For every superstar athlete they seem to have a lesser known younger
brother. That’s what life is like for a panic bar. Everyone knows what
their big brother the ‘fire door’ is all about but no one really knows
what a panic bar is. Ask someone and they will tell you an answer like a
place to drink before they get on a plane or the newest entry from the
M&M Mars candy bar line. That’s despite that fact that these
relatively unknown safety devices play such an important role in
commercial building safety.
Given all this, it’s time to write an article on these really creative emergency door opening devices. They
are less expensive to install than fire door locks and they are a
super-reliable quick door opening mechanism that is virtually tamper
proof from the exterior side of the door. After reading this article you
will fully understand ‘exactly’ who the fire doors important little
brother is.
What Is a Panic Bar (also known as a ‘crash bar’)?
How did these devices get their scary name? It’s because of the
reason why they were invented in the first place. Every commercial
building is required to have so many emergency exits and these are
usually fire doors. The only thing is, that in the event of an actual
fire some of these doors may be blocked and cause a mass exodus at a
single fire door. The ensuing ‘panic’ could cause more injuries and
death than a fire as many people try to scramble through
a single opening.
This is a scenario no one in their right mind wanted. The solution
was to create several more less sophisticated doorways that would also
let people escape without creating the dangerous scenario that just
having a few working fire doors created. Hence the ‘panic bar’ was born.
They enabled doors to stay securely shut until they were needed in the
event of an emergency.
Why Having Panic Bars Is Recommended and Necessary
Ok you know what a panic bar is and what is does but you may not know
the many reasons that they are important to have installed on your
commercial building’s doors. The list is long and it just may surprise
you.
Here are some of the many reasons why it’s important to have panic bars installed on several of your commercial building’s doors:
- Panic bars may say lives in an emergency
We have already touched upon the safety aspect of panic bars. Even
saving one human life in an actual emergency makes it worth having these
installed on your commercial property. They should help any business
owner sleep better knowing there are good options in the event there is a
fire, natural disaster or other emergency when people are occupying
their building.
- They’re reliable
Here are few locking devices that work as well as panic bars.
They come the closest of most any locking device to being a sure thing
they are called upon to work. That’s what makes them among the most
trusted locking devices in the marketplace. They require very little
maintenance to stay in good working order too. This applies even after
they have been in place for a long period of time (even though you
should have a locksmith check them periodically to ensure they are
working properly).
- In some states they are required by law
One big reason to install panic bars on your commercial property is
they may be a required item. Some states have laws on the books that
require you to have so many doors with fire alarm locks and panic bars.
Failure to comply with these laws may hit you hard in the pocket book in
the form of fines. Not to mention the effect lawsuits could have on
your business if there was an actual emergency and failure to meet state
and local requirements caused injuries or death.
- You may get a break on your insurance premium
Speaking of your pocketbook, insurance companies know that having
panic bars installed on the doors at your commercial building lessens
the chances of death and injuries if an emergency occurs too. That’s why
so many insurance companies are willing to give you a break on your
premium. All you have to do is meet their requirements as to the number
of doors with panic bars installed on them at your business.
- It’s a simple and effective safety device
What is one of the best reasons to install panic bars? It’s because
they are simple and work so well. Panic devices have proven to save many
lives in verified fire and other emergencies a countless number of
times. As was mentioned before saving just a single life makes any
device like a panic bar with putting on some of the doors at your
commercial property.
- They work well on all different types of commercial buildings
Panic devices are made in all different shapes and sizes too. That
means they can be made to fit on a variety of different types of
commercial exterior doors. Several models even come in adjustable
lengths and have other adjustments on them that will give them a custom
fit too. So whether you own a movie theater with many doors or
warehouse with just a few doors it is in your best interest to have as
many doors as possible equipped with panic bar devices.
Get Your Panic Bars Installed, Maintained and Repaired by a Pro
Panic bars may seem like simple devices but they are a locking
mechanism that absolutely must be installed properly to work correctly
when they are called upon in an emergency. It takes an experienced and
skilled locksmith like Fast Accurate Locksmith of
Kansas City, Kansas to get a job like installing and repairing panic
bars done correctly. Make sure anyone you hire to install or repair your
panic bars really knows what they are doing when it comes to working
with these devices. They could mean the difference between
life and death in an emergency situation.
