doors were 2-hour rated, which is not typical, but some good publicity for fire doors regardless.
Aurora Apartment Fire
This morning I read about a fire in Aurora, Colorado, at a 4-story apartment building. The fire occurred Monday night, and it's possible that it is the result of arson. Sadly, there were two fatalities - a couple who had lived in the building since the 1970's.
Q&A: Panic Hardware vs. Fire Exit Hardware
Question: What's the difference between panic hardware and fire exit hardware? And what's an exit device?
Decoded: Fail Safe vs. Fail Secure – When and Where?
This post was printed in the August 2012 issue of Doors & Hardware
Q&A: Electric Latch Retraction on Fire Doors
Question: I was told that I couldn't use dogging on panic hardware installed on fire doors. Is it acceptable to use electric dogging?
WW: Raceway
I received this photo from Nancy Bailey of Girtman & Associates, a division of Bass Security Services. I'm guessing that the slack in the wire is so that it can be run around the outside of the glass kit. If this was a fire-rated door, would this method be acceptable?
Retail Store Entrance – Fire Doors?
If you've been reading this blog for a while, you may remember that our annual Fathers Day tradition is to go to Ogunquit, Maine, walk along the Marginal Way, do some shopping, have lunch, and then play on the beach (here are some photos from last year).