Door Industry Journal - Summer 2015

Also online at: www.dijonline.co.uk building hardware 101 THE door industry journal summer 2015 Concealment is good for health Few areas of the building industry require more attention in product specification than the health and care sector, where the needs of patients, staff and residents are so varied, specialised and demanding. In common with many other building products, door closers need to be selected with care and consideration. Those involved in product selection will be all too aware of the critical role that door closers play in assuring the efficiency and effectiveness of fire doors. However, they can also make an enormous contribution towards reducing risk, improving hygiene and enhancing the safety, comfort and well-being of patients and staff alike. The right performance Paramount in door closer selection is ensuring that the products meet relevant performance standards for fire and accessibility. On fire doors, the door closer must carry the CE mark, which means that it will be a controlled door closer complying with BS EN 1154, or in the case of a swing free device, BS EN 1155. Accessibility is governed by BS8300 and Approved Document M (Section 3 in Scotland, Part R in Northern Ireland), which stipulate maximum forces required to open a door. It should be noted that these requirements are applicable to the entire door assembly and, therefore, door closers and other hardware cannot claim compliance in themselves. However, the performance and efficiency of the door closer will have a direct effect on the door’s ability to meet the requirements. Finding door closers to meet these requirements is not particularly challenging. Both standard and Free Swing versions of Powermatic controlled, concealed door closers carry the CE Mark and deliver performance efficiencies that will enable doors to meet the requirements of Approved Document M and BS 8300. However, at Samuel Heath, we are finding that clinicians, owners and estates managers within the health and care sector are becoming increasingly aware of other, highly desirable features and benefits that can be realised by careful door closer selection: INSTITUTIONALISATION In both health and care facilities, there is a growing desire to create therapeutic environments by ensuring that interiors are less institutionalised. Care homes that value the comfort and well-being of residents will wish to create a welcoming, homely feel. Health facilities, particularly those dealing with psychiatric care, will need to assure the safety and security of patients whilst providing an environment which is conducive to proper therapeutic support. In such situations, the use of materials and finishes which are redolent of a hard, uncaring, functional institution needs to be avoided. Choosing a concealed door closer, such as Powermatic, can make a real difference; totally concealed when the door is closed, and particularly unobtrusive when the door is open, Powermatic door closers do not have the unsightly, mechanical boxes and control arms that are an unavoidable feature of surface mounted devices, thus helping to create a less institutionalised and more therapeutic interior. ...cont’d overleaf