The Door and Hardware Institute, in conjunction with the Door Security and Safety Foundation (DSSF), released the following joint statement today regarding the importance of inside-locking classroom doors:
On July 12, NBC News published an article highlighting a basic security feature that is lacking in more than a quarter of all schools across the country – classroom doors that can be locked from the inside.
We, at the Door and Hardware Institute (DHI), an association serving more than 5,000 door security and safety professionals in the non-residential construction industry, and the Door Security & Safety Foundation (DSSF), who advocate on behalf of these knowledgeable experts, strongly affirm that no one should ever have to step in harm’s way to ensure the safety of others or the security of a door. We know that classroom door locks that are lockable by key from inside the room are a critical line of defense in an active shooter or lockdown situation, and that the experts we serve can make the difference when it comes to a possible life and death situation.
DHI members encompass design and construction experts, building code officials, local code experts, and professionals in the commercial door and hardware industry. They possess the technical knowledge, skills, and expertise needed to effectively balance life safety and security.
According to a 2015 report by the Sandy Hook Advisory Commission, doors that lock from the inside are most effective in securing classrooms, and to date, no active shooter has breached a locked classroom door. The report supports DHI’s recommendation that schools should elect to install door hardware that is code compliant and industry-tested.
