WW: Double-Bar Security Device
Daniel Cannon of Allegion sent me these Wordless Wednesday photos of the back door of a restaurant. What say you?
FF: Scheduled Dogging?
I received this photo from Scott Aikenhead - Tech Support for Allegion Canada. I've never seen anything like this and all I can think of is that this contraption is dogging and undogging the panic hardware on a timer...
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...
WW: Instructional Signage
This Wordless Wednesday photo came from Dustin Elam of the Santa Ana Unified School District. Dustin's not responsible for the instructional signage. :D
FF: Dogging Clamps
Not to name-drop, but when the executive leadership team starts noticing and sharing oddball hardware applications, it warms my heart. :D
WW: Thankful
GR Zechman of Allegion sent me this photo, after trying to exit through this door and stopping to investigate why the door wouldn't open. As I told GR, this photo literally brought tears to my eyes...
WW: Don’t Panic
The panic hardware isn't a code violation but it has me scratching my head from a security standpoint. Any theories about why this happened?
QQ: Can panic hardware be installed on a door that doesn’t lead to an exit?
In almost all cases, panic hardware is used on doors which are in the path of egress that eventually leads to the exit discharge. But - is it acceptable to install panic hardware on inswinging doors?
WW: Screwed
I am going to remain Wordless about these photos, except to say THANK YOU to Brett Africk of CBORD, who not only sent me a batch of photos of an opening he saw during a recent hotel stay, but also went BACK...
“Do I need panic hardware here?”
This is THE most frequently-asked question that I receive. A specifier, supplier, architect, or end user has a retail, multi-family, office building, or other type of facility, and they want to know whether the exterior, stairwell, or emergency-exit doors need panic hardware...
FF: Padlocked Panics
Leo Lebovits of M&D Door & Hardware sent me these photos from his summer vacation...this is a particularly egregious situation - very scary.
WW: Tunnel Vision
Steve Murray from Security Lock Distributors sent me these Wordless Wednesday photos...see any issues?
FF: Access Control Gone Wrong
This is the perfect image to reinforce why it's so important to coordinate the electrified hardware / access control in advance. I have to admit - I learned this lesson the hard way...
WW: Double Trouble
Dave Carter of Allegion sent me today's Wordless Wednesday photo - taken in a restaurant. You might be thinking, "Maybe this isn't a required exit..."
FF: Two Bars Are Better Than One?
A while back, I posted some photos of a door that had panic hardware along with several stationary push bars. Although the model codes don't specifically address this application, I don't think it's acceptable...
FF: Custom Dogging
I received this photo from Tabor Stride of Commercial Door Company...at least it doesn't appear to be a fire door!
WW: High School Gym Exit
These were taken DURING a high school basketball game. Thank you to John Borchmann of Allied Building Products for this week's Wordless Wednesday photos.
Fire Exit Hardware – Under Fire
I received a question recently about testing of fire exit hardware - when panic hardware is tested for use on fire doors, is it mounted on the fire side (facing the furnace) or the non-fire-side of the door?
FF: Hinge Side Latch
For 6 more days, we're celebrating the exciting milestones recently achieved by iDigHardware and giving away one $100 Amazon gift card each day! Visit iDigHardware.com/celebrate to find out how to enter today's drawing, or click here to read about why we're celebrating!
FF: Dutch Door Modification
This Wordless Wednesday photo from Paul Shaaf and Kevin Lach of Twin City Hardware is a first for me. And after 7+ years of writing this blog, I don't say that very often. Enjoy.
WW: Double Egress?
This Wordless Wednesday photo from Scott Straton of Allegion shows not just an exit that requires two operations to release the latch...the operations must be performed simultaneously! NOOOO!!!
FF: Custom Dogging Mechanism
From a code perspective, there's nothing wrong with today's Fixed-it Friday photo, sent to me by Jim Jennings of Oregon Lock. It's not a fire door, so mechanical dogging isn't a problem. It is, however...
WW: Emergency Exit Only
Anyone see a problem with this Wordless Wednesday photo sent in by Art of Doors?
WW: Cross-Corridor Door
Brian Lane of Allegion sent in the photos below (via Deputy Jeff Tock). This is a cross-corridor door in a health care facility. The wall behind the door MUST be temporary, but wow...
Oldest Panic Hardware Ever?
Deb Henson of DH Consulting sent me these photos of some REALLY old panic hardware. These doors were spotted at a home show, and were originally installed on a YMCA in Laurel, Mississippi, built in 1904. Do they look familiar to anyone?
WW: Were you raised in a barn?
This Wordless Wednesday photo could have easily been a Fixed-it Friday photo, but since this "fix" is on an occupied Assembly space, it left me Wordless. Thank you to Dave Ilardi of Allegion for sending me photos from the family vacation. :D
FF: Duct Tape Again
While I was at the BHMA meeting this week, my dinner companions pulled out their phones to compare photos of bad hardware and code problems (yes, this is the fun stuff we do at these meetings). Tim Weller of Allegion had these Fixed-it Friday photos...
FF: Skewed
Today's Fixed-it Friday photo is not an April Fool's Day joke, the result of a bad camera angle, or an image that has been Photoshopped. The doors are skewed to the left, and it looks like the floor is sloped. The hardware is horizontal, as is the graphic on the wall...
FF: Egress Deterrent
This photo was taken at a VERY well-known theme park which does a great job with their door-related code-compliance, and is frequently inspected by the local code officials. The black part of this chain looks like it might be a magnet...
Decoded: Change to BHMA Standard for Exit Devices
BHMA is required by ANSI to update and review each of the product standards every 5 years, and an important change was made to ANSI/BHMA A156.3 when it was last revised in 2014. The standard now requires cycle tests for Grade 1 exit devices to include preloading...
FF: Bottom Latch
Oh dear. Must be electric latch retraction. :D
FF: Day Care Stair
This Fixed-it Friday photo could easily cross over into Wordless Wednesday territory...a fire-rated stairwell door in a day care center, where the installer obviously had an accident that he didn't think was important enough to address...
WWYD? Existing Fire Door – New Access Control
This question comes up quite often, so I hope some of you have insight to share. In the words of my old friend Waller Elliott, "Picture this: You have an existing stairwell door (single), with a 90-minute fire rating..."
Types of Panic Hardware (video)
Just when you thought there couldn't possibly be enough to know about panic hardware for another whiteboard animation video...here's one that talks about the different types of panics available and why you might choose one over another.
FF: Enter in 15 Seconds
I guess this application would work if there wasn't a real need for security, but if someone is able to press the touchpad from outside the gate, they will be able to enter the secure area after waiting 15 seconds. It's a lot of money to spend for security that can be so easily defeated. I'll give them credit for installing the signage though!
WW: Panic Problem
Sometimes I wonder if y'all are creating these Wordless Wednesday and Fixed-it Friday photos just so you can get famous. :)
WW: Happy Thanksgiving!
I hope you all have a very happy Thanksgiving with friends and family!
FF: Wrong Hand?
What is happening in this Fixed-it Friday photo sent to me by Daniel Cannon of Allegion? If the lever has to be turned up instead of down because it's the wrong hand, shouldn't the sign be on the other side of the door? Or...maybe someone could just make it right?
WW: Classic on Ice
Today's Wordless Wednesday photo, sent to me by Aaron Owens of Allegion, is not an unusual code violation. The location is what leaves me wordless - an NHL hockey arena...
WWYD? Multiple Crossbars
Today's question...is it code-compliant to have panic hardware along with additional stationary horizontal push-bars?
Panic Hardware Styles and Types
Whether panic hardware is required by code or specified for increased security and ease of use, there are three basic styles and four types that are commonly used...
FF Follow-Up
Last week's Fixed-it Friday photo has raised some questions about the best way to handle an unequal pair...a) Do both leaves of a pair require panic hardware?...
FF: Unequal Leaf Pair
This is not how I would have specified the hardware for this unequal leaf pair. I think the panic hardware on the small leaf actually results in an opening that is less safe, because the removable mullion makes the small leaf difficult or impossible to use...
FF: Bodega Emergency Exit
We still do almost all of our shopping in the small tiendas and larger mercados, but last weekend I saw this door at la bodega. At first glance I saw the sign and thought it had a delayed egress lock...
Construction Specifier: Understanding Code Requirements for Panic Hardware
This article is currently posted on ConstructionSpecifier.com...The question, “When is panic hardware required by code?” is one that many specifiers continue to struggle with because there isn't a simple answer to this seemingly simple question...
WW: Down at the Mini-Mart
Chris Ostwinkle from DH Pace sent me today's Wordless Wednesday photo. The bar above the panic limits the degree of opening, which may have contributed to the closer issues. And in case you missed it...that's a double-cylinder deadbolt above the panic, in addition to the slide bolt. :(
WW: Not So Fast
Seriously...this Wordless Wednesday photo makes me want to cry. Posted with the permission of Ron Burgess Jr. of the Westport Fire Department (originally posted on the Truck Floor Training Facebook page).
FF: Double-Egress Pairs
You may have to look at these for a few minutes to get the gist of what's happening. These are double-egress pairs in a hotel I stayed in recently. Instead of using a double-egress frame so the doors were in the same plane, each door was mounted on the opposite side of a double-rabbet frame...
WW: Locked After-Hours
What I want to know is...why do some people think it's ok to use these locks after-hours, when the building is unoccupied? I don't see anything in the codes to support that, but it seems to be a common belief. Am I missing something?
Where is Panic Hardware Required by Code? (video)
This is one of the most common questions I receive...do you know when and where panic hardware is required?