For all workplace doors
Regulation 5 of the Construction (Health, Safety & Welfare) Regulations 1996.
““...suitable and sufficient safe access to and egress from every place of work and to any other place provided for the use of any person while at work, which access and egress shall be without risks to health and properly maintained.”
This is self explanatory, with additional emphasis on the need to ensure all disability access is also safe.
For fire exit & escape route doors
Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.
““The responsible person must make and give effect to such arrangements as are appropriate... ...for the effective planning, organisation, control, monitoring and review of the preventive and protective measures.”
“The responsible person must record the arrangements referred...”
For workplace or premises open to the general public, this requires regular maintenance (to suppliers/manufacturers recommendation) is carried out at regular intervals and that suitable records are kept.
For electric & power operated doors
Regulation 6 of the Provision & Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998.
“Every employer should ensure that work equipment is maintained in an efficient state, in efficient working order and in good repair.”
“Every employer should ensure that where any machinery has a maintenance log, the log is kept up to date.”
This not only restates the rules previously covered in the Safety Reg’s but also lays stress on the need for personnel carrying out the maintenance work to be adequately trained.
For all types of doors
Regulation 5 of the Workplace (Health, Safety & Welfare) Regulations 1992.
“... the equipment, devices and systems to which this regulation applies shall be subject to a suitable system of maintenance.”
This requires regular maintenance (to suppliers/manufacturers recommendation) is carried out at regular intervals, potentially dangerous defects are to be remedied, and that suitable records are kept.
There are 5 regulations in force that cover the employers obligation, which are binding on the employer, who has a duty to safeguard the health & safety of their employees and visitors to their sites:
- Workplace (Health, Safety & Welfare) Regulations 1992
- Provision & Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998
- Fire Precautions (Workplace) Regulations 1997
- Construction (Health, Safety & Welfare) Regulation 1996
- Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005
In essence, this means that doors should be subject to a regular maintenance regime that is recorded and preferably carried by competent or approved operators to suppliers standards.
It prolongs the
operational life of the door.
As with any mechanical item, such as washing machines or motor vehicles,
routine maintenance ensures that it is kept in good working order and
identifies key faults and solves them before they become a major problem.
It keeps the
door in a safe and efficient condition.
Helping to prevent accidents, damage and loss of resources that usually
occur as a result of this type of event.
It can help
prevent potential downtime.
Basically, if the doors are not working and are an important access,
delivery or loading area, then you are likely to incur loss of revenue,
inefficiency and be operating reactively to a situation that could have been
avoided.
It can help
prevent premature replacement and identify when a product should be replaced
for safety reasons.
This could have cashflow and capital expenditure planning implications. It
will also allow better budget plans as you can identify a fixed cost for
planned maintenance rather than the variable cost of reactive repairs.
For fire exit & compartment doors
Regulation 6 of the Fire Precautions (Workplace) Regulations 1997.
“Where necessary. In order to safeguard the safety of employees in the case of fire, the workplace and any equipment and devices provided... ...shall be subject to a suitable system of maintenance and be maintained in an efficient state, in efficient working order and in good repair.”
This is self explanatory and is more specific because of the additional risk and danger allied to potential fire situations.
