Safety and standards information on the BS EN 16005 – What are the standards when it comes to Power Operated pedestrian doorsets? All is explained in this exclusive Locks Online guide.
British Standards are a must when it comes to commercial use of power operated doors. Before the BS EN 16005 – 2012, the original standard set in place was the BS 7036:1996. Since April 2013, the new standards have been set and new regulations now must be followed. Failure to follow these procedures could result in punishment. So what is the standard all about and is it really that important? In this guide I am going to break down the sections of the standard and explain everything for the everyday person.
So this new European Standard (EN part of the title) now covers the safety side of things when the use of power operated doors are being used for pedestrian or public use. This standard is set for all Front and back doors that the public may use, fire and smoke doorsets and all escape routes. Swing, sliding, folding, balanced, revolving and horizontally moving door leafs must all be covered by this standard, ensuring no doors are left with no safety procedures. Any power operated doors that were put into place before April 2013 will not have to comply with the standard however, any electrician or tester must recommend an upgrade if the system is being fixed or tested. This standard applies for doors that do not exceed 2000mm in width. If the doors do exceed this then extra safety precautions must be put into place. It is also recommended that the operation works on a low voltage input with a maximum of 24V DC.
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What doors are not covered by the BS EN 16005?
All the below information does not apply to the standard. This will not cover:
- Vertical moving doors
- Doors on lifts
- Doors on vehicles
- Power operated doors or gates mainly intended for vehicle traffic or access for goods
- Partition walls
- Doors outside the reach of people
- Traffic barriers
- Turnstiles
- Platform doors
What procedures must be followed?
In order for you to comply with this standard you are expected to carry out the following tasks.
- You must ensure you comply with the standard if your installation was after April 1st 2012.
- A risk analysis must be carried out during the sales stage of the ordeal. The final outcome will impact the door power operated door and its safety accessories.
- Manuals and information about this standard must come with the doorset
- All branding from manufactures must be clearly shown on the doorsets
- A handover book must sit near the doorset outlining safety procedures and functions
- Door maintenance must be carried out once a year minimum by a certified service company
- Restrictions of use
- Explanation of the warning signs on the doorset
Door marking from brands is a must and they must be marked with CE markings. Business name and address must be displayed in the paperwork and wherever can on the systems itself. The year of construction must also be printed on the system.
Here are some important Facts to know about the BS EN 16005 Standard
Any new doorset that is installed with a power operated system must comply with this standard. If the doorset was installed before April 1st 2012 you will not need to comply with this standard. BS EN 16005 is a newer revised version of BS EN 7036.
Activation Zones

The required activation distances for slide and swing doors are as follows:
Escape doors – 1500mm
Non escape doors – 1000mm
Protection Zone
Head Entrapment – Greater than 200mm
Body Entrapment – Greater than 500mm
Finger Entrapment – Greater than 8mm or less than 25mm
Impact of door leaf
A door leaf should apply a force of more than 400N if it impacts on an object, reducing it to 150N. 75 of a second and then dropping it to 80N within 5 seconds.
Test Objects

Rules regarding test objects are as the following:
Object size: 200 x 300 x 700mm Tall.
This must have 2 matt black surfaces and 3 high gloss surfaces.
Revolving doors
Revolving doors greater than 3 meters must now have the following specifications:
An Emergency Stop button must be installed inside the building, in view of the door, should a problem occur.
Safety strips must also be present at the closing edge, the opposed closing edge and at the low level. This must be the whole width of the leading edge of each door wing.
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What happens if I dont comply?
Simply, you get punished! BS and EN standards are very strict when it comes to following protocol. If something goes wrong you will be liable. Whether this is something that has malfunctioned on the door, or a customer or visitor gets caught within the door, it is important to remember regardless, it will fall down on you. Make sure to follow all procedures correctly and read the small print just to cover every corner!
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So as you can see there is much to know about the BS EN 16005 Standard for power operated doors. If you would like more information as to whether your following the right standards, please call us on 01646 698218 or email us at enquiries@locksonline.co.uk

Article witten by
Emily James
Locks Online