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Allegion encourages checks
to door closing devices
»»SPECIALIST SECURITY
manufacturer, Allegion,
is encouraging facilities
managers, fire safety managers
and maintenance supervisors,
as well as others in charge
of safety in public sector
buildings, to assess their door
closing devices, in case an
adjustment is necessary.
A recent warning from The
Department of Health has
highlighted issues in public
sector buildings with regards
to heavy fire doors closing
too fast. The warning was
prompted by a tragedy that
occurred within a hospital
regarding an electromagnetic
hold-open door closer that was
released due to a power failure
and closed too quickly, despite
being compliant with the
British Standard BS EN 1155/4
and maintained regularly.
The Department of Health
has suggested risk assessments
be carried out on all fire door
closing devices to assess the
appropriate closing time,
taking into account the
occupancy of the building.
To avoid such tragedies,
adjustments should be made,
where appropriate, to lengthen
the closing time to the higher
end of the tolerance and allow
enough time for occupants to
pass through doors safely.
Jo Milne-Rowe,
specification manager at
Allegion, said: “Thousands of
electromagnetically hold-open
door closers are fitted every
year and never encounter
any issues. Still, we can’t
stress enough how important
it is that closing speeds
are regularly checked and
adjusted to suitable speeds for
building users. For example,
a less-abled person may need
the door to stay open for a
longer time, to allow them to
pass through it. At Allegion,
we offer the additional
function of delayed action
that can be incorporated on
an electromagnetic hold-open
door closer, allowing a delay
between the magnet releasing
on the activation of the fire
alarm and the door actually
beginning to close.
“Allegion products are
designed to require the lowest
possible level of maintenance,
but the working life of these
products will be significantly
reduced should standard
maintenance procedures
not be carried out, especially
where items are subject to
high levels of use.
“The safety of people using
our products is paramount,
and we want to encourage
people to maintain them,
ensuring the closing speed
and delayed action is suited to
the situation.”
In addition to checking
the closing speed of door
devices, door hardware needs
to be regularly serviced and
maintained.
Allegion products are suited
for the education, healthcare,
commercial, leisure, transport
and hospitality sectors, and
are fully compliant with
current EN requirements.
You can try out
a door closer
for free through
Allegion’s
LOCKSMITHJOURNAL.CO.UK | MAR/APR 2016
Sponsored by ABUS
Try Me Product Programme,
which allows the security
provider to set up a door
closer to its optimum
performance, allowing
customers to experience
the different performance
of the door. As part of the
Try Me offering, Allegion
can also show maintenance
and facility management
teams how to install and
adjust closers correctly and
efficiently to guarantee
safety.
For further information, on
the service and maintenance
of Allegion products, visit
www.allegion.com/uk or
contact the Customer
Care Team
on 01922
707400