You may remember that I'm working on a series of online code classes, which will be available early in 2018. To support those classes, I am updating some of my past Decoded articles to include revisions from new editions of the codes and standards. Here is the latest information regarding alterations of fire door assemblies.
I really don't know what to say about this Wordless Wednesday photo, which was sent to me by Jim Heberlein of Block Iron & Supply Company. The good news is, the doors and hardware are being replaced!
What is required when a recessed piece of hardware is to be installed in a fire barrier?
This week is National Safe Schools Week in the US, and many organizations have resources available to help improve the safety of our schools...
I don't know if this is a fire door, but it looks like it might have some sort of access-control lock. Unfortunately, convenience often prevails over fire protection and security...
For such a simple piece of hardware, protection plates installed on fire doors have caused more than their fair share of trouble, particularly in health care facilities...
Today's Wordless Wednesday photos were sent by Austin Bammann of Central Indiana Hardware. This is NOT the way I would provide security at the entrance to a school. :(
This lockset has been installed for a couple of months. The room is labeled "Acid" on the plans, and it is in a building that houses an indoor swimming pool...
The codes and standards limit the opening force for interior, non-fire-rated, manually-operated doors to 5 pounds, hence the question...
Guess what this is for. And once you figure it out, what do you think about the potential impact on free egress?
The other day I posted a video of a webinar about the clearances around fire doors and the effects of those clearances on the performance of the assembly...
I know of several fires where the fire door protected the store from a fire in the warehouse; the doors in this photo won't be providing any protection whatsoever...
NFPA recently posted the video of a webinar that answers some questions about clearances around fire door and smoke door assemblies...
For weeks, it feels like I've been waking up to bad news. Earthquakes, floods, fires, now yet another mass shooting...
Jeff Dunham of BEA sent me today's Fixed-it Friday photos. While this fire door looks pretty good at first glance, a closer look reveals someone's creative and inexpensive method of keeping the latch retracted...
The questions about stairwell reentry never seem to end. I think it's time to work on some code development proposals to add some clarity...
This video made the rounds on social media last week. I will refrain from commenting since it is Wordless Wednesday...
A couple of years ago, someone called me during the UK's Fire Door Safety Week. I remember it clearly because not too many people call me these days...
It's Fire Door Safety Week in the UK, and although we don't have an official week dedicated to fire doors in the US, I'm going to share some of the great information from the UK...
Today's Fixed-it Friday photos are from Leo Lebovits at M&D Door & Hardware. Someone had the forethought to remove the exit sign...I wonder if this was approved by the AHJ...
By now you have likely heard about the earthquake that caused property damage, injuries, and deaths in Mexico City and the state of Puebla on Tuesday. This one followed on the heels of another earthquake about a week and a half before, near the border of Mexico and Guatemala. I am fine and we didn't feel a thing, although it shook me up a bit to receive bits and pieces of the news from friends as I was trying to do a code update via webinar.
I was so excited to see this video from the Texas State Fire Marshal's office talking about egress and fire hazards, but I noticed a little problem with one of the doors. Can you find it?
In January of this year, a bill was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Representative Ted Poe of Texas. On September 7th, the House Judiciary Committee voted to advance this bill - H.R. 620...
Security bars or grilles are common on windows in many developing countries and in other areas where security is a major concern...
This makes me wonder what incident prompted the need to control which leaf is used for entrance/egress - especially on full-glass doors...
In order for a fire door assembly to perform as designed and tested, it's critical for the door to be closed and latched if/when a fire occurs...
Thank you to Curtis Meskus for these Wordless Wednesday photos. This pair leads to a storage room in a motel. I have a feeling these will show up in one of my nightmares sometime soon.
Have you seen the new website from the Door Security & Safety Foundation - LockDontBlock.org?
This morning I was reading an article about an exit problem at the Mineta San Jose International Airport in California...
What led to this "fix"? Any theories?
NFPA 80 – Standard for Fire Doors and Other Opening Protectives, classifies openings protected by fire door assemblies in one of five categories...
Derrick Riding sent me today's Wordless Wednesday photo of a hold-open device on a fire door (note the painted label)...
On Thursday, September 14th, Allegion will be offering a free 1-hour webinar on access control hardware - at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Eastern.
This post has a lot going on. First, since it's Fixed-it Friday and I don't want to disappoint anyone, here's a photo from Bill Stock of Johnson Hardware...
There are a couple of great resources for finding out more information about the state code requirements as well as the model codes and referenced standards.
I give up. Not really. I will never give up.
An iDigHardware reader needs your help identifying this lock! Any ideas?
I answered this question a couple of years ago as part of a longer post, but people continue to ask so here goes... "How much clearance do the accessibility standards require behind a door pull?"
Wrapping up my summer road trip through Guatemala, here are a few Fixed-it Friday photos - and a question.
I was contacted last week by a door and hardware distributor who has provided fire door assemblies with hollow metal frames and wood doors on a hospital project...
Continuing with the Guatemalan theme (until tomorrow when I have a fire door question for you), I encountered this in a public restroom...
As I promised yesterday, here are a few doors from my recent trip to Guatemala. We saw so many amazing doors - big ones, small ones, ornate doors and utilitarian doors, lots of wicket doors, cool door knockers and other hardware...
You may or may not have noticed, I have been on vacation with my kids in Guatemala for the last 2 weeks. I wrote all of my blog posts and articles before I left...
This is not the intended use of this device. Anyone know what it's for?
Have you ever noticed a sign stating the maximum occupant load of a room? How about a sign stating that the maximum occupant load is 49 people? I've seen several signs stating the 49-person limit, and I recently received a question that made me ponder this...
I. Have. No. Words.
In yesterday's post, I wrote about power-assist operators to clarify that these are not the same as low-energy automatic operators. This 2-part question arose from a misconception that "power-assist" is the same thing as "Push 'N Go."
This is Part 1 of a 2-part question, so check tomorrow's post for Part 2. First, I'd like to clarify what defines a power-assist operator...
In the case shown in today's Fixed-it Friday photo, a retail store has implemented this creative hold-open because of an assault that occurred in their public restroom...
Without proper planning, parking garages can present security and life-safety challenges. People who are authorized to use the parking area – or unauthorized people who are able to enter an open parking garage – may attempt to gain access to other floors of the building...
