Coverage across Devon
From large town centres to quiet villages, entrances across Devon vary a great deal, and the right approach to safety inspections and risk assessments varies with them. A surgery door used by patients with walking frames needs different settings from a supermarket entrance, so the engineer looks at the actual door first. The towns we list in this area currently number 9.
Towns listed in Devon: Plymouth, Exeter, Paignton, Torquay, Newton Abbot, Exmouth, Barnstaple, Bideford, Tiverton.
What to think about for safety inspections and risk assessments in Devon
- Older shopfronts and listed buildings in Devon may have narrow side screens and tight gaps that were thought acceptable when fitted. The report weighs what can reasonably be improved.
- Shared entrances in office blocks and business parks in Devon may serve several tenants. Agree who holds the report and who pays for upgrades before booking.
- Programme switches left in the wrong mode cause many incidents. The inspection checks the switch is secure, labelled and set correctly for each time of day.
- Power failure behaviour is easy to overlook. The inspection tests what the door does when the mains supply or battery fails, which matters most on escape routes.
- If the use of a building has changed, for example a unit in Devon that has become a clinic or a gym, the door's original set-up may no longer suit its users.
Safety inspections and risk assessments in Devon: guide prices
The visit price is agreed in writing before an engineer attends; parts and any further work are quoted before they are done. Guide price: typically £125 to £250 ex VAT.
| Item | Guide price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Safety inspection and risk assessment, existing door | £125 – £250 | per door, written report, ex VAT |
| Inspection added to a service visit | reduced | quoted with the service |
| Upgrades found by the inspection | quoted separately | see safety and compliance upgrades |
The inspection price is agreed in writing before the visit. Any upgrades the report recommends are quoted separately so you can plan them.
Standards and rules in England
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. HSE guidance on those regulations says the frequency of maintenance depends on the equipment and the manufacturer’s information.
No law sets a fixed service interval. We recommend that 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, and that someone on site carries out simple regular checks and keeps a record.
BS EN 16005 is the current standard for the safety in use of powered pedestrian doors, and BS 7036-0:2014 is the British code of practice for risk assessment and risk reduction used alongside it. Standards are not law in themselves, but they are the recognised benchmark for showing an automatic door is safe to use, and we set up, test and document doors with reference to them. Standards are not retrospective, so an older door does not become unlawful when a standard is updated; a site-specific risk assessment shows whether any upgrades are sensible.
How it works
- Share the details. Send the address in Devon, the door type and make if you know it, and a description or video of the problem. For servicing, tell us how many doors there are and how busy each one is.
- Price confirmed in writing. We agree the visit price in writing before an engineer attends. Some straightforward repairs can be priced in full from photos and the make and model of the door.
- Diagnosis and repair. A specialist engineer attends on the agreed date, finds the cause, repairs or services the door, and tests its operation, sensors and safety functions with reference to BS EN 16005.
- Written record. Each visit ends with a written record for your files. Anything still outstanding, such as parts on order or recommended upgrades, is quoted before any further work is done.
If nobody can find the last risk assessment for the doors at your building in Devon, get in touch. We will agree the fee up front and book a visit.
Safety inspections and risk assessments in Devon: questions
Can you inspect all the doors on our site in Devon in one visit?
Usually, yes. A whole-site inspection covers every automatic door in one visit and one report, with each door's findings ranked so you can compare priorities across the site. Larger sites may need more than one day, which we agree with you when the inspection is priced.
What price range should I expect for safety inspections and risk assessments in Devon?
Our guide is £125 to £250 excluding VAT (per door), the same guide prices we use across the UK. We agree the visit price in writing before an engineer attends in Devon, and quote any parts or further work before doing them. The price guide lists typical repair and service costs.
Can an inspection in Devon be combined with a service?
Yes, and it often makes sense. The engineer services the door, then carries out the risk assessment while on site, which saves a second visit. The combined price is agreed in writing before the visit, and you receive both the service record and the inspection report.
How often should doors in Devon be risk assessed?
There is no set legal frequency. Most owners assess each door once, then repeat the assessment when the door is altered, when the people using it change or after an incident. In between, regular servicing keeps the safety functions checked, which in our view should happen at least once a year.
Can you take over servicing of doors in Devon from another company?
Yes. Send us the door details and, if you have them, previous service records or inspection reports. The first visit gives a baseline for each door, and its price is agreed in writing beforehand. From then on, records continue in one consistent format, whichever company looked after the doors before.
Do you leave a written record after each visit in Devon?
Yes. Every visit ends with a written record of what was checked, what was done and anything that still needs attention. For safety inspections you receive a report of the findings and a site-specific risk assessment. Keeping these on file is the usual way to show that a workplace door is maintained and in good working order.
Who is responsible for automatic doors on escape routes in Devon?
Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 the responsible person for the premises must make sure escape routes work and fire safety equipment is maintained. Automatic doors on an escape route need fail-safe opening or break-out, set by the fire strategy.