This post was printed in the August 2011 issue of Doors & Hardware

Hello Readers! This is my next "Back-2-Basics" piece...if there is anything I should add/change, please leave a comment. And have a great week!

My next Decoded column for Door Security + Safety Magazine addresses the code considerations for facilities where changes are being made in order to limit the spread of germs.

Sliding doors are being specified more frequently, and it's important to understand the applicable code requirements to ensure that the mandates for egress, fire protection, and accessibility are met. In this post I have answered some of the FAQs.

Today's Quick Question: Under what circumstances does an automatic sliding door require the break out / break away feature, allowing the sliding door to swing in the direction of egress during an emergency?

My friend Nolan Thrope of Ingersoll Rand Security Technologies really knows how to make a girl cry:

Danny Estryk of Entry Systems Ltd. sent me these photos of some very early offset pivots. The wood doors and the other portion of the pivots that were attached to them are long gone, but the stone portion remains. This opening is at the Belvoir Fortress in the Jordan Valley of Israel, built by the crusaders beginning in 1168.

I've edited this article and the downloadable PDF - feel free to share it!...There is a question currently under debate in several jurisdictions across the country – should barricade devices be used to secure classroom doors during an active-shooter incident?

I'm on my way to Pittsburgh, and I hope to see some of you at the DHI conNextions conference! PLEASE come to one (or both!) of my sessions on Wednesday, or stop by the Allegion booth during exhibit hall hours!

I got this text message this morning, and alas, I'm not at the ISC West show in Las Vegas. If you're not at the show either, you can still visit the Ingersoll Rand Security Technologies booth there.