WWYD? Delayed Egress
I received this photo of a bank of doors with delayed egress panic hardware from Jim Elder of Secured Design LLC, and we got to chatting about some delayed egress questions. I'd love to hear what you think. WWYD?
One More Allegion 101 (and 4 other classes)!
I know last week I said it was the conclusion of Allegion 101 (that's what the schedule said!) but there's one more session on the calendar for this week, and there are 4 classes available on Webinar Wednesday!
WW: Cuchillo de Mesa
This dogging method was found in a Mexican restaurant, hence the post title which sounds fancy but means "table knife." :) Thanks to Dave Toloday of Allegion for sharing today's Wordless Wednesday photo!
WWYD? Stairwell Pair with Access Control (video)
I'm wondering what you think about this door opening...it's kind of an interesting one as door openings go. I have never thought about using a combination of panic hardware and a lockset with an electric strike. WWYD?
Lots of code-related classes this week!
How do you identify the products that are acceptable for use in a hurricane-prone area of the country? What's the latest on classroom security devices? How do codes define panic hardware? Find out in this week's classes!
Product Update: Von Duprin Emergency Secure Lockdown (ESL)
Several colleges and universities approached Allegion to find a solution for individual lockdown of doors with panic hardware and access control. For doors with Von Duprin QEL devices, the Emergency Secure Lockdown (ESL) feature is the answer.
Coming up this week…
Can a wave-to-open switch be used to actuate an automatic operator? Does the IBC allow any stairwell doors to be locked mechanically? What's new in codes for health care facilities? Find out in this week's classes!
WW: Down at the Shooting Range
Ben Gorton posted this photo on the page of the Facebook group called "There's no crying in hollow metal", and I just knew I had to share it (with permission) for Wordless Wednesday. This door is an emergency exit for a shooting range, and I'm #wordless.
FF: Just a few washers
Jason Albert posted this classic Fixed-it Friday fix on the Crap Locksmithing Facebook page. Seems pretty secure, no? I'm wondering why the installer didn't just mount the new device closer to the lock edge.
FF: Classroom “Exit”
Do you see what I see in these Fixed-it Friday photos? It's hard to know whether this was done to secure these doors against intruders or to prevent elopement of young students, but either way it's a problem.
WW: Covid Vaccination Site Exits
I'm sure there's some sort of explanation for this, right? Today's Wordless Wednesday photo was taken at a convention center that is currently being used as a Covid vaccination site.
FF: Hold onto those hold opens.
This elementary school fire door "fix" is one way to keep the wedges from disappearing but might be tough to explain when the fire marshal shows up for an inspection.
Distance Learning this Week
The opportunities for distance learning continue, and here's what's on the docket for this week. The recording of my fire door session from last Friday is available on-demand, along with the Q&A from the session.
Apply It: Swimming Pool – Answers
Last week I posted an exercise to help you apply some of your code knowledge by answering questions about swimming pool egress. Cheers to the few brave readers who gave it a shot!
FF: F-F-F-Freezing
When I saw this photo, I had flashbacks to all of the times architects asked me to specify doors with other materials attached to them - wood planks, decorative plates, even brick (that was a hard no). What do you think about this application?
Apply It: Swimming Pool
After Tuesday's post about a code change, several people asked me how to tell when panic hardware was required for doors serving a swimming pool enclosure. I decided to create another "Apply It" post and let you work it out.
WW: I’m at a loss for words.
I received these photos from a code official. This pair of doors serves a large assembly space, and as you can see, the doors get a fair amount of use. The original "fix" on the LHR leaf is not all that unusual, but the extension has me scratching my head.
BHMA A156.41 – Standard for Door Hardware Single Motion to Egress
BHMA A156.41 is the Standard for Door Hardware Single Motion to Egress. It describes the requirements for doors and door hardware to comply with building code and fire code requirements that mandate a single releasing motion...
QQ: Paddle Latch
Today's Quick Question: In an office building with an occupant load of 400 people, is a paddle latch code compliant for the main entrance door? Or is panic hardware required?
Change of Plans
As many of you know, I have a webinar scheduled for this Thursday, which covers the detailed requirements for delayed egress and controlled egress locking systems...
FF: Something’s Amiss
Anyone else see the problem with this Fixed-it Friday photo? Note: The photo was sent to me by an AHJ, and the situation has since been corrected.
FF: Bottom Bolt
Maybe I should go into door forensics in my retirement years (someday). I think it's so interesting to look at a door opening and try to figure out what happened.
FF: Strikeout
Harry Porosky of Integrated Openings Solutions sent me today's Fixed-it Friday photo. This looks like it's going to be a pretty expensive fix.
School Safety: Preparing for a post-pandemic world
Safe Schools Week is nearly here and we have a fantastic webinar coming up, along with 4 more sessions from our national trainers on Webinar Wednesday, and the next Security in 30!
Apply It: Mosque Exits – Answers
Here are the answers to Tuesday's real-world questions about the egress requirements for this mosque in Dubai. Read the other post first if you want to give it a try.
Apply It: Mosque Exits
It's one thing to read an article or watch a video about code requirements for doors and hardware, but how about applying what you've learned using a real project?
Code Update: Opening Force vs. Operable Force
The 2021 editions of the model codes have been modified, separating the limitations on the force used to open the door from the force used to operate the hardware.
WW: Weight-ing to Exit
Today's Wordless Wednesday photo shows a university weight room, where students allegedly "modified" the hardware so that the door would not be lockable.
FF: Veterinary Office Security Fix
It still amazes me that people with seemingly no understanding of the code requirements will make modifications to their doors that could result in injury or even death.
FF: Auditorium Fire Exit Hardware
If your fire exit hardware shows up on the job-site without the dogging feature, there's a good reason for that. Homemade dogging is not a valid fix!
WW: E for Effort
Someone really went to a lot of trouble to turn this door from "exit" to "no exit", but they missed a few things. Like checking in with the local fire marshal.
More (and More) e-Learning
I think online learning is here to stay. Which doesn't mean that we'll never see each other in person again, but there's a lot we can learn in the meantime.
FF: NFPA Dogging
Leave it to NFPA to come up with a new type of dogging that is guaranteed to keep a door with panic hardware unlocked indefinitely.
FF: Sharpie Fix
Coming in just after duct tape and WD-40 in the lineup for must-have tools to fix door-related problems...the Sharpie!
Touchless Fire Doors
Several questions were prompted by my recent webinar on touchless hardware, about the requirements addressing automatic operators and non-latching hardware on fire doors.
WW: Chain Reaction
Today's Wordless Wednesday photo shows an after-hours repair on a door that would not lock, as reported by the security department at a large university. Scary.
FF: Duct Tape Can Fix Anything
Speaking from experience, this repair method - which apparently spans across multiple industries - does not last long.
Code Update: Refrigeration Machinery Rooms
Now that you've memorized the applications that require doors with panic hardware, a change to the 2021 IBC will add a new location that requires panics.
Distance Learning this Week
This is one of my favorite weeks of the year, but maybe for a different reason than you might expect. :-)
Tomorrow is Webinar Wednesday
Our national trainers are continuing with their Webinar Wednesday series - classes are currently scheduled into August. Feel free to share this information with your colleagues.
Webinar 2 Follow-Up: Panic Hardware – When, Where, and Why?
Thank you to those who attended the live webinar last week! The webinars page has been updated with the recording, a list of resources, a short survey, and information about Webinar 3!
Last Call For Webinar 2
Many of you probably know a lot about panic hardware already, but maybe you have colleagues who could benefit from Webinar 2 which I'll be presenting this Thursday. Please share!
Webinar 2: Panic Hardware – When, Where, and Why?
My next webinar is coming up on Thursday, April 16th. The topic will be panic hardware - where it is required and the related code requirements - including the electrified options.
FF: Not. O.K.
Seriously...how does anyone justify this Fixed-it Friday "fix"? If someone tells you this was approved by the fire marshal, I wouldn't believe it.
FF: Delayed Egress Modification
You may have to zoom in and look around to see exactly what's happening in this Fixed-it Friday photo. All I have to say is...there are better ways to transfer power.
WW: Guess What Happened Here
This Wordless Wednesday photo is an unbelievable example of the abusive conditions a door might face in a school. What do you think happened here?
WW: Office Exit
It's Wordless Wednesday, and I don't know which contributes more to my wordlessness...the impeded egress, or the compromised security.
Security Sales & Integration: Cracking the Code
My recent article in Security Sales & Integration addresses panic hardware from an access control perspective.
FF: Plastic Loops
The intent of the application in today's Fixed-it Friday photos is obviously to deter the use of the doors - do you think this is code-compliant? Have you ever seen any documentation on these plastic loops?
FF: Spring-Loaded Top Latch
It's fire exit hardware, so it has to latch!