Fire Exit Cliche

Another deadbolt over an exit device on the back of a banquet room.   (Another pair along the same wall had two vertical rod devices LBR with no deadbolts. However, they did not latch!)

This is almost cliche it is so common. So I should point out something 'unique' here.  They did not seem to attend to finish. The brass plates are tarnished but the exit could  have been in brass and it would eventually look about the same. Well, the grey looks bad and cheap. However, it would be fire rated.  I did not open the doors to see if that opening is fire rated but I have to assume it is since I know they exit into a supply hall as they do not exit to outside and this room could seat over 100 for a meal.

I know some will see the naked LCN 4041 and gasp too. While ugly that is hardly a fire exit problem.  If you look on the left, you can see the alcove for the matching pair of this double egress set. 

And this is a detail of the door in the alcove.  It too has a deadbolt over the exit but that is out of frame on this shot. What you are seeing is a knob prep with the back of the exit device head visible. I am assuming the sex nuts are used to hold the device on this metal door. If I am right, this door was fire rated, leaving the hole is both ugly and a compliance issue.  I would welcome thought on whether a fire label would still be valid had the modification included a riveted plate to seal that hole.  Done in brass, it could 'hide' much better.

I have chosen to not comment on the security of this arrangement but that could be a whole different blog posting.


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The contents of this post are released for non-profit or educational use in whole or in part provided this statement and the attribution below are kept attached. And remember, keep your follower on the plug.

Laux Myth ... Thoughts From a Locksmith
By MartinB, Found @ http://lauxmyth.blogspot.com/

"WE are improving the skills YOU have"

I was at a trade show today and had the chance to meet and chat with a product rep. The details matter little except to say he coaches sports locally for a wide range of children and his thoughts basically agree with mine.  On the drive home, it reminded me of a few ideas.

I was once in sporting goods store putting in a master key system. I was working in an office while a supervisor was commenting on the performance of staff member to the manager.  The talk boiled down to this staff member needing more training.  (I do not listen in on the conversations of my clients but if they say I can work on the door and then talk such that I can not help but here, what am I to do??)  I had known this manager when he worked at another business and chose to comment on this.

Of all the store types out there, you should appreciate the staff member needs coaching and not training.  We know as teachers how student or anybody reacts to that dynamic.  "I am the teacher with my special knowledge and skills and I will give you them as is. Right now, you know none of this."  It is not usually true but it is all too easy to set up this as the attitude you project with training and it is easy for the recipient to hear it even if not said.  Teaching in not a bad word but it builds a wall.

Coaching is much better in emotional tone.  It starts by saying WE are improving the skills YOU have.

And you learn by just reframing the words you use at times. At that chat, the manager agreed it would be helpful. He never committed to doing just that but I hope he did. I started to speak of coaching when I had a client who could just not dial open a safe combination or some other task I knew.  I found the word has power but only as long as you approach the situation like a coach.

You acknowledge the other person has some knowledge and some skills.
Your are there to find ways for that person to improve.

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The contents of this post are released for non-profit or educational use in whole or in part provided this statement and the attribution below are kept attached. And remember, keep your follower on the plug.

Laux Myth ... Thoughts From a Locksmith
By MartinB, Found @ http://lauxmyth.blogspot.com/

Retail Store Expansion and Restaurant Exit by Washrooms

I visited a veterinary pharmacy today which I have been to many times before.  It has recently expanded so changed some usage of the customer doors on the south wall.  A few secondary glass/aluminum doors have been blocked off and the main door is now a sliding pair.  However, this door had a rolling shutter installed outside.  It does not have an exit sign over it and rightly so.

As I stood at the till, I was thinking of the only other door I saw which was a signed exit.  There was a exit device installed EO near the SE corner of the building but I could not see it from where I stood.  I took a stoll and found signs pointing to an exit within receiving on the NE corner.  I could not see the inside of the door to evaluate its effectiveness.  However, this store is now huge and the only exits are crowded to one end. My gut reaction is that many areas of the shopping floor are well in excess of allowed travel to an exit and unless you walked to the horse supply area you can not see an EXIT sign from most of the store.

I guess the story here is that there is nothing to photograph.  I know that is poor for a blog but what can I do?

After work, I went for supper and did find something to photograph.  Ta da!

The signed fire exit from the hall by the washrooms to the office tower lobby.

And a detail of the locking hardware applied with thru-bolts over the push plate.

Here is a case where a plan to open a restaurant has run gotten ahead of itself. They built the restaurant area and lounge area on either side of a common hall with the washrooms.  However, a trip to the washrooms seems to have been a good time to skip on the bill and so it was locked up.  I can see the cash flow problem.  However, this is not acceptable in the least.

Do you have a solution for the owner which could make this door code compliant and eliminate or reduce deadbeat customers?  (I can not photo the whole place but a better job of planning the site would have solved this too but that option has passed.)