The Connecticut State's Attorney has released a report on the December 2012 shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut (full report available here). Although it details the actions of the shooter, Adam Lanza, there are still many unanswered questions.
The Canadian news networks are all abuzz with the latest code change for the city of Vancouver, Canada. As of March 2014, doorknobs will not be allowed on new construction - including single family homes. Here's where you can read all about it:
I just had an idea. I'm putting together an online code class for my coworkers, which will be available to others outside of the company next year. The way I like to teach about codes is to explain the intent behind the requirement, show examples, reference the applicable section of the code, and preferably to break up the education into small chunks so it's easier to absorb over time. The way I initially tried to learn was to read the code books and highlight the sections, but it didn't really stick with me. So many people email me to say, "I know the code says something about *this*, but where is it?"...something they have read or heard may have left an impression on them about the requirement, but it didn't settle into their brain for the long haul.
Are you interested in trying a sample of Schlage's new CO-220? Read on.
Eric Paul of Ingersoll Rand Security Technologies sent me these photos of another school lockdown product that a local school was using. The lock is kept locked, and the add-on product keeps the latchbolt retracted until there's an emergency and the teacher needs to lock the door. This product can not be used on fire doors, which need to latch. Have any of you ever seen or used this product? Comments?
Today's Fixed-It Friday photos are fabulous!! Maybe I should add another F. :)
It's been a while, so here are some of the many photos I've received from y'all...
Depending on where this door is located, this creative solution either creates a security breach, or indicates that the wrong lock function was specified. Thanks to Greg Koers of Ingersoll Rand Security Technologies for sharing!
Every school is looking for affordable ways to lock their classroom doors in an intruder situation. A group of students at Benjamin Banneker High School in Washington, D.C. have designed the "DeadStop", a device that clamps onto the door closer arm to prevent the door from being opened.
Thank you to everyone who left suggestions for the name of the new Friday series. I've settled on Fixed-it Friday! With all of the creative hardware "fixes" out there, I think this series could run until I retire (don't worry, that's not for about 20 years unless I win the lotto). If you see an FF in your travels, send me a photo!
A hodge-podge of the doors I saw while I was in Nashville for CONSTRUCT last week...
When a hardware consultant writes a specification, it’s common practice to sit down and discuss the project with the architect, at least for the more complicated jobs. The topic of lock functions seems to arise at almost all of those meetings – usually someone in the room needs a refresher on how the basic functions work. In fact, when I was teaching our specwriter apprentices a few weeks ago I said, “Don’t ask the architect if he or she wants a storeroom function lock, ask if the door should always require a key to enter.” A manufacturer’s catalog may show 50 different lock functions (or more!) and it’s difficult or impossible to remember how each function works.
Thank you to everyone who has sent me photos of doors they've seen in their travels (or while laying on the couch). Kelly Chimilar from Allmar Inc. noticed these doors with an obvious egress problem while watching Thursday Night Football. If you don't know what the problem is, I will hold a special online study session for you after work tonight. ;)
Twelve years ago I was new to the town where I currently live, and I knew almost nobody. It was hard to meet people back then - I had no kids and my husband and I both worked in other towns. My family and a bunch of my friends were still back in Vermont, where I started my career with a door and hardware distributor. My coworkers at Ingersoll Rand Security Technologies (yes, I have worked at IR for almost 19 years!!) were wonderful, but they were busy with their families (I used to babysit their kids and take care of their pets). I remember signing up for classes just to try to find some friends - cooking, roller blading, line dancing...you name it. Are you getting the picture? I was desperate to connect with someone I had something in common with.
This article was printed in the July 2013 issue of Doors & Hardware
This post was printed in the June 2013 issue of Doors & Hardware
Over the weekend I spent some time in New York with my friends, and as you can probably imagine I saw A LOT of doors of interest. Here are some of them...
Todd Pack of of the Trimble Company sent in this photo of the latest in locking technology. I was wordless when I found out how much spoon security there is out there (my favorite, spoon 1, spoon 2, spoon 3, spoon 4, spoon 5, spoon 6). And I thought spoons were for ice cream!
Paul Timm, from the independent school security consulting firm, Reta Security, appears on the PBS special The Path to Violence, which premiers tomorrow night (Wednesday, February 20th). Check your local listings to find out when to watch.
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.
I think this is the longest I've gone without posting! I hope you all had a great New Year's Eve! I figured I could get some good relaxation time in during the holiday week, then I promptly injured a ligament in my ankle, which led to a major bout of sciatica that flattened me for days. I'm hoping 2013 gets better!
Some of you will no-doubt recognize these doors if you attend a certain monthly meeting that I attend as often as I can. The meeting is held in one of several large banquet rooms in a restaurant, and they all have the same hardware installed. If anyone is NOT sure why this is a problem, read this post.
I have been struggling with this post. I can't answer the question the world wants an answer to -
In addition to beautiful doors and interesting locks, I love old architecture and the amazing photography that captures the decay of these crumbling structures. I look forward to new photo essays posted on the Kingston Lounge site, and the most recent was especially exciting because it's very close to my town and an important part of Worcester, Massachusetts history.
No, really! They do!
Here are some of the lock shops I visited while shopping for the locks in this post.
Just before I flew to Seattle for the Every Building Conference & Expo this morning, I read about a very unusual challenge being run by Schlage, coincidentally also in Seattle. With his consent, they locked a guy named Joshua in a tiny house (174 square feet), and it's up to the locals to follow clues, find the key, and set Joshua free. The first person to find the key and let Joshua out wins $5,000! There are prizes for the 10 runners up as well. I couldn't pass up the opportunity to go see this crazy guy Joshua, so it was my first stop upon arrival.
Thanks to y'all I'm never short of reader photos, and these photos leave me wordless...just in time for Wordless Wednesday!
These ALL came from Jeff Tock, one of our national trainers who spends most weeks traveling around conducting classes and sees a lot of doors in the process. Jeff will be here in New England in a few weeks conducting the "Preparing for a Fire Door Inspection" class for facilities. If you work for a hospital, school, university, or other type of facility in the area and want to make sure that you're prepared, let me know and I'll put you on the invitation list.
Whenever we're on a family road trip, we try to find cool places to stop along the way to break up the ride. Today we went to Battleship Cove, the world's largest historic naval ship exhibit. The museum is home to the destroyer USS Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr., the USS Lionfish submarine, the battleship USS Massachusetts, and several other vehicles. It's really an amazing place, and the kids loved looking at all the different rooms, many of which were set up as they would have been while the ships were occupied.
Have you ever run into one of those doors that needs access control, but for whatever reason it's almost impossible to get the wires to the lock? Maybe it's an existing door (especially if it's fire rated), or an opening set into stone or a fancy surround like the door on the left. It might be a situation where the wiring would have to be run in surface-mounted conduit, or where drilling into the walls or ceiling would create too much dust or would interrupt a busy workspace. In a health care facility, there are specific procedures that must be followed to protect the air quality for patients and staff. An exterior gate or remote door would also be a tough access control installation if the product is hard-wired.
These were sent in by Mary Hinton of Mulhaupt's Inc. Can you imagine trying to exit from this "auction house" (junk shop) in an emergency? Their front door lever needs some help too. This might have been the first signal to get back in the car and keep driving!
A couple of weeks ago one of my coworkers, Rich Conroy, took a phone call from someone with questions about open back strikes. Rich asked me to write a post that he could refer people to, and the hold-up was that I had to find a photo. Not the photo you see in a catalog (right), which usually shows the strike alone, but a photo of an open back strike in action. Try looking for one on Google Images and you'll find a few graphics of the strike by itself, some open backed shoes, and plenty of open backed dresses, but no open back strikes in action.
As of July 1st, 2011, a revised California law (AB 211, Article 8.5) requires classrooms and rooms with an occupant load of more than 5 people to be equipped with classroom security locks.* This pertains to all new construction projects submitted to the Division of the State Architect, which oversees K-12 schools and community colleges in the state of California.
I have a special place in my heart for locksmiths. Maybe it's because I've been "saved" a few times...like the time I locked myself out of my apartment in my PJs at 6 a.m. Or maybe it's because I like the mechanics of what they do. I always loved helping our in-house locksmith with masterkeying, and I've been told by an experienced locksmith that I'm a natural at shimming cylinders. How many people can say that?!
We only spent a brief segment of our road trip in Lexington, but it was long enough to spot a couple of doors of interest. Our hotel was originally a single family residence and it's on the Register of Historic Places. We checked in pretty late at night but I immediately noticed the mess they had made of the lock on their front door. Creative, yes...purty, no.
I originally published the post below in May 0f 2009, but I'm trying to gather some information so I've pulled it up to the front again. Please take a moment to answer the quick survey about lever return in your area. Thanks!Click here to take a quick survey.//
I have always loved Rocky Mountain Hardware, so when I received an invitation to visit their manufacturing facility I was really excited! Unfortunately, I don't have plans to go to Idaho any time soon, but the good news is that RMH has a video on their website that details their manufacturing process. It's almost like being there!
I saw this keypad lockset in a rest area on the Jersey Turnpike recently. Can you identify it?
I've been in the door and hardware business for a long time - almost 25 years. While I'm still passionate about the products, the industry, and our customers, there are some days when I'm not quite as excited as I once was. It's kind of like the old, "I love you but I'm not in love with you," line. I'm sure you can relate...we all have those days.
OMG - I LOVE this video. Maybe I'll get inspired to do a series of "Hardware Gal" videos. :-)
I'd love to know who did this, so I can give them a good talking-to (maybe they'll read this and track me down like the semi-concealed closer installer).
I'm still spending my Tuesday-Wednesday-Thursday nights at town meeting, so I REALLY appreciate all of the great photos that have been sent in lately.
I had a great time at the New York DHI Chapter meeting tonight! I was so impressed with the attendance, the food, and the engagement at their chapter meeting, and they are very excited about the upcoming DHI conference in NYC in October. Public speaking isn't my favorite thing to do, but they were a fabulous audience for my presentation on social media and professional networking, which made it easy for me.
Suicide is the 11th leading cause of death in the United States, with over 31,000 people taking their life annually. 1,500 suicides occur annually in hospitals (1); it is also the leading cause of death while incarcerated (2). Ligature strangulation (hanging) is the primary means used to end one’s life in these environments.
This post was printed in the March 2011 issue of Doors & Hardware
Who says hardware can't be romantic?! In honor of Valentines Day, I present to you a tradition that began in the 1980s in Pécs, Hungary (or maybe in Italy depending on which version of the story you believe), and has spread to cities across the globe. It seems that sweethearts are attaching padlocks to bridges, statues, fences, and other structures to express their love. My pragmatic side wonders whether the structures can handle the extra weight of this quantity of padlocks, and whether people go back and take their padlock off when they break up, but since it's Valentines Day I'll just let you all feel the love.
I don't get involved with residential construction very often, but a local locksmith recently asked about the use of double-cylinder deadlocks on single family homes. His position is that he will not install them, but he was looking for a code reference to back him up.
I received these photos last week and I didn't have much advice...maybe someone else does. These are classroom doors in a school for autistic children, and the extra locksets are due to the special needs of the students. The students are unable to retract both latches at the same time (if they can even reach the upper lockset). While this keeps the children in the classroom (a good thing), it also prevents egress (a bad thing).
At least once a month someone asks me whether it's ok to use a deadbolt with a thumbturn on a door that is required to be accessible. It took some digging to get a definitive answer, because the accessibility standards don't specify a certain dimension that would be acceptable for the thumbturn. The ADA guidelines and ICC A117.1 both state that hardware has to be operable without tight grasping, pinching, or twisting of the wrist, but that still leaves a lot up to interpretation.
