This is the only door leading to a small auditorium located in the children's section of the local library. I don't have a problem with the castle theme, since this is the outside of the door. Anyone see the issue?
This presentation - WN@TL - School Safety in America: Rhetoric vs Reality - David Perrodin - is well worth a listen. It supports the concerns about classroom barricade devices and school security decision-making.
Why are the security measures in these two school districts so different? In your opinion, what are the most important physical security measures for schools to implement?
Today's Fixed-it Friday photos were sent in by Colin Watson of Allegion. I'm sure some of you must have theories on why this storage closet opening was detailed this way. I can't wait to hear them!
The first step in improving fire door safety is identifying the problems that are consistently seen in the field. How can the industry help improve the durability and performance of opening protectives?
Steve Griffis of Federal Lock and Safe sent me today's Wordless Wednesday photos. There's not much else I can say. How about you? #wordless
I know there is someone out there reading this who can tell me more about this type of cylinder. How does it work? What's the purpose? WWYD?
Here's a heads-up going out to all of the detailers, architects, and door manufacturers out there...double-check the vision light locations for classroom doors.
Pat Filholm of All Secure Inc. sent me today's Fixed-it Friday photos. "If it ain't broke, don't fix it," I always say, but luckily in this case Pat will be upgrading their security.
Wilson County Schools: “We don’t use barricaded door hardware,” Wilson County Director of Safety Steve Spencer said. “The reason is...
What is this exit sign in a convention center trying to tell us? Which way is the exit? I'd love to hear your theories, because I don't have any.
Regarding an existing fire door assembly - the door has a fire label but the frame does not. Is the frame required to have a label?
This post links to valuable information from NFPA about life safety requirements for escape rooms and other special amusement buildings, along with proposed code changes.
Yesterday I posted a Fixed-it Friday photo even though it was Thursday, but don't worry! I saved up some FF photos during my trip to Italy, and I'm sharing them all today!
I know...things look different, but everything should be in its usual place. If not, let me know and I'll do what I can to make this a painless change!
Check out this Wordless Wednesday application from our hotel in Milan. This could end badly if there is ever a fire within this area which has a handful of hotel rooms.
Continuing on the theme of Italian hotels (spoiler alert - there's another one tomorrow), what do you think of this lock on our hotel room in Montecatini?
What do you think of doors and frames that are flush with the corridor wall on the push side? I like the clean look, but the door-operating part of my brain was not a fan.
Here it is - my favorite Fixed-it Friday photo of all time (so far)! If you have any interesting door photos from your summer vacation, I'd love to see them!
The most popular post on iDigHardware in the last 10 years is an article that isn't even about doors or hardware. That may be the reason for it's popularity.
This is one of the most egregious examples of a non-code-compliant egress modification that I've ever seen, and yes, it was in a school.
I don't think it's a coincidence that panic hardware was one of the reasons I started learning about codes in the first place.
Answers to questions about smoke door labels, closers, latches, and gasketing AND...in a labor of love, I have updated the references in the article to include the 2018 IBC. You're welcome. :D
Many of my Fixed-it Friday posts show creative attempts at what-not-to-do, so as #6 in the Top-10 series I wanted to highlight another type of Fixed-it Friday post.
In this article, I covered not only how fail safe and fail secure electrified hardware products operate, but which type would commonly be used in various types of systems.
This Wordless Wednesday photo is one of my favorites because it was part of the early inspiration for a topic that has become an important part of my work - the protection offered by a closed door.
For wide-throw hinges on a door that swings 180 degrees, where 2 inches of clearance is required behind the door to accommodate the trim, what is the required hinge width?
If you're wondering whether you need to read this article, ask yourself this question: Are the doors in the photo compliant with the flush bottom rail requirement?
In honor of the 10th anniversary of this site (and to celebrate my oldest daughter's graduation), I have escaped to Italy. Do not panic...
This Fixed-it Friday modification must be against the law in the US, but just about anything goes in Mexico.
The day has finally arrived. The updated Allegion Code Reference Guide is ready - 40 pages of code information that you can download for free!
Do you see what I see? THIS is why temporary locking devices should not be approved for doors serving a means of egress. They often become permanent locking devices!
Will this screen door latch keep out a school shooter? Or maybe two would be sufficient? Hopefully we'll never have to find out.
We know we should close the bedroom door before we go to sleep ("Close Before You Doze"), but it doesn't always happen.
I'm off for the holiday weekend and I hope you are too! Next week I'll have a long-awaited gift for you all! Be safe, and Close Before You Doze!
Much of the work to replace deficient fire doors in London residential blocks has not been completed, so one man decided to take matters into his own hands to prove a point. Don't do this.
This video from Bowling Green State University gives some good background on the ALICE program and on the university's emergency response protocols. Check it out and let me know what you think.
'Enquiring' minds want to know...what was this used for? It's in the closet of an apartment building built in 1919, in St. Paul, Minnesota.
This is an egress door serving a stadium. Someone "fixed-it" from a security standpoint, but what about egress? This requires a key AND special knowledge and effort!
An architect is interested in specifying a sliding fire door assembly for a project, but I see that the product is listed to UL 10B. I thought fire doors were required to be listed to UL 10C?
This is not a typical Wordless Wednesday post. In fact, there are a lot of words, but this is an important topic. If this can happen in Massachusetts, it can happen anywhere.
Should the model codes be modified to require immediate egress through doors with delayed egress locks during emergencies other than fires?
A change to the 2018 edition of the International Building Code (IBC) and the International Fire Code (IFC) helps to establish the intent of these codes with regard to roof doors.
Today's Fixed-it Friday photo is from Nolan Thrope of Allegion. What's the old saying..."necessity is the mother of invention"?
How do you provide the required standby power for an automatic operator if there isn't building-wide backup power? WWYD?
This is a different kind of Wordless Wednesday photo - what a cool door! WOW!
If a school is equipped with security cameras and access control on the main entrance, it's just one more step to allow law enforcement to remotely unlock the doors for emergency response.
In recent months, the PASS guidelines have been recognized by several state and federal organizations aiming to improve school safety and security. Read more about it in today's post.
This door - yes, with panic hardware - is on a restroom in Italy. The non-code-compliant hook modification solves the privacy problem. :|
My man-behind-the-curtain (web guy - Robert Drake from Creekside) told me recently that iDigHardware is the "old lady" among his clients. It's time for the old lady to get a facelift!
