What we do in Tyne and Wear
- New automatic entrances. Sliding, telescopic, curved, folding and revolving doors for shops, offices and public buildings in Tyne and Wear, each starting with a free site survey and a fixed, itemised written quote. See new automatic doors.
- Refurbishment. New glass, tracks, rollers, seals and floor guides to bring a tired automatic door back into good order, priced as a fixed, itemised quote after a free survey. See refurbishment.
- 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.
- Safety inspections. A documented check of each door's safety functions and a site-specific risk assessment with reference to BS EN 16005, for employers, landlords and building managers in England. See safety inspections.
Towns we list in Tyne and Wear
- Newcastle upon Tyne
- Sunderland
- South Shields
- Gateshead
- Washington
- Tynemouth
- Wallsend
- North Shields
- Whitley Bay
- Houghton-le-Spring
- Jarrow
- Hebburn
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 Tyne and Wear
Is the site survey in Tyne and Wear free?
For new automatic doors, upgrades, retrofits and home door openers, yes: the site survey is free and comes with a fixed, itemised written quote and no obligation. Repairs, servicing and safety inspections are different. For those, the visit price is agreed in writing before an engineer attends.
Who actually carries out the work in Tyne and Wear?
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 Tyne and Wear; engineers travel to each address.
Can you fit automatic doors to listed buildings in Tyne and Wear?
Often, yes, with the right consent. Changes to a listed building, or to a shopfront in a conservation area, usually need approval from the local planning authority. Slim operators and automating the existing door can reduce the visual impact. Our guide to shop doors, planning and listed buildings explains what to check.
How often should automatic doors in Tyne and Wear 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 an existing door in Tyne and Wear 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.
Do businesses in Tyne and Wear have to fit automatic doors?
No law says every building must have automatic doors. Under the Equality Act 2010, service providers and employers must make reasonable adjustments for disabled people, and building regulations guidance in England calls for a powered door where an entrance door would otherwise be too heavy to open. An automatic door is often the simplest way to meet both.