There’s more to doors than you think! When it comes to safety and security, particularly on busy commercial or industrial sites, the right door can make a big difference.
In this blog, we’re looking at some of the things you need to be mindful of when choosing external steel doors for your site.
Safety features
When is a door more than a door? When it has been custom built with safety in mind. Even a standard security door designed to keep people out can be modified to protect the people who are meant to be using it.
This can include panic hardware to create an emergency exit, anti-trap features to keep people’s fingers safe, vision panels for visibility when coming and going, and louvers to improve airflow while keeping bad weather out.
Fire safety and fire exit doors
There can be a bit of confusion when specifying door replacements regarding the difference between a fire safety and fire exit door. Typically, fire safety doors will be internal – used to slow the spread of a fire through a building. These are the ones that have to be kept closed, and come with different fire resistance ratings that indicate how long they will hold a fire back for.
Fire exit doors are external, used for quick and easy egress from a building in case of an emergency. They can be left open, provided they’re not propped open with a trip hazard, and also don’t need to be fire-resistant – though they can be.
A fire exit needs to be easy to open, but shouldn’t compromise on security – ensure that you find a solution with adequate locking systems, such as anti-pick and anti-snap locks.
Insurance-approved steel doors
There’s nothing worse than arriving to find you’ve had a break-in. Wait, scratch that – arriving to find you’ve had a break-in that your insurance company won’t cover because of a loophole in your policy.
Insurance-approved security doors do exist – it’s just a case of finding a manufacturer that can supply them, and talking through your exact requirements. An experienced bespoke door manufacturer should know the standards of locking systems needed to deliver what you need.
Don’t settle for a stock door
While many door manufacturers will have a warehouse of stock steel doors ready to go at a moment’s notice, and most likely at a lower price point, make sure you’re finding out exactly what you’re getting before placing your order. What locking systems, safety features and fire resistance does it provide?
If it’s not quite right, explore something designed and built for your exact needs. Talk to NGF Industrial Doors today to get started.
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