Panic Hardware

Operational Force for Hardware

The 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design, effective in March of 2012, included an unexpected change regarding the maximum allowable force to operate door hardware.  This modification to the standards was made as an "editorial change," which is typically used to address errors or make clarifications that do not affect the scope or application of the code requirements.  Editorial changes do not go through the normal code development process including committee hearings and opportunities for public comment.

By |2019-02-10T10:12:32-05:00March 27th, 2013|Accessibility, Panic Hardware|7 Comments
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WW: 5 Motions to Release the Latch

As most of you know, a required egress door must typically operate with only one motion to release the latch.  The common exception is dwelling unit entry doors in hotels and apartment buildings, which can have one additional locking device if the occupant load of the unit is 10 or less.  Take a look at this door, sent to me by Jeff Strangio of Maffey's Security Group.  Do you think you could figure out how to open it in smoky conditions?

By |2013-04-03T18:32:28-04:00March 20th, 2013|Doors Gone Wrong, Panic Hardware, Wordless Wednesday|3 Comments
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Kiss Nightclub – Santa Maria, Brazil

I woke up this morning to yet another nightclub tragedy - this time in Santa Maria, Brazil.  This fire shared common issues with many of the past nightclub fires - a high occupant load, ignition of flammable foam or decorations, no working sprinklers, insufficient or unmarked exits, and a heartbreakingly-high loss of life.  The death toll currently stands at 233.  I can't help but imagine the bodies of the young people lined up in the make-shift morgue, with their cell phones ringing and ringing as their friends and family search for them.

By |2016-03-16T10:29:52-04:00January 26th, 2013|News, Panic Hardware|13 Comments
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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).

By |2012-10-09T21:09:20-04:00October 9th, 2012|FDAI, Fire Doors, Panic Hardware|1 Comment
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Hassan II Mosque, Casablanca Morocco

I mentioned these gigantic doors in an earlier post, but I went back to see them again since we're in the neighborhood.  The mosque wasn't open for tours when we were there (the only way non-Muslims can go into a mosque), but I sent my husband in with a camera and he came back with photos of panic hardware.  He's learning!  :-)

By |2012-07-19T06:06:47-04:00July 19th, 2012|Beautiful Doors, Panic Hardware, Road Trips|2 Comments
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Von Duprin Concealed Vertical Cable Device

Fifteen+ years ago when I was answering technical support and customer service calls for the local Ingersoll Rand Security Technologies office, some of the most common complaints/questions were about concealed vertical rod exit devices.  Installers HATED them because they were difficult to install and adjust.  End users had a lot of problems maintaining them and keeping them properly adjusted, especially if they were installed by an inexperienced installer.  So my early experience with the company, and prior to that with a hardware distributor, taught me that concealed vertical rods = problems.  I developed a strong preference for removable mullions with rim panic hardware.

By |2015-09-01T20:50:11-04:00June 1st, 2012|Panic Hardware|6 Comments
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Universal Studios Orlando

When I was in Florida a couple of weeks ago for the IAPSC conference, it also happened to be school vacation week so I brought the kids along for a visit to my parents' house.  They all survived while I was in Miami Beach, so when I got back from the conference I took them to Universal Studios Islands of Adventure in Orlando.  One of our Florida specwriters, Steve King, had written the hardware spec for the new Wizarding World of Harry Potter, and I couldn't pass up the chance to check it out.

By |2012-05-04T00:35:28-04:00May 4th, 2012|Beautiful Doors, Door Closers, Doors & Frames, Panic Hardware|2 Comments
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WW: Hockey Rink Egress

I was working on a different post but that one will have to wait.  I just received these photos, it's Wordless Wednesday, and I am wordless (yes, again).  This is an exit for a hockey rink, sent in by an anonymous reader.  Hockey rinks are notoriously tough on their doors and hardware, but this "solution" makes me want to cry.

By |2012-03-19T09:29:51-04:00March 14th, 2012|Means of Egress, Panic Hardware, Wordless Wednesday|2 Comments
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More Reader Photos

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.

By |2012-03-12T23:15:43-04:00March 12th, 2012|Fire Doors, Locks & Keys, Panic Hardware, Reader Photos|2 Comments
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The Ultimate Test – Take II

Remember the old video of the various types of exit devices being run over by a fire truck?  It's a classic, and I still get the urge to watch it every so often..."I am examining the [flattened] device.  It is not working."  You could make the case that a panic device doesn't need to withstand the weight of a fire truck, but I've seen some herds of kids run out of school at the end of the day that are almost as tough.

By |2012-03-12T15:11:29-04:00March 12th, 2012|Panic Hardware, Videos|5 Comments
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Mullions…What’s not to love??

Way back in hardware school we were taught that rim panic hardware with a removable mullion is the most secure and maintenance-free application for a pair of doors.  Most facilities prefer mullions instead of vertical rod panic hardware, which can be difficult to install and to keep properly adjusted.  On the other hand, most architects request concealed vertical rod panic hardware, to avoid seeing the mullion or rods.  I think the benefits of the mullion far outweigh any aesthetic issues.

By |2018-08-13T13:59:50-04:00February 8th, 2012|Panic Hardware|9 Comments
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Edge Channels

Even though I risked being called a weirdo by my colleagues, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to try to learn more about the 5" wide edge channels that are sometimes required on fire-rated wood doors with concealed vertical rod exit devices.  When these channels show up on the jobsite without warning, architects tend to be less than pleased.  The interesting thing about these doors is that although they have the channels and fire exit hardware, there are no visible labels on the doors or frames.  It's possible that the door label is on top, although the concealed closer channels take up most of the real estate up there.  We explored ways to check the top of these super-tall doors, but it will have to remain a mystery unless we can sweet-talk our way onto the lift they use to change the lightbulbs.

By |2017-03-22T08:41:27-04:00January 25th, 2012|Fire Doors, Panic Hardware|19 Comments
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Panic Hardware Visibility

If you went to hardware school (like me), then you were taught that egress doors have to be visible and have an obvious method of operation, right?  Well, every so often the question comes up regarding visibility of panic hardware, usually because someone wants to match the finish of a Von Duprin Inpact device to the door.  Here are a couple of examples from one of my recent museum projects:

By |2019-01-04T10:26:58-05:00December 8th, 2011|Means of Egress, Panic Hardware|8 Comments
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More Museum Hardware

Last weekend I put together the annual family photo album so I could order copies for the grandparents.  Mixed in with all of the vacation photos were a ton of doors.  Someday my grown-up kids will be on the psychiatrist's couch..."My mother always took us places just so she could look for interesting doors...I'm scarred for life." :-)

By |2012-01-27T21:57:03-05:00December 2nd, 2011|Door Closers, Doors Gone Wrong, Panic Hardware|7 Comments
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Oldies But Goodies

Within one week I received two requests for help regarding old Von Duprin panic devices.  I know that somebody out there has a dusty old file cabinet with information on these products.  Ideally, we'd like to find exploded parts diagrams, installation instructions, or any other relevant information.  Anyone?  Anyone?  Bueller?

By |2012-01-27T21:57:04-05:00October 10th, 2011|Panic Hardware|6 Comments
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WW: Doubly-Safe? Or Double-Trouble?

Today's Wordless Wednesday photo was sent in by David Sochaczevski, an architect with the Soltron Group in Montreal.  David saw this door near the Stitch ride in Disney's Magic Kingdom.  At first glance this application clearly looks like a code problem, but I just couldn't imagine Disney purposely installing hardware that would require two motions to exit.  I asked Disney about it but I was told that any information about this door was proprietary.  I asked the local fire marshal and received this reply:  "Thank you for bringing this safety concern to our department.  The configuration in the picture you provided is not as it appears and the door does function according to code requiring only one motion to open the door."

By |2013-02-09T00:01:27-05:00August 31st, 2011|Means of Egress, Panic Hardware, Wordless Wednesday|15 Comments
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WWYD? – Police Station

One of my favorite job-related activities is going into a facility and helping with their hardware problems.  This week I was called into a police station to look at a door that had allowed several escapes, as well as the main entrance.  I thought it would be fun to see what you all would recommend in these situations.

By |2012-01-27T21:57:28-05:00August 25th, 2011|Electrified Hardware, Means of Egress, Panic Hardware, WWYD?|5 Comments
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Open Back Strikes

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.

By |2016-02-24T01:52:30-05:00August 11th, 2011|Locks & Keys, Panic Hardware|7 Comments
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Seaside Hotel, Tel Aviv

This is a very unusual door - stone clad and an exterior opening only about 100 feet from the ocean.  The door and panic hardware were installed by Entry Systems Ltd., the stone, mag-lock, and wood surround were added by someone else.  The photos were sent to me by Eyal Bedrik of Entry Systems Ltd., in Israel (Thanks Eyal!).  If you have any questions about this opening, just leave them in the comments section and I'm sure Eyal will be happy to fill us in.

By |2012-01-27T21:57:29-05:00July 15th, 2011|Electrified Hardware, Panic Hardware|3 Comments
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The Ultimate Test

I got a Tweet today from @GinnyPowell, who was attending a Von Duprin training.  She was surprised that the fire truck video is still around, and once she mentioned it I just had to go back and watch it again.  It's a classic!  I love the fire test engineer..."I am now checking the device..."  I wonder who came up with this idea.

By |2021-11-23T16:32:45-05:00July 12th, 2011|Panic Hardware, Videos|5 Comments
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Rainy Relay

<---  You know what that's a photo of???  Rain - torrential rain, at our Relay for Life event this weekend.  It rained on and off for most of the relay, but it was REALLY bad at night.  Even the die-hard high school kids in the campsite next to ours ended up sleeping in a friend's living room (all 24 of them!!).  Because we didn't sleep overnight in our soaking wet tent, there were a couple of hours that we didn't have someone walking the track, but I think we had people walking for more hours than any other team.  There were several hours that our team was almost alone on the track.  Yes, we're crazy!  :-)

By |2013-03-01T11:16:59-05:00June 12th, 2011|Means of Egress, Panic Hardware|4 Comments
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