Coverage across the Highlands
There is no branch to visit in the Highlands; instead, specialist engineers working under our management travel to you. That keeps safety inspections and risk assessments available across the whole area, including smaller towns and rural addresses. The page for each of the 6 towns we list below sets out nearby places, guide prices and the questions people usually ask.
Towns listed in the Highlands: Inverness, Fort William, Nairn, Thurso, Wick, Portree.
What to think about for safety inspections and risk assessments in the Highlands
- Public buildings in the Highlands, such as libraries and leisure centres, often have several doors of different ages. A whole-site inspection puts every door into one ranked report.
- Older shopfronts and listed buildings in the Highlands may have narrow side screens and tight gaps that were thought acceptable when fitted. The report weighs what can reasonably be improved.
- 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 the Highlands 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 the Highlands: 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 Scotland
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
- Tell us what is happening. Describe the fault, or the service or inspection that is due, and send photos of the door and any label on the operator. Include the address in the Highlands and how much the site depends on the door.
- Visit price agreed in writing. We confirm the price of the visit in writing before an engineer attends. If the door can be priced from photos and its make and model, we say so at this stage.
- Engineer visit. A specialist engineer working under our management diagnoses the fault or carries out the service, then tests the operation of the door and its safety sensors before leaving the site.
- Findings and follow-up. You receive a written record of what was found and done. Any parts or further work needed are quoted in writing before they go ahead, and nothing is added without your agreement.
If nobody can find the last risk assessment for the doors at your building in the Highlands, get in touch. We will agree the fee up front and book a visit.
Safety inspections and risk assessments in the Highlands: questions
Can you inspect all the doors on our site in the Highlands 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.
How much should I budget for safety inspections and risk assessments in the Highlands?
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 the Highlands, and quote any parts or further work before doing them. The price guide lists typical repair and service costs.
How often should doors in the Highlands 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.
Our insurer in the Highlands has asked for a risk assessment. Is this what they mean?
Most likely. Insurers usually want a documented, site-specific risk assessment of the door by a competent person, along with service records. Check their exact wording and send it to us. Our report covers the door's hazard zones, test results and recommended actions, which is what most insurers expect to see.
How often should automatic doors in the Highlands be serviced?
No law sets a fixed 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. Site staff should also carry out simple regular checks and keep a record of them.
Are parts quoted before they are fitted?
Always. If a repair or service in the Highlands needs parts, such as rollers, belts, sensors, a control board or a motor, we quote them in writing first. Some common parts may be on the engineer's van; others are ordered once you accept the quote and fitted on a return visit at a price already agreed.
Do businesses in the Highlands have to fit automatic doors?
No law requires automatic doors everywhere. Under the Equality Act 2010 service providers and employers must make reasonable adjustments for disabled people, and Scottish guidance says powered doors improve accessibility at entrances. An automatic door is often the practical answer.