Safety matters are you Legally Compliant?

DOOR SAFETY STANDARDS AND PUWER REGULATIONS

The following regulations are binding on the employer or occupier of a building or premises who have a duty to safeguard the health and safety of employees and other persons on or about the premises.

One of the most recent EU regulation changes was the introduction of the European safety standard which covers the specification, installation and maintenance of automatic doors over the previous British Standard.  The onus is placed on the Business owner/manager to keep stringent and meticulous records of all planned maintenance inspections that are carried out of their doors under the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 – often abbreviated to PUWER.

Different types of doors are of course governed by differing regulations, our team of specialist door engineers can help extend the service life of your specialist door and help you comply with the rigorous Health & Safety legislation that you must adhere to.

Danger points such as sensor activation distances, finger guards, cut out systems and door leaf forces require documentation detailing the frequency of services and must demonstrate that the full door system is being well maintained to ensure compliance.  Together with our comprehensive know-how and specialist equipment used by all our technicians, we can attend your premises, service and help repair your specialist doors in the most efficient and quickest and regulation compliant way possible.

Regulation 5 of the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 – This applies to all types of roller shutter doors whether manual or electrical operation.
“The equipment devices and systems to which this regulation applies shall be subject to a suitable schedule of maintenance.”
Regulation 5 of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER) – This applies to all power operated doors.
Every employer should ensure that work equipment is maintained in an efficient state and in efficient working order and in good repair.”
Every employer should ensure that where any machinery has a maintenance log and the log is kept up to date.”

Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 – This applies to any door provided as a fire exit, along an escape route or which provides fire containment or compartmentation. 
Where necessary in order to safeguard the safety of relevant persons the responsible person must ensure that the premises and any facilities, equipment and devices provided are subject to a suitable system of maintenance and are maintained in an efficient state and in efficient working order and in good repair.”

In order to satisfy the above regulations it is important that you can demonstrate:
• That regular maintenance is carried out at suitable intervals
• That potentially dangerous defects are remedied in a timely fashion
• That records are kept to document the above
One method of documentation to demonstrate the above would be a log book.  Requirements for the use of a log book are mentioned above in extract B from PUWER and are further covered by BSEN Standards relating to Construction Products and the Machinery Directives,

BSEN 12635:2002 – Industrial, Commercial and Garage Doors and Gates – Installation and User
This is one of a series of supporting standards to BSEN 13241-1:2003 the Product Standard for Industrial, Commercial, Roller and Garage Doors and Gates.
It provides guidance on documentation, installation, labelling, handover, operation, use, maintenance and repair of doors, including the requirements for a log book for power operated doors, which are summarised below.
• Requirements for a Log Book
• BSEN 12635 requires that the log book shall contain the following:
• Name and contact details of the manufacturer
• Unique identification number
• Door location reference (if known)
• Name and contact details of the installer
• Date of completion of installation
• The results of installation verification and testing
• Identification of power unit
• Identification of safety devices
• The results

The above requirements apply particularly to new installations but are essential information for the continued maintenance and safe operation of any door, no matter how old.  The log book should also contain clear reference to the operating instructions for the door, whether included in the log book or as a reference to separate documentation. It is advisable for inspections to take place every 6 months and the records kept for the Health and safety audit trail.

On an ongoing basis, there should be space for the recording of:
• All maintenance and repair visits
• Details of the work done
• Details of significant changes or upgrades
• Name, date and signature of responsible person in each instance

Legislation: 
Regulation 18 of the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992
1) Doors and gates shall be suitably constructed (including being fitted with any necessary safety devices).
2) Without prejudice to the generality of paragraph 1, doors and gates shall not comply with that paragraph unless:
a) Any sliding door or gate has a device to prevent it coming off its track during use
b) Any upward opening door or gate has a device to prevent it falling back
c) Any powered door or gate has suitable and effective features to prevent it causing injury by trapping any person
d) Where necessary for reasons of health or safety, any powered door or gate can be operated manually unless it opens automatically if the power fails
e) Any door or gate which is capable of opening by being pushed from either side is of such a construction as to provide, when closed, a clear view of the space close to both sides
Further details can be found on the HSE website: www.hse.gov.uk