What we do in the Highlands
- Healthcare and care settings. Automatic doors for surgeries, clinics, wards and care homes, set up for gentle opening and closing where vulnerable people use them. See care homes and healthcare.
- Upgrades after an inspection. Work that closes the gaps a safety inspection finds on older doors in Scotland, from extra safety sensors to clearer signage, quoted item by item. See safety and compliance upgrades.
- Schools, councils and public buildings. Entrances for schools, libraries, leisure centres and civic buildings across the Highlands, planned around term dates, opening hours and public access. See public buildings.
- Access control and activation. Card readers, keypads, timers, push pads and touch-free switches tied into the door operator, so the entrance opens for the right people at the right times. See access control.
Towns we list in the Highlands
Automatic doors and the law in Scotland
Under the Equality Act 2010, service providers and employers in Scotland must make reasonable adjustments for disabled people, which can include altering a physical feature such as a heavy entrance door.
Scottish building standards guidance (the non-domestic Technical Handbook) expects an accessible entrance door to give a clear opening of at least 800 mm, says powered doors improve accessibility as long as they add no new hazard, and expects signage, sensors that hold the door open long enough, and guarding against collision or entrapment.
In Great Britain a new or converted powered door must meet the Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations 2008 before it is first used, and can carry the UKCA or the CE marking. Workplace law (the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992) expects powered doors to have suitable and effective features to stop them trapping anyone and, where needed for safety, to open by hand unless they open automatically if the power fails. Doors at work must also be kept in efficient working order under a suitable system of maintenance.
Doors on escape routes and fire doors are covered by the Fire (Scotland) Act 2005 and the Fire Safety (Scotland) Regulations 2006. In Scotland, fire safety regulations say sliding or revolving doors must not be used for exits specifically intended as emergency exits, and Scottish guidance allows automatic and revolving doors on an escape route only where they fail safely to outward opening, or have a monitored fail-safe system that opens them on power failure, sensor failure and fire alarm.
Questions from the Highlands
What types of automatic door can you install in the Highlands?
Sliding, telescopic, curved, frameless glass, folding, swing and revolving doors, plus hermetic doors for controlled environments, break-out doors for escape routes and entrance lobbies. We also fit accessible operators to existing doors and openers in private homes. Browse new automatic doors to compare the options.
Can work in the Highlands be done outside opening hours?
Yes. Early mornings, evenings and weekends can be arranged for shops, surgeries, offices and schools that need their entrance during the day. Tell us your preferred times when you enquire. Any extra cost is set out in the written quote or the agreed visit price before the work is booked.
Can an existing door in the Highlands be made automatic?
Often, yes. If the door, frame and hinges are sound, a swing or sliding operator can be added rather than replacing the whole entrance. The free survey checks the weight and condition of the door, the fixings, the space for the operator and the power supply. See automating an existing door for what is involved.
What information helps when I contact you about a door in the Highlands?
The address, the type of building, photos of the door from both sides and a rough size of the opening. For a fault, add what the door is doing and a photo of any label on the operator. For a new door, tell us how the entrance is used and by whom. That lets us book the right visit and agree the price in writing.
How often should automatic doors in the Highlands be serviced?
There is no fixed legal interval. We recommend a trained engineer checks the safety functions at least once a year, with service intervals set by the manufacturer's instructions and how heavily the door is used; busy doors are often serviced more often. Each service visit is priced in writing first and ends with a written record.
Can a home in the Highlands get help paying for a door opener?
Scotland does not have Disabled Facilities Grants. Councils help through their Scheme of Assistance, which can include a grant for essential permanent adaptations. Ask your council whether a powered door opener could be included.