Door exams for standards and margins

15 Dec 09

Security professionals fitting applications and security products to a door, take on some of the responsibility for it. If the door does not perform its intended function, whether that is security, fire protection or panic or emergency escape, the finger of blame will point at the security professional.

In theory, if the door fails during a panic or emergency situation, security professionals may be left to pick up the legal bill and, in more serious cases, individuals could even face prosecution.

Ignorance – in the eyes of the law – is no defence. A working knowledge of fire and safety standards such as BSEN 179, BSEN 1225, and BSEN 1634-1 is a must for all installers and locksmiths. Whether fitting a new masterkey system or the latest access control devices, it is vital that each door is treated independently.

Taking the time to look carefully at the door can, in many cases, affect which products are fitted. Some will be fire doors or part of the route to a panic or emergency exit. Installing incorrect products that do not meet minimum standards for those types of application will render the door – and the entire building – unsuitable.

By not examining the door first, security professionals are doing themselves a disservice. There is an opportunity to add value to the job, to specify extra products which help the building meet standards yet further increase the profit margin from that job. There is a chance to demonstrate the invaluable expertise of the security professional and, hopefully, ensure repeat custom.

Access control the right way

Typically speaking, security installers looking to fit an access control device to a door will look above the door and around the frame to establish the best method of wiring the product. This should be the last thing that is done before specifying the correct product. A quick check of the door from the outset may establish that the door is a fire door and only compliant CE marked or Certifire products should be installed.

Fire doors need to close every time they are used and, once closed, they need to provide a seal. This should determine which products are specified.

A commonly made mistake is installing a magnetic lock on a fire door or part of an escape route.

This could be a disaster for the people in the building. Any locking device that is fitted to a fire door application must have been tested to a recognised fire test standard. Magnetic locks are not tested to any fire test standards and would compromise the integrity of any fire protection.

Generally, locking and hardware products are tested to either EN1634-1 (as part of the criteria within a application standard such as EN179 for emergency escape doors), or to EN12209 for mechanical resistance, proving their suitability for use on fire door sets, or to BS476 part 22, which is the British standard running concurrent with the European standard.

Escape doors must be accessible via an appropriate and approved method of escape. EN 179 requires escape via a lever handle or paddle handle at all times and EN 1125 requires escape via a panic bar at all times.

Signs that are lost

Signage of fire doors and emergency exits should be obvious. However, there are many cases of doors that have lost their signs, or where these signs have been painted over. In most cases, where there is a designated fire or safety officer, an emergency evacuation route can be demonstrated and doors which form part of the escape route can be identified. A good rule of thumb is that all doors which need to be opened in order to get to the final exit of the building should fall under this category.

Similarly, fire doors are often overlooked but there are usually a number of clues which can point to whether or not the door falls under this category. For instance, intumescent strips are a clear giveaway and vision panels that are wired glass, or Kite marked glass to BS 476 pt 22 indicate that when the door was installed, it was positioned to prevent the spread of fire and possibly to also protect an escape route within the building. This means that any products fitted must be tested to the relevant standards applicable to the use of the door set.

Physical security

Typically, someone looking to fit a physical security product to a door will try and secure the door to the best of their ability but this mindset will lead to trouble in the long-run.

Locking the door and securing it should not be the first priority of any locksmith or security professional. The first job is to check that the door in question is not part of an emergency exit route or a fire door. Securing and preventing free access may be ideal for many purposes but if the door needs to be accessed to reach the final exit of the building, the health and safety of people in the building will be put at risk.

In the event of an emergency, anyone in the building should be able to evacuate the premises quickly and easily without the need to unlock doors. Locking a door which is part of an escape route could, ultimately, cost lives.

Architectural ironmongery

It should also be the responsibility of the installer to identify and replace other door furniture that has started to fail. Poorly installed or failing hinges and door closers, for instance, will affect the operation of the rest of the door and could hinder the operation of the access control system. Should a hinge or door closer fail, the seal of the door may be broken and its fire protection qualities will be compromised.

Identifying and resolving additional problems with each door can be a reliable source of extra revenue for any security professional and this holistic approach to dressing a door will be welcomed by most customers.

Once another product is identified as failing, it should be replaced immediately. By doing this, the access control or security product that was originally specified will be much more likely to retain its estimated life cycle and will be much more reliable. If problems with architectural ironmongery or other products are ignored, the freshly-installed products will be immediately compromised and the whole door could begin to fail.

The cost of replacing a hinge is minimal compared to the cost of a call back for the security installer – and a price on the value of reputation must also be appreciated.

Protecting reputation

Protecting your reputation is something that reaps future dividends. Businesses may be reluctant to spend extra money at first but they will be keen to protect their customers, employees and their business. As a security professional, thorough checks of all doors – especially those on routes to emergency or panic exits – could result in further sales if doors need to be immediately upgraded.

The perils of approaching each door with a product or solution already in mind are clear to see. The authorities are already clamping down hard on any breaches in fire and safety regulations, with blocked escape routes and emergency exits along with defective fire doors earning Shell International Ltd the largest penalty to date. With a £300,000 fine and £45,000 costs, the costs of fitting the correct door furniture are a drop in the ocean.

In short – specifying products to suit each individual door is a win/win scenario. The benefits in terms of extra margin, extra business in future, providing a much more secure property and delivering long term reliability will work wonders for the security professional and their balance sheet. The customer will be better protected from any fire or emergency events and, consequently, any legal action.

Information on best practice for installation and standards is freely available through the Guild of Architectural Ironmongers, the Door Hardware Federation or the Abloy Academy.

Attending practical courses and CPD seminars can help to build and maintain a practical knowledge of these areas to protect your customers and ultimately your business.

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