Automated Access Doors
Automatic entrance systems provide a safe, efficient and convenient means of access and egress to a building. They are perfect for busy entrances and also throughout a building, swing doors are perfect where space is limited and bi-part sliding doors are frequently used in lobbies.
Automatic entrance systems are not only attractive but functional as well:
- Maintaining an even temperature.
- Providing access for all.
- Enabling compliance with the DDA.
- Offering security.
DDA Disability Discrimination/Equality Act - Implications to Automatic Doors
Access and Egress - Access Control and Automatic Doors
Where access control is installed, the following, as per the BSIA (British Standard Industry Association) “A Guide to Assist in Compliance with the Disability Discrimination Act (now Equality Act 2010)” should be considered.
General
Access doors should be so designed as to permit operation by one person in a single motion with little effort. Power-operated doors are preferred for people with disabilities.
Automatic Doors
Can be of the sliding or swinging type. In general sliding doors are preferable to swinging doors.
- Automatic doors are useful when traffic is heavy.
- Automatic doors should have an adequate opening interval.
- Guard-rails can be installed near double swinging doors to indicate a door opening area and to prevent people from being hit by the door.
Pivoted Doors
Should swing away from the direction of travel wherever possible. Pivoted doors in series are considered as vestibules.
Sliding and Folding Doors
Manual sliding and folding doors are recommended for narrow spaces not heavily used by the public.
Automatic Doors Hardware
Automatic doors can be activated by:
- Push buttons located at a comfortable height between 0.90m and 1.20m;
- Activating mats, which can also serve as a location cue.
- Access Control Readers: readers on entrance doors should be mounted at a comfortable height between 0.90m and 1.00m from the floor. Readers should be easy to operate; hands-free readers being recommended.
- Remote control.
- Movement Detection Devices.
