DOORDATA Solutions makes door inspections easier for building managers, manufacturers, and fire officials.
DOORDATA Solutions
DOORDATA Solutions, Inc. (DDS), is a privately held company founded by Hal Kelton, AHC/CDC/CFDAI, CDT. The company provides technology solutions that drastically reduce the time required to inspect commercial door openings in the field and electronically coordinate data collected and distribute subsequent reports to those who need it. This includes the inspection company's home office, building owners, project architects, and fire and building officials. The company's suite of products provides a turnkey solution that enables door inspectors to begin using its products immediately. DOORDATA's applications were created to address the International Building Code's (IBC) newly adopted standard, NFPA 80, 2007 edition. This new standard requires that all fire rated doors be inspected annually, which is a daunting task with paper forms alone. DDS began shipping its software and hardware solutions to a select number of Charter Members in Q3-2008. The company was the first software company licensed by the Door and Hardware Institute (dhi) to provide its Fire Door Assembly Inspection (FDAI) forms in digital format. Previously, all inspections were completed using triplicate paper forms. With paper forms, inspectors are burdened by carrying 100s of forms per building and no efficient means by which to share the data collected with those who need it once an inspection has been completed. DOORDATA Solutions' greatest assets include Hal's firsthand and in-depth understanding of the industry, dedicated product developers and technology partners.
Hal is the founder and president of DOORDATA Solutions, Inc. His experience in the commercial door, hardware and building industries spans over 35 years. He consults on projects for primary and secondary schools, college and university campuses, hospitals, banks, commercial office buildings, resorts, casinos and hotels. He conducts safety and annual fire door inspections in the US & Canada, and consults with other inspection companies as well as industry manufacturers regarding annual door inspection requirements and provides expert witness consulting services to legal teams.
Hal's industry credentials include Qualified Fire Door Inspector (QFDI), and Qualified Door Opening Consultant, (QDOC) through the Door Opening Industry Training Group. Architectural Hardware Consultant (AHC), Certified Door Consultant (CDC), and Certified Fire Door Assembly Inspector, (CFDAI) through the Door and Hardware Institute (DHI). Door Safety Inspector (DSI) and Door Safety Consultant (DSC) through Door Safety. He also is a Certified Document Technologist (CDT) through the Construction Specification Institute (CSI), Registered Construction Inspector (RCI) through American Construction Inspectors Association, a former Certified Automatic Pedestrian Door Inspector through the American Association of Automatic Door Manufacturers (AAADM), a licensed General Building and Door Specialty contractor in California (inactive).
Hal is a current volunteer Advisory Council Member and Instructor for Door Opening Industry Training Group (DoIt) and their new educational curriculum, including the most up-to-date Fire Door Inspector certification courses. Previously, Hal volunteered as a National instructor for dhi from 1996-2021, including the Certified Door Consultant, Effective Management of Employees, and the Fire Door Assembly Inspection (FDAI) class. Hal has also taught the Door Safety Inspector certification class for Door Safety. He has served as a guest lecturer at DHI, NFMT, and ASHE National Conventions, he has contributed a number of articles to the international Doors & Hardware magazine, and was a contributing author/expert for the book “Security for Colleges and Universities.” From 2009-2013, Hal also volunteered his time to the Door Security & Safety Foundation as an instructor for the fire door inspection course that it developed to educate building and fire regulatory communities.
In 2022 Hal was appointed to serve as a Principal Technical Committee Member for NFPA 80 and NFPA 105 as a Special Expert.
Articles and Contributions
• The Challenges of Conducting Fire and Egress Door Inspections During COVID-19, November 2020
• Our School’s Journey to a Lockdown Solution, Door Security + Safety, May 2020
• Safebolt by Securitech, Installation - Classroom Lockdown Evaluation, December 2018
• Fire Door Inspector’s on How to Pass an Annual Inspection, Select Hinge website, May 2017
• Security for Colleges and Universities, contributing author, paperback, October 2014
• Keeping Pace With Security Changes [Schools & Universities] dhi Magazine, 1999
• Offering The Total Package Is The Answer, dhi Magazine, November 1997
Resources
AAADM (American Association of Automatic Door Manufacturers)
ASHE (American Society for Healthcare Engineering)
CFDAI (DHI Certifications Guide)
CSI (Construction Specifications Institute)
DHI (Door and Hardware Institute)
DOIT (Door Opening Industry Training Group)
ICC (International Code Council)
NFMT (National Facilities Management and Technology)