opening force from three to 90 inches; the standard for interior doors is five pounds. If the door does not meet the five-pound regulation, the door fails inspection and the report must indicate that the spring tension may need to be turned down. While you are not allowed to make the adjustment, the facility representative assigned to you can make a quick change while you are evaluat- ing something else. Then you can recheck the device and update the report as necessary. Door Latching Is the latching device working properly? Is it loose? Are all of the visible screws present? With the door latched, did it meet the 15-pound requirement to unlatch the door? Does the latch have the “F” or “UL” mark on it? Is the latch secure with both screws tight? Is the strike plate (keeper) tight with all screws in place? Door Protection Is there a stop to protect the door from hitting the wall or structure? Is there a built-in or surface-applied stop? If yes, are all of the screws in place and the device tight? Are there protective plates on the door? If any exceed 16 inches from the bottom of the door, are they labeled? Consider History The above rules are simple, and it may seem like any competent locksmith or hardware person could conduct forensic inspections. However, there is more to the process than inspecting the openings. Of course you must understand today’s standards, but you also must know past cri- teria and conduct the inspection to the stan- dards in place when the building was built. Using current rules, there are some apparent violations that would jump out during in- spection. For example, a fusible link closer on a labeled door is considered a violation, WWW.ALOA.ORG right? Not if the building was built prior to 1980. What about fail-safe electric strikes on stairwell door assemblies? If the build- ing was built prior to 1989 and the electric strikes are original equipment, they are not in violation of the uniform building code at the time. But for life safety reasons, they have been banned since 1990 and should be noted on the final report. Complete Documentation The on-site inspection of the door may take about 45 minutes to complete, but there’s more work to be done. The finished writ- ten report must be complete with pictures and direct code references. So, you’ll have a couple of hours of research to do in your office and online to gather the facts. To make sure you have the necessary documentation, photograph the building plans and the door schedule where the in- cident occurred using a high-megapixel camera. Include a high-resolution, 8" x 10" photo of the location with the incident area circled. Include any close-ups neces- sary to see detail. Additionally, keep subjective opinions to yourself; the report must only contain facts. In the event you are asked to testify in court, act as an expert witness and only state facts. While you may be asked for your opinion either on the stand or privately with coun- sel, the answer you give must be based on the facts as outlined in the report — nothing else. Embrace the Opportunities Fire door assembly inspections will become the law in most states very soon. The Inter- national Code Congress introduced this new requirement in its 2012 edition of the International Fire Code and the Fire Door Assembly Inspection, Chapter 10: Means of Egress. In 2012, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) released a new version of the NFPA 80 Fire Doors and Frames Code and has updated it with an NFPA 80 2013 version. Certified Forensic Locksmith Versus Certified Fire Door Inspector The two certifications are similar but very different in their inspections. A CFDI inspects what is in sight and operation, whereas a CFL does the same and removes the hardware and looks for broken parts, modifications and improper installation. In the case of surreptitious entry, the cyl- inder will be disassembled to see if pick- ing was used, and we check the pin stacks and spring tension of all cylinder springs. In the past, it was proven that improper keying of a cylinder has leſt it vulnerable to any key that fit into the cylinder. It is probable that a CFL will find a viola- tion, whereas the CFDI may not because the requirement of the CFDI inspection doesn’t go beyond visual and operational system inspection. Where you would use a Certified Forensic Locksmith instead of a Certified Fire Door Inspector? It is where you believe a crime was committed and you are gathering evidence for your client. Evidence documentation for Certified Forensic Locksmiths follows strict rules of handling evidence and a professional code of conduct. Most locksmiths have a good working knowledge of building and fire codes and are proficient in fire door assemblies, and thus make good inspectors. To get started in this highly lucrative and rewarding field, sign up for courses in life safety codes, fire door hardware and the fire door assemblies. Explore getting certified. This market may be just the spark your business needs to get to the next level. Resciniti Demont, AHC, , CFDI, CFL, CMIL, CML, ST, ARL, has been a ure writer for Keynotes e 1978. He is president echnical Services Inc., chnical consulting firm e Pittsburgh, PA, area. s also the president of OA. FEBRUARY 2015 KEYNOTES 19
