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Thanks for stopping by to learn about panic bars and why they are important in commercial properties! It is our hope that upon reading this article, you will gain the knowledge that when a mass exit is needed, you have to have a way out for those on your property. You would want to know that you have done everything in your power to assist people so they can get out safely, of course. One way to accomplish this is to have panic bars installed. Panic bars are very important for various reasons. Here, we are going to dive into this topic.
You might know what panic bars are or you might have just a guess. Many assume they are some sort of alarm system, which can be partially true. Surely you have seen and even pressed down on these bars many times before, but you might not have thought much of it. For example, the medical building where you go for your check-ups might have them, or your local movie theater will have them on the exit doors. Your high school gymnasium might have had them, and the doors leading to the parking lot from your child’s school might have them.
So, now that you are confident you have seen and even used them, what are they for? A panic device or crash bar serves as a mechanism to easily open a door. You might also hear this device called a push bar because it’s a bar that you literally push down on.
You need to know about panic bars because then you can make the decision as to whether or not this is something that would benefit you and your business property. You also want to base this decision on local codes and regulations. You should even consider insurance, because in some cases, you might get lower rates for having one installed. But money should be the least of your concerns when attempting to protect the people who enter your property, like your employees and customers. Of course, you will want to stay in a budget, though.
Ask yourself - what is your exit plan should a mass or otherwise speedy exit be necessary, for instance, during a fire? Are you following regulations and the law? Is there something missing in terms of security at your property? If you aren’t sure, it’s a wise idea to connect with a local locksmith. If you are in our service area, feel free to call us.
How does a panic bar work, you might be wondering? Someone pushes down on the bar. When they do this, a latch is retracted which allows the door open. It is handicapped-accessible but also allows people to avoid trampling when trying to get out of a building.
Panic bars belong in places such as malls, retail stores, offices, medical buildings, college campuses, movie theaters and more. Any building that sees a lot of foot traffic would benefit from having them. You will want to take a look at International Building Code to see if you are required to have a panic bar at your property and National Fire Protection Association Code.
Sure, you would like to think that emergency situations will never happen, but it is the unfortunate truth that they can and do happen. We can’t prevent everything but we can be as prepared as possible. Knowing a fire could occur, we can have a plan for the people who visit our property. Ask yourself if the people like customers and employees on your property would be able to get out without trampling one another if an emergency were to take place. You don’t want them to be stuck trying to unlock a door or nervously trying to turn a door knob when a bunch of people are surrounding them trying to do the same thing. A push bar would allow them to get out fast.
Now that you know what crash bars are and how they work, you might be interested in knowing more about the options at your disposal. We previously mentioned the idea that some people think they are an alarm of some sort. You can have one that is connected to an alarm system. So this is certainly an option.
If you are ready to install a panic device, it is a good idea to get on the phone with a locksmith. Just make sure if you are not in our service area that you call one who is insured and licensed. You want them to have done this installation before. Obviously if a mistake is made, you could be left with a malfunctioning device.
You will get plenty of information if you call an expert about panic bars and why they are so important to have for commercial properties. You will find out that there are alarmed panic bars, panic bars with powder coated aluminum finish, left hand reverse devices and so on. Clearly, the amount of options can become overwhelming, so it might be best to talk with an expert locksmith, such as our local business!
