School-Related Performance Crime
Last night, my friend posted on Facebook that her daughter, a freshman in college, had received a text warning from the school that there was a creepy clown nearby...
Intro to Keying Terms (video)
Last night, my oldest daughter told me that her science assignment was to explain how inclined planes are used in keys. She had researched it, and described how the pins go into the cuts on the key...
Intro to Continuous Hinges (video)
Here's another of our latest set of whiteboard animation videos - taking it back to basics and discussing continuous hinges. If you know someone who is learning about hardware and could benefit from these "intro" videos, please share a link with them!
Intro to Electromechanical Locking Hardware (video)
Here's another of our latest group of whiteboard animation videos; this one covers electromechanical locking hardware like electric strikes, electric latch retraction panic hardware, electrified locksets, and electrified trim for panic hardware...
Controlled Egress vs. Delayed Egress (video)
For health care facilities, controlled egress can provide a greater level of safety for patients who require containment because of their clinical needs. This video explains the requirements for controlled egress and delayed egress...
Fail Secure vs. Fail Safe (video)
When working with electrified hardware it's very important to understand the difference between fail secure and fail safe products. I hope this video helps!
Stairwell Reentry (video)
I've received a lot of questions about stairwell reentry lately, so I think it's time for me to address that topic in another article for Doors & Hardware. In the meantime, here's a new whiteboard animation video about stairwell reentry!
Fire Door Win!
Kudos to the fire department, but the fire doors got some recognition too! From KCRA News...
Decoded 4 – Codes for Electrified Hardware
I am SO EXCITED that the last class in the Decoded series is finally available on-demand, so you can take all 4 classes any time - for free!
FF: Expensive (and Painful) Ride
Thank you to Estefano Pilonieta of M&D Door & Hardware, who found this on Imgur and knew it would make my day. :D
Paris Doors to Other Cities (video)
Several people have sent this video to me lately, so in case you're not one of the 10+ million people who have viewed it on Facebook, check it out! It's pretty cool.
Banned: Classroom Barricade Locks
In this age of classroom shootings, many are looking for barricade locks - a cheap and easy stopgap to bolster door security...
Decoded 2 – Fire Door Assemblies
The first 2 Decoded classes are now available on-demand! Class 1 is Intro to Codes & Accessibility, and Class 2 is on Fire Door Assemblies. They're free!
It’s not you. Bad doors are everywhere.
As a hardware consultant, there were many times that I tactfully pointed out to an architect what I thought was a door-related design problem. My advice was usually ignored unless the issue was code-related. Finally...vindication from Vox and 99% Invisible.
The Design-Bid-Build Process (video)
Here's the last whiteboard animation video in the current "Intro to Door Hardware" series...about the design-bid-build process for new construction.
Basics of Steelcraft Hollow Metal Doors (video)
Rounding out our "intro" series of whiteboard animation videos...here's an introduction to hollow metal doors. The rest of our whiteboard animation videos can be found on the Allegion Training page, or on the Videos page of iDigHardware.com. What other topics would you like to see addressed in future videos?
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.
Viral Video Follow-Up
In yesterday's post I wrote about a video on classroom barricade devices that had gone viral. In the first 36 hours or so, the video had 18 million views. 18 MILLION! Almost 600,000 people have shared the video on Facebook, and about 6,500 people have commented. This is an amazing (and somewhat disturbing) example of the power of social media...
Intro to Low-Energy Automatic Operators (video)
Do you have questions about low-energy automatic operators or the standards that apply to them? Maybe this will help...
Intro to Thresholds and Gasketing (video)
Here's a new whiteboard animation video explaining the basics of thresholds and gasketing, including the related accessibility requirements...
Intro to Codes (video)
We've been working on a new series of whiteboard animation videos...here is one of my favorites!
Decoded 1 – Introduction to Codes and Accessibility
When I take time off for the holidays, I often leave a crossword puzzle or some other activity in case you decide to check in while I'm away. This time I'm posting the first of 4 Decoded classes for you to check out while things are relatively quiet...
‘Borderline national crisis’ in fire safety, says BWF-CERTIFIRE chairman
This press release is from UK-based BWF Certifire, but the US faces the same fire door problems that are endangering building occupants every day. Kudos to BWF Certifire for raising awareness of the value of fire doors...we NEED a similar program in the US, but who is willing to take it on? Scroll down for an informative video produced by the British Woodworking Foundation...
FF: Inflate to Escape
I know...lots of videos this week. It's just a coincidence - not a new trend. I'll just leave this right here...
Closed Door Follow-Up
On Tuesday I posted some news reports about the effects of a closed door during a fire. NBC-5 has released a follow-up story on the fact that national fire safety organizations have not been including the message to sleep with your bedroom door closed in their educational materials...
Close the Door
I've been talking about this for years with regard to fire doors as well as doors in a home, but it's nice to have someone from UL back me up...
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...
Introduction to Codes
Whether we’re specifying, supplying, installing, or inspecting doors and hardware, it’s our responsibility to speak up if we see situations that we know are not code-compliant and do our best to rectify them...
Intro to Ives Hinges (video)
One more whiteboard animation in the latest series...this time on hinges!
Anatomy of a Fire Door (video)
One of my original goals when I started this blog in 2009, was to make learning about codes less painful. I think these whiteboard animation videos do just that! Here's the latest...all about fire door assemblies!
Door Closer Arm Options (video)
People ask me all the time..."What's a 'CUSH' closer?" The answer is in our latest whiteboard animation video!
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?
Flush Bolts and Coordinators (video)
I hope this whiteboard animation video helps to explain one of hardware's most confusing topics - flush bolts and coordinators!
Options for Securing Classroom Doors (video)
Here's the latest in our series of whiteboard animation videos explaining door-related topics. This one covers various options for securing classroom doors, in alignment with the guidelines from the National Association of State Fire Marshals. Enjoy and share!
Non-Code-Compliant Ingenuity
How do we help to ensure that these creative problem-solvers have the necessary information when considering a do-it-yourself approach?
Middle School Fire Contained by Closed Door
A malfunctioning power strip is getting most of the media attention for causing this fire, but Fox 13 reported that "a closed door kept the fire from spreading beyond the guidance counselors' offices, and therefore it did not reach any classrooms."
Fire and Egress Doors in the News
A fire door is being credited with keeping flames contained at a Sturgis manufacturing building...Three people were found unconscious in a stairwell filled with smoke...As Fire Chief Drake put it, the simple act of closing the door can save the lives and contents behind it...
How an LCN Door Closer Works (video)
Here is one more whiteboard animation (for now)...this one explains some of the basic operations of a door closer. All of these videos, including the ones I previously posted on panic hardware, lock functions, and door handing, can be found on the Allegion Training videos page...
FF: Fire Code Fines
This news report is a great Fixed-it Friday example of how the city of Barrie, Ontario is going to fix their fire code violations - by giving fire inspectors the ability to hand out tickets for violations on the spot. The fine for propping open fire doors? $350 each!
2 Doors – Beautiful or Average
To all of my gal-pals who read iDigHardware, I hope you choose the beautiful door. :)
Door Handing (video)
I have explained door handing hundreds of times during my career. I know some people still use the "butt-to-the-butts" method, but that doesn't work for all door openings because it doesn't take into account whether the door is inswinging or outswinging. I explained handing on this site a while back, but just to make it more fun...
Cook County pushing schools to become safer — with help of Homeland Security
This video offers some good options for school security, along with predicted outcomes of the Sandy Hook lawsuit regarding security glazing and lockable classroom doors. We need to make schools SAFE AND SECURE - these goals are not mutually exclusive.
WW: School Security in the News
The Leelanau County Sheriff's Department received $128,750 from a Michigan State Police school safety grant, and Sheriff Mike Borkovich said every penny will go toward installing a tool designed to make doors impenetrable. "I think it's very much just like a caveman picking up a gigantic rock and putting it on the front of its cave," Borkovich said. "You are not going to be able to go through that door. It buys us time."
Infant Abduction
There was an important change to the 2015 International Building Code (IBC) that could help to reduce the occurrence of child abduction from hospitals. Many maternity wards have infant abduction systems that use a sensor to activate a delayed egress lock when a baby is taken near the exit. But for some facilities, delayed egress locks may not be enough...
Lock Functions (video)
Last week I posted a couple of videos explaining some basic code requirements and terminology for panic hardware. The next videos in the series address a topic that I KNOW many architects and others struggle with (because I've personally explained it at least a thousand times) - lock functions...
Panic Hardware Basics (video)
Allegion has created several videos using the videoscribe format, including these two about panic hardware. Some of the code information in the "101" video is a bit general and I will eventually make a more in-depth video on this topic (I didn't create the videos below), but what do you think of the format?
WW: Surviving an Active Shooter
This PSA was recently released by the LA County Sheriff's Department. It is a very graphic representation of how to survive an active shooter situation. It is obviously not acceptable for use with kids, but it does show a classroom security lock used by a teacher, as well as a locked exit blocking the escape of a victim...
Video: NIST Fire Simulation
A report recently released by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) examines the fire dynamics of a house fire in Chicago, where failure of a door released hot gases and resulted in the death of a firefighter.
Video: Close the Door
Most of you know how important a door can be in preventing the spread of fire, but recent efforts are helping the general public understand the value of their doors and how to use them as a tool to save lives...
Cease Fire Door Hinge
As most of you know, I love to see creativity and innovation within the door and hardware industry, especially if it helps to increase fire prevention and life safety. I received a video this morning, introducing a product that has been developed by two retired FDNY firefighters. It is a spring hinge with a fusible link, so in normal operation it acts as a typical hinge but when exposed to heat it closes the door...