Foot operated door opener

[A Jones]

Hello

Quick question regarding fire door integrity using a foot operated door opener. Would this be acceptable to fit on the base of a fire door based in an educational environment?

Many thanks

Alan

 

[Neil ashdown]

Think this a new product?  Saw one like it on Twitter the other day.

The correct answer to your question is that the product manufacturer should be consulted to check that a fire performance test, (to BS 476-22 or EN 1634-1) has been carried out and that the product did not adversely affect the door in that test. Alternatively, where you have the door leaf manufacturers details you can check with them to see if they permit the fitting of this device without any conflict with the door's fire performance.

Assuming you have none of the above, then proceed with caution and consider the following:

1) Could fitting this product to the door leaf increase the risk of accidental foot injury?

2) Could fitting this product compromise the fire performance of doors that have a metal face protection plate (by holding the plate against the door rather than allowing the plate to fall away in a fire)?

From a fire safety angle my own view on this product, bearing in mind that I haven't yet seen one, is that due to the fact that the product would most likely be positioned at the face of the door very near to the bottom edge with short screw fixings it is unlikely to have a great affect on fire resistance performance.  There would be a question about the durability of the product in terms of how well the screws perform in providing a secure fixing in the longer term. Clearly, bolt-through fixings would be more durable but are more likely to affect fire performance, particularly where a metal plate has been fitted to the face of the door. 

Edited May 13, 2020 by Neil ashdown
To correct typing error

[A Jones]

Many thanks for your detailed and helpful advice. 

Our COVID-19 workplace risk assessment has highlighted the need to reduce as many touch points as practicably possible and as a result we are considering many options such as using this device.The plan is to out-source the manufacturing of these units to a local engineering company, so unfortunately a fire performance test would not be available.

I've suggested using 2mm thick washers as spacers to reduce the surface area contact of the metal plate, do you think that would be of use? I'll also look at redesigning the plate, with chamfered corners and possibly an additional screw hole in the centre.

Agreed that durability may be an issue on fire doors but it may be that we end up using this device only for non-fire doors such as toilets and use bolts as fixings.

Again, many thanks.

 

 

[green-foam]

Sorry if I am missing the obvious, If it is to open a door that goes inward, why can't you just open it with your foot or your elbow?

[A Jones]

Hi. Just to clarify, we have been pushing doors with our feet or elbows where possible but this device is used to draw the door towards you using your foot instead of pulling at the handle with your hand.

 

[Tom Sutton]

You can fit finger/foot plates to fire doors and these these have similar fittings so I do not see any problems except if you choose to used bolts through the door then you will need to use intumescent paste in the drilled hole before you insert the bolt.

[Safelincs]

The foot operated door openers sold by Safelincs have flange headed wood screws of 30mm length to avoid penetrating a fire door.  With a 5mm diameter they are quite stubby to achieve the hold required.
Harry