Panic door hardware are installed to be used in terms of emergency. People are not able to think straight in an emergency. That is the primary reason these doors or accessories are installed. The panic hardware allows quick and unencumbered exits in situations like bomb scare, fire, or some other natural or man-made calamity. Even though these panic doors are installed to avoid issues and injuries but injuries reported due to these panic hardware are way off the charts.
Panic hardware is mostly placed in buildings that have a high density of occupants in it at any given time. Most often these doors are installed in Shopping malls, theaters, restaurants or stadiums. They are placed in buildings that can be hazardous under emergency conditions. Also, from where the exit is not as easy.
The reasons why panic hardware is so in use these days are
- To operate them You don’t need to possess any special knowledge.
- They can be utilized by kids, and even physically disabled without any help.
- They are different from normal doors and do not have a lock.
- They are mostly installed to have an unhampered exit to safety in times of emergency.
Panic Hardware have seen a significant upgrade in the past couple of decades. Now they are far more user-friendly and secure in times of an emergency even for people with physical disabilities. Initially panic hardware used to consists of doors with horizontal flat bar or pipe attached to it.
These devices function properly only if they are maintained and lubricated from time to time. There were various cases reported that these devices either jammed or broke due to negligence on the part of the maintenance department. This was a cause of several injuries and mental trauma to many citizens across the country.
Most of the panic hardware related injuries are due to the following factors:
- Improper Installation.
- Negligence in Maintenance.
- Inappropriate secondary locks.
Instead of the old pipe and bar system a new modern mechanism is developed in its place. It is known as the “Crash Bar”. The modern panic hardware consists of a flat integrated component which when pushed retracts the lock and open the door. It is more user-friendly than its previous counterparts and is also resistant to obstructive issues.
Panic hardware are use for the sole purpose of exit only. Entry through these gates is a very rare instance. But due to the rising threats and to counter the security concerns these doors now have an entry option as well. But this entry option is accessible only to authorized personnel only. That is why in a panic door to exit you just need to press the handle and open the door but to open the door from outside you either need to have a key or sometimes they have a key cylinder as well.
There are various cases and lawsuits filed against several building owners in violation of building code leading to injuries and mental trauma due to ill-maintained or badly installed panic hardware. Buildings that a lot of public use on a regular basis need to have these panic hardware installed by professionals, properly maintained, timely checked and upgraded. All this is to maintain high standards of security and minimize damage to human life in the event of any mis-happenings.
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