Propping Open Doors

Doors Make a Difference

The Bronx Apartment building fire on January 10, 2022, tragically highlighted the importance of doors being shut at the time of a fire. Doors are the first major barrier to stop the spread of smoke, heat and fire. The 17 people who perished in the Bronx all succumbed to smoke inhalation according to initial reports. Using door wedges, concrete blocks, hand sanitizer stands, tying doors open or any other means of keeping a door from closing is prohibited at UNI. The holding open of doors has been cited repeatedly by the State of Iowa Fire Marshal's Office (Authority Having Jurisdiction for the university) during inspections on campus. It is against fire code to have doors made inoperable with door wedges or any other type of object. Disconnecting door closers is also considered against fire code, because it is altering the design of the door which is meant to close automatically.

It is only permissible to prop open a door to allow for the movement of equipment, people or while active cleaning and maintenance is going on in a space. Immediately after the need has been met, the door must be closed again.

There have been many doors propped open and forgotten about; doors have been found open during inactive periods on campus such as overnights, weekends, holiday breaks, etc. This could seriously compromise the safety of the building if a fire breaks out. Not only the fire damage, but because the smoke will be able to spread throughout the building. All fires can produce large amounts of smoke which can impact an entire building for extended amounts of time.

It is up to everyone at UNI to ensure that we provide the safest possible environment to ensure student success. Any fire can impact a building for months. Many classrooms and labs do not have the luxury of simply being moved due to the specialized nature of the work and teaching that happens in that space.

Door FAQs

My door has a magnet that holds it open, can it be propped open?

Yes. The magnet is designed to hold the door open and release the door when the fire alarm in the building goes off.

I need to move furniture, equipment, boxes, or other large items out of the space, can I prop open the door?

Yes. The door may TEMPORARILY be propped open using a door wedge to facilitate the movement of the items in or out of a space, but the door stop must be removed immediately following the activity.

The room is too hot, can I prop the door open?

No. You should first call Facilities Management 3-4400 to have them check on the HVAC system for the space.

I don't like that my office door shuts automatically, can I disconnect the door closer?

No. The door was designed to close automatically as part of the building design. Altering the door is a violation of fire code and could cause damage to university property.

It is more convenient to prop the door open, why can't I?

Doors are one of the first lines of defense in the event of a fire. They help to slow the spread of smoke, heat and flame allowing occupants time to evacuate. Doors also help reduce the potential damage to the building. The common practice of propping open a door leads to complacency. Doors are being found propped open when nobody is in the space, after hours, during weekends, holidays, extended breaks, etc. The failure of one door can have far reaching impacts to the rest of the building.

There is a student with a mobility problem coming to the room, can I prop the door open to make it easier for them to come in?

Yes. The door can be propped open to facilitate the ease of a student coming in or out of the space, but the door stop must be removed immediately after.