What we do in the Lothians
- Door openers at home. Automatic openers for front, back and internal doors in homes across the Lothians, arranged around the person using them and their carers. The survey is free and the quote is fixed. See home door openers.
- 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.
- 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 the Lothians
- Livingston
- Musselburgh
- Bathgate
- Bonnyrigg
- Penicuik
- Broxburn
- Mayfield
- Linlithgow
- Armadale
- Dalkeith
- Tranent
- Whitburn
- Dunbar
- Prestonpans
- Haddington
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 Lothians
Can work in the Lothians 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.
How often should automatic doors in the Lothians 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.
Do you fit automatic door openers in homes in the Lothians?
Yes. We arrange automatic openers for front, back and internal doors for wheelchair users and people with limited strength or mobility. The survey is free and looks at the door, the person using it and how carers come and go. Councils can sometimes help with the cost of adaptations, so check with yours before work starts, as approval usually comes first.
Do you cover all of the Lothians?
Yes. Specialist automatic door engineers working under our management travel to addresses throughout the Lothians, including smaller towns and rural sites. We are the contracting party for every job, so you arrange the work, agree the price and receive the paperwork through us.
How long does an automatic door installation in the Lothians take?
Fitting an operator to an existing door often takes a day, and a complete sliding entrance typically takes one to three days on site once the door has been made. Lead times before that are typically two to eight weeks, depending on the door type. Your quote sets out the expected lead time and the time on site.
Who is responsible for automatic doors on escape routes in the Lothians?
The person responsible for fire safety under the Fire (Scotland) Act 2005 for those premises. Scottish guidance allows automatic doors on escape routes 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.