What we do in Lancashire
- Residential blocks. Communal entrance doors for housing providers and managing agents in Lancashire, linked to door entry or fob systems where needed and serviced to a written record. See residential blocks.
- Planned servicing. Service visits at intervals set by the manufacturer's instructions and how heavily each door is used, with a written record left after every visit. See automatic door servicing.
- 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.
- Accessible door operators. Low-energy swing operators, push pads and wave switches that make existing public doors easier to open for wheelchair users, people with buggies and anyone carrying shopping. See accessible door operators.
Towns we list in Lancashire
- Preston
- Burnley
- Blackburn
- Blackpool
- Morecambe
- Lancaster
- Lytham St Annes
- Skelmersdale
- Bamber Bridge
- Leyland
- Accrington
- Chorley
- Darwen
- Thornton-Cleveleys
- Nelson
- Fleetwood
- Ormskirk
- Rawtenstall
- Colne
- Poulton-le-Fylde
- Heysham
Automatic doors and the law in England
Under the Equality Act 2010, service providers and employers must make reasonable adjustments for disabled people, which can include altering a physical feature such as a heavy entrance door.
Building regulations guidance in England (Approved Document M, Volume 2) says a powered opening system should be used where a self-closing entrance door would need more than 30 N at the leading edge to open, or more than 22.5 N between 30° and 60°, and expects external doors used by the public in new buildings to give at least 1000 mm of effective clear width.
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 Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. In England, fire safety law says sliding or revolving doors must not be used for exits specifically intended as emergency exits.
Questions from Lancashire
What happens to an automatic door in a power cut?
That depends on how the door is set up. Some doors open and stay open, some can be pushed open by hand, and some have a battery that keeps them working for a time or opens them once. Workplace health and safety law expects powered doors to be safe if the power fails. The right setting for a building in Lancashire is agreed before installation.
What types of automatic door can you install in Lancashire?
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 an existing door in Lancashire 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.
Who actually carries out the work in Lancashire?
Specialist automatic door engineers working under our management. We are the contracting party: we arrange the survey or diagnosis, provide the written price, book the work and deal with any follow-up, so you deal with us throughout. We do not have premises in Lancashire; engineers travel to each address.
Can you work with schools, hospitals and care homes in Lancashire?
We can. Healthcare, care and education buildings need doors that are gentle, reliable and safe for vulnerable users, with work planned around patients, residents or the school timetable. We provide written prices and records suited to organisations that buy through procurement. See sectors for more on each type of building.
Can a home in Lancashire get help paying for a door opener?
Possibly. In England a Disabled Facilities Grant of up to £30,000 can fund adaptations that make it easier to get in and out of a home. It is means-tested and must be approved by the council before work starts, so ask your council and occupational therapist.