Auto doors safety regulations?

I'm looking for Canadian code safety regulations concerning automatic doors. Specifically the regulations governing the pressure senser to detect personel between the doorway when closing. My employer wants proof that it is an actual requirement to have those sensers.

Personally, if I made automatic doors I would want to install them even if it wasn't a requirement. I would think one could open themselves up to all sorts of possible litigation otherwise. Not to mention the fact that I couldn’t sleep at night knowing that I added $15 or $20 to my profit by leaving them off and there by exposing some poor sap to a potentially debilitating (or maybe even life treating) injury. Just my 2 cents.

P.S. If he decides not to use them please let me know where these doors are to be installed so as I can avoid them.

What kind of doors" Sliding, Swing, Bi-parting, Center opening, Single panel overhead garage, Roller curtain?

What kind of controls? Constant pressure, fully automatic, phnumatic?

There are all kinds of doors for all types of applications, all with varying applicable codes.


Edit: check out this link: http://www.edsdoors.com/ansi_156_10.htm


http://www.edsdoors.com/ansi_156_19.htm

The doors are side sliding 15' by 20' Thanks for the link

Sounds like a huge door. Maybe for a small aircraft hanger or for railroad service.

On such an application I would think that the doors would be closed by a constant pressure pushbutton placed adjacent to the door opening so the operator can view the entire opening. I'm not sure if the max 30 lbs of force would apply to this either..

A good inexpensive personel safety device for this might be a "safety edge mounted on the leading edge of the door. On freight elevator doors we use the following: http://www.milleredge.com/pages/doors/folding/folding_mu22.html

Miller edge makes all sorts of door safety equipment.

Also you might want to check with the Miller or the associations on this page to find the applicable code for your door application: http://www.milleredge.com/links.html

actually its for a blast chill freezer that has deep reaches accessing on a regular basis. They are already equiped with an edge senser which are not currently working. I needed the regulations to prove to my superintendant that they are required and therefore must be fixed.

I would imagine that if there is protection on the door, it's there because it was required. My guess is that the people at Miller Edge could tell you what code is applicable to your application.

thats my feelings concerning the situation as most equipment usually comnes with the minimum requirements as far as hardware. In order to cut down on the costs. I didn't claim the personel I work for were intelligent. There is also the matter that these doors are not currently working to designed specs and therefore no longer have a valid certificate of compliance.

They are already equiped with an edge senser which are not currently working. I needed the regulations to prove to my superintendant that they are required and therefore must be fixed.

Click to expand...

So, whoever installed the doors decided that they should have edge safety sensors, but your boss doesn't think they're necessary. Can you fire your boss?

You say they're not working. It would seem to me that a sensors like that would be designed around a normally closed contact so that a broken wire would look like a sensor actuation and stop the door from operating. Are you sure that the sensor hasn't just been bypassed?

I ask that because when a company starts to place a higher value on production than on personnel safety by defeating or bypassing safety systems, you have to ask yourself whether you want to continue working for them.

You shouldn't have to cite a government regulation to get permission to do what's right.

Yes Steve I wholeheartily agree which is why I am currently looking for other work in the Red Deer area. Yes the sensers were bypassed. Actually all the controls were bypassed as they disconnected the PLC's that were in them. The operators are manually opening these doors

Auto Doors Safety Regulations

Unfortunately for everyone, no safety code for large commercial and industrial doors currently exists. We are working on it. The closest we come is UL325, which is for residential garage doors. ANSI has regulation on pedestrian doors, but not large vehicle doors. This creates a lot of problems in my industry. I personally design safe systems, only to have them picked apart by people (such as your boss).

A good design layout prevents a fork lift or vehicle from hitting the door.

You need a combination of sensors. You should use "Non Contact" devices, such as motion sensors and loop detectors that detect vehicles and personnel before they are touched by the door. A good source is BEA Sensors in Pittsburgh PA.

Make sure you look closely at the temperature ratings on the sensors, and make sure the sensors will work in your environment. You may have to mount them in a special enclosure with a heater. The enclosure material depends on the sensor you are using.

Reversing edges are "Contact" devices. If you have a vehicle moving through the door opening and the reversing edge touches the vehicle, the edge gets ripped by the vehicle before the door actually reverses. We use reversing edges as a back up to the other sensor systems. Miller is an excellent source for the edges.

I would suggest that while you are pricing out your sensors, also call the local door dealer and find out how much it costs to replace the door panel when it gets hit. I usually find you can justify all the sensors you need that way.

Good Luck!

Not necessarly applicable comment:

Elevator freight doors:

Max clsoing speed: 1ft per second.
Max closing force: 50 lbs (I think)
The leading edge of the doors are equiped with a fire rated non crushing safety astrigal. The astrigal makes contact and provides the seal with the striker. The door is stopped about 3" from the striker (mechanical stop).

The elevator car has a gate which closes before the door. The gate is is equiped with a Miller Edge. Newer applications may be with BOTH a Miller edge and retracting electric eyes. Once the gate has made a full close, then the door closes. The door has no sensing edge.

UL 325:

It seems like many of the door and gate operator manufactures have been applying UL-325 design critera to their products. I found this overview on the standard: http://www.abrpaint.com/services/GatesFencing/ul325intro_p.htm

Good luck with it..Mike

I would think that even if you do not find anything saying you have to use a safety device, the fact that one was already installed but bypassed would still leave your company open for any sort of litigation. I have had a couple times when a small assy machine would be ok without light curtains (but were originally equipped). I keep these light curtains funtional even though THE BOSS always wants to bypass them. I have to fight endlessly to keep things as I feel they should be.