WW: Day Care “Egress”
These photos from an Alabama day care center make me nauseous. Literally. I'm Wordless.
22
07, 2015
21
07, 2015
School Courtyard Applications
I recently went on a field trip to an elementary school with Greg Thomson (Allegion specwriter) and a group of our specwriter apprentices, and we saw a couple of interesting applications in the courtyard. The courtyard is fully enclosed so a means of egress is required at each end...
20
07, 2015
Restroom Locks and Latches
I've received several photos lately of restroom doors with non-code-compliant deadbolts. Some examples of this problem could be...
17
07, 2015
FF: Wireless Actuator
Today's Fixed-it Friday photo is from Joe Cross of Allegion. This actuator mounting location does NOT meet the recommendations of the A156.19 standard...
16
07, 2015
Construction Specifier: Hazards of Traditional Wired Glass
(Note: If you're in the St. Louis area, there is a school security seminar coming up on July 22th, and there's still space if you want to attend.) Today's post: I haven't posted much about traditional wired glass lately, but the hazard continues to be present in existing schools and other facilities...
15
07, 2015
WW: Airport Egress
I've seen a lot of funky egress route restrictions in airports, but this was a first...
14
07, 2015
TD Garden, Boston
Some of you might be thinking..."Doors can't be disguised like that!" but this mural is on the access or ingress side of the door, not the egress side. The model codes require means of egress doors to be readily distinguishable and easily recognizable as doors, but this requirement is typically applied to the egress side of the door...
13
07, 2015
MFA Auditorium Egress
I often find that I am more cautious about modifying code requirements than even the AHJ. This opening is serving an Assembly occupancy, where delayed egress is not allowed by the IBC. In addition, the AHJ approved the 30-second delay instead of 15 seconds...
10
07, 2015
FF: Unfixable
Yesterday's post was not ready in time for the afternoon notification, so in addition to today's Fixed-it Friday photo, there's a bonus set of photos from the Bronx Zoo. If you're reading this on the email notification, you should see the zoo link below. Happy Friday!
10
07, 2015
Bronx Zoo
As promised in Monday's post, here are some of the doors we saw during our visit to the Bronx Zoo. Keep your camera ready during your summer vacation and send me some photos of interesting doors that you see (please)!
8
07, 2015
WW: Bungee Exit Alarm
I have nothing to say except "thank you to Grah Security for today's Wordless Wednesday photo."
7
07, 2015
FDNY and FDAI
We just got back from NYC, where we were invited to visit the FDNY fire station for Engine 320 and Ladder 167 by the developer of the Cease Fire hinge, which I wrote about last fall. The kids are working on a project to help reduce deaths in home fires, so it was a privilege to visit the station and get all of their questions answered...
5
07, 2015
Delayed Egress Timer
I checked with the ICC and NFPA for a code opinion, and both staff members acknowledged that the code does not address this specific issue, so it would be left up to the AHJ. One made a good point - the time to initiate the timer and the time to release the device should be two separate periods...
2
07, 2015
FF: Blocked Exits? Or Not?
The first response might be - there's no exit sign, so no problem, right? Wrong! While I can't say for sure that these particular doors are egress doors, using the presence of exit signs to determine whether the door is in a required means of egress is not a reliable plan. If a door has an exit sign, it needs to meet the egress requirements. And even if it doesn't have an exit sign...
1
07, 2015
WW: I See U
This Wordless Wednesday photo from John Gant of Allegion ties in with Monday's post about viewer locations. I've never seen a requirement for 3 viewers in a hotel room door, so my guess is that one of the viewers was originally installed at the wrong location and a third was added to solve the problem...
30
06, 2015
How Many School Shootings?
I read an interesting article in the Washington Post yesterday, about the statistics on school shootings. The Fact Checker column asks, "Has there been one school shooting per week since Sandy Hook?" and examines a statement made by Senator Chris Murphy during a speech on the Senate floor last week:
29
06, 2015
Viewer / Peephole Location
Whenever something is not specifically addressed in the model codes or national standards, I'm bound to get questions on it, and viewer height is one of those things. ICC A117.1 - Accessible and Usable Buildings and Facilities and the 2010 ADA Standards do not include a specific mounting height for the viewer...
26
06, 2015
FF: Automatic Flush Bolt
Jenny Pauley of Kendell Doors sent me this Fixed-it Friday photo of a non-code-compliant repair that was made because the top corner of the fire door split. This is pretty common when corner-wrap flush bolts are used, because of the amount of wood that is removed...
25
06, 2015
Schools Lack Funding to Make Security Improvements – NECN
This report gives a very good overview of what we're up against in the mission to secure schools while maintaining life safety. If funding is not available, schools will come up with their own solutions. If those solutions are not code-compliant, legislators will override the codes. This will continue to happen until another tragedy occurs. I wonder how many tragedies it will take.
24
06, 2015
WW: Exit Signs
Jeff Payton of Williams Electronics sent today's Wordless Wednesday photo. I'm the first to admit that I'm not an expert on exit signs. If you ARE an expert on exit signs, can you explain the need for the high-level sign? If only the door closer installer had taken as much pride in the installation as the conduit installer. :)
23
06, 2015
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?
22
06, 2015
Why We Don’t Have to Destroy the Fire Code to Save Lockdown, Lt. Joseph Hendry
You may remember a guest blog post from Lieutenant Joseph Hendry, who is with the Kent State University Police Department and the ALICE Training Institute. Lt. Hendry has an article in this month's Campus Safety Journal, on the challenges created by using barricade devices for classroom lockdown. Here's my favorite part...
19
06, 2015
FF: Panic Problem? No Problem!
This could definitely be a Wordless Wednesday photo, but I couldn't wait to share it so here's an excellent (terrible) Fixed-it Friday photo from Rachel Smith of Karpen Steel. Unbelievable.
17
06, 2015
WW: Stair Discharge
I don't know why it still surprises me when I see blocked exits, but the good news is we'll probably never run out of photos for Wordless Wednesday. Don't forget to send me photos of what you see during your summer vacation!
16
06, 2015
Panic Hardware on Electrical Rooms – Follow-Up
A while back, I wrote an article for Doors & Hardware about panic hardware requirements for rooms housing electrical equipment. Someone asked me recently how the voltage and amperage are determined. Do you add up the voltage or amperage of each piece of equipment and look at the total? Or is it the highest voltage/amperage of any piece of equipment that determines whether the room is over the threshold where panic hardware is required?
15
06, 2015
Ohio Barricade Bills
If you live and/or work in Ohio, it is not too late to talk to the state legislators in your district(s). If you call their offices, you may be able to talk to them directly or get an email address. The Door Security and Safety Foundation has compiled some information that might be helpful to send along with your concerns...
12
06, 2015
FF: Ohio
As many of you know, on Fridays I usually post a photo of a creative way someone has solved a door problem, which is often non-code-compliant and unsafe. If you've arrived here today looking forward to this week's Fixed-it Friday photo, I apologize because I have to write about another type of "creative problem-solver" today.
11
06, 2015
Can fire exit hardware be installed on a non-fire-rated door?
As much as I like black/white-yes/no answers, sometimes it's not that easy. This is one of those questions, and it keeps coming back. Here's the scenario...I have an exterior aluminum door serving a large Assembly occupancy, with no fire rating required. I don't need the ability to dog* the device, and I have fire exit hardware left over from a previous project. Can I install the fire exit hardware on the aluminum storefront door?
10
06, 2015
WW: Miracles (or Closed Doors?)
I have to admit, these are pretty miraculous rescues...whether it was "divine intervention," the heroic efforts of firefighters, or the closed doors (and walls) that helped to keep the victims safe. A different type of Wordless Wednesday post for this week...
9
06, 2015
School Liability and the Law of Unintended Consequences
MANY people have asked me about the potential for liability if a school chooses to secure their classroom doors using a barricade device that inhibits or deters egress. Could a school be held liable? I didn't know the answer, so we enlisted the help of an attorney to help us understand the considerations...
8
06, 2015
What happened in Ohio?
As many of you know, a public hearing with the Ohio Board of Building Standards was held last Friday. This hearing was part of an ongoing discussion about whether Ohio should allow barricade devices to be used to secure classroom doors. There was a previous hearing where invited speakers presented their views; on Friday the podium was open to anyone who had something to share with the Board. These hearings were prompted by the filing of bills in the Ohio House and Senate, summarized as:
5
06, 2015
FF: Emergency Exit Alarm
What's wrong with this Fixed-it Friday photo, sent in by David Seeley 0f Clark Security Products?
4
06, 2015
What’s a barricade device, anyway?
As I have been preparing for tomorrow's public hearing in Ohio along with members of the door and hardware industry, code officials, and others interested in the classroom barricade issue, I came to a realization: some of the people involved in this debate are not familiar with how barricade devices work...
3
06, 2015
WW: Sardine Can
It's Wordless Wednesday!
2
06, 2015
Real Openings: Mean Means of Egress
Who would have thought the readers of Doors & Hardware magazine would embrace a monthly column on the code requirements for door openings, let alone TWO monthly (or almost-monthly) columns on the topic? My friend Mark Berger of Securitech Group has given me permission to share his June column here. I don't know how he finds these openings...
1
06, 2015
WWYD? Cooler Access Control
Securing cooler doors with access control products is likely to become a more common application as facilities become increasingly automated. Without an access control system it's tough to control what is taken once the door is opened (like the coin-operated newspaper vending machines). Have any of you seen a system that works well to secure cooler doors and interface with a system like the one pictured here, where supplies are ordered online and then picked up from the cooler?
29
05, 2015
FF: Rubber Band Repair
What problem is being solved by this creative Fixed-it Friday modification?
28
05, 2015
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."
27
05, 2015
WW: Emergency Exit Only
Today's Wordless Wednesday photo came from RB Sontag of Allegion. This is a roof door (which really shouldn't be an emergency exit anyway) and I can't imagine how secure a chain wrapped around the lever would be, but if the exit is to be taken out of service they should talk to the fire marshal and change the signage...
26
05, 2015
WWYD? Noisy Mag-Locks
I know that some of you will be able to help with this question from a contractor, who has all-glass doors with direct-hold magnets making noise when the doors close and when the mag-locks engage...
22
05, 2015
FF: Bungee (Again)
The funny thing about this Fixed-it Friday photo is that it arrived on the same day from 2 different people - Steve Murray of Security Lock Distributors, and Ed Marchakitus of Cornell Storefront Systems. Thanks to both of you!
21
05, 2015
Ohio Hearing – Security Industry Association
I could use your help with my testimony for the upcoming hearing. If you were sitting in the hot seat in front of the Board, what would you say??
20
05, 2015
WW: Mullion, you’re doing it wrong.
I realized that what I was looking at was a removable mullion that was not mounted behind the doors as it was designed, but between the doors, leaving visible gaps along the lock edge of each door. The black spacers are needed...
19
05, 2015
AIA Webinar: Access Control Design
Today's post was delayed because of a computer glitch, but I want to make sure the notification reaches my subscribers asap in case any of you want to participate in this upcoming webinar offered by Allegion - AIA continuing education credit is available. Sorry for the late-night notification!
18
05, 2015
Anatomy of a Fire Door
Openings in fire-resistance-rated partitions are protected by fire door assemblies – also called opening protectives, an assembly of products which have been tested and listed for this purpose. These products may come from various manufacturers and can be listed by different test laboratories, but they work together as an important part of a building’s passive fire protection system...
15
05, 2015
FF: Latch Preventer
Today's Fixed-it Friday photo came from Paul Cernak of Allegion. It's another creatively-ingenious lockdown method that is not code-compliant. The white block is attached to the frame with a magnet. The outside lever of the active leaf is kept in the locked position, and the block prevents the door from closing completely...
14
05, 2015
Decoded: Screen Doors and Doors in a Series
Screen doors are sometimes used in commercial or institutional occupancies, where air transfer through the opening is desired. One example of this would be a door leading from a commercial kitchen to the exterior. In some areas of the country where the climate is temperate, this is a common application which consists of two doors in the same opening, one inswinging and one outswinging. It can be very difficult for people with certain disabilities...
13
05, 2015
WW: High Security
I was going to post this for Fixed-it Friday, but when I noticed the manual flush bolt installed in the face of each door, I became Wordless. This exit is serving a theater. Thank you to Dean Benson of Northern Door for the photo...
12
05, 2015
Minnesota Rationale
This document does not technically apply to facilities located outside of Minnesota, but this reasonable insight from authorities with decades of fire safety experience can not be ignored. To me, this rationale was particularly powerful given the fact that Minnesota is the location of the 2005 school shooting at Red Lake High School, where a 16-year-0ld killed 7 people and wounded 5 others. Although the classroom doors were locked...
11
05, 2015
Who wants a (FREE) code book??
The time has finally come for me to clear out my office in preparation for 3 new specwriter apprentices to join the New England SSC. I have been working from my home office for years and will be temporarily relocating (more on that later), so today is the day I clean house.