Automatic doors are commonplace in buildings across the UK, allowing easy, quick access for the public, especially beneficial for people with mobility conditions and disabilities. It’s all well and good providing accessible entrances throughout your building, but what about servicing them and maintaining automatic doors?
The answer to ‘how often should automatic doors be serviced in the UK’ is once a year. But that doesn’t mean other checks and maintenance shouldn’t be performed more frequently.
From safety concerns and legal requirements to keeping businesses and public spaces accessible, let’s explore exactly when automatic doors should be serviced and kept in top condition.
What is automatic door servicing?
Servicing automatic doors involves several processes and assessments, and all of these ensure they operate safely and reliably. Servicing involves:
Maintenance – Like most things you maintain, this involves daily checks for wear and tear and assessing various door components, like the opening and closing mechanisms, to ensure they are working properly. Performing frequent checks, whether daily or weekly helps promote safety and reduce accidents and injury, especially important for high-foot-traffic settings. Maintenance also involves regular preventative measures to reduce the risk of problems becoming drastically worse.
Repair – Maintenance acts as a preventative measure for automatic door servicing, while repairing is the solution to fix any issues or problems, no matter how insignificant they seem. Misalignments, worn out electronics and hinges and, unfortunately, vandalism are some of the main repair issues you may face.
Both maintenance and repair encompass automatic door servicing, and these should be carried out on a regular basis.
How often should automatic doors be serviced?
In the UK, automatic doors should be serviced annually by a professional service provider. Whether you’ve had your door in situ for years or are looking for a new automatic door installation, this isn’t just a recommendation; it’s a set of guidelines created by the UK government to ensure the safe operation of commercial automatic doors. BS EN 16005 is the requirement for all automatic doors to be legally compliant with The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998.
No matter how often they’re utilised, or the level of foot-traffic they encounter, an annual service check ensures all components, control systems, safety features and mechanisms will be analysed to see if they are functional. It will also set out fixes for any flagged problems.
How do I know when I should get my automatic doors repaired or serviced?
Apart from your set-in-stone annual automatic door servicing, you may require more regular inspections, maintenance and repairs if your door is used in high-foot-traffic areas like hospitals, schools, retail spaces or hotels.
There are some telltale signs your automatic door might need servicing, including slow operation, unusual noises, jerky movements or sensor delays. If your door struggles to open or close fully, it may mean a mechanical or electrical fault. A good way to see when your last inspection took place is to check your service log or maintenance sticker. Regular inspections and servicing prevent costly breakdowns.
Are there any legislations I must follow on automatic door maintenance?
Along with BS EN 16005 and The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998, other UK legislation mandates regular maintenance of automatic doors to ensure safety and compliance. While none of these legislation state how often automatic doors should be serviced in the UK, they state that the responsibility of having them serviced falls on the door’s owner.
Health and safety legislation for servicing automatic doors include:
- Health and Safety at Work Act 1974
- The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992
- The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005
- The Building Regulations 2010 (Part M)
- The Equality Act 2010
All information regarding this legislation can be found on the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) government website.
What happens if I don’t comply?
Failure to comply with this list of legislation or service your automatic door will result in safety risks and legal consequences. Non-compliance could land door owners with hefty fines, liability for accidents and even business closure if doors cause injury. On top of these potential outcomes, you’ll also be left with a large bill for repairs too.
It’s safe to say that adhering to legislation and servicing requirements is the best way to not land yourself in hot water.
Who to get your automatic door serviced by?
Door and building owners are responsible for ensuring automatic doors are serviced annually or on a more frequent basis, bi-annually for example, depending on how often they are used. Weekly maintenance checks should also take place to prevent any issues from becoming major, costly problems that could lead to public injury.
For servicing, we recommend DUK Doors, a nationwide automatic door specialist who can install and service all types, from sliding to swinging doors, as well as working with top brands such as Dorma. They can provide comprehensive servicing to ensure your automatic doors remain functioning and safe.
