Everyone knows that break-ins and burglaries happen every day, year after year. The advancement of technology when it comes to locks and alarm systems have curbed the problem to a degree, but they still happen more often than you might think.
Every year in the United States, 2 million burglaries are officially reported to the authorities. Many of these burglaries result in property damage as well as the taking of valuable items. According to the FBI, there were roughly 1.9 million burglaries, 53% of which were forced entry and they resulted in $4.5 million in property loss.
If you are a business owner, there are door lock compliance rules that you need to have in place. Different rules apply to different types of companies, so it might seem a bit complicated. But, when you think about it, you don’t want a burglary to cost your business the money and pain of the loss a burglary can bring. Here are three things business owners should know about commercial door lock compliance.
1.) Hinges make a difference
If you have a business where you keep records that are private, then you have an obligation to make sure the hinges of on the door or doors leading into rooms where those records are kept are not exposed to the public side. For example, patient records that are kept in a storage room cannot have a door that has the hinges facing outward on the side where anyone who is not employed by your company could take them apart. This can be very dangerous in that personal, private information could be exposed to a break-in. If you door installation was done the opposite way, you might need to find a commercial replacement door to be installed correctly.
2.) Make sure locked doors can be easily exited
According to the American with Disabilities Act, commercial door lock features in all commercial buildings must be ably escapable without excessive inhabitance. This means that, in the event of an emergency, a disabled person should be able to escape the building by utilizing the locks just as easily as an able-bodied person. To begin with, all commercial door locks, pulleys, and handles attached to the doors should be able to be opened with one hand and not require extreme twisting or manipulation.
3.) Make sure your door’s hardware is mounted properly
For commercial buildings, all of the hardware might be used to operate the door must be mounted no more than four feet above a finished floor. This is to ensure that anyone who is in a wheelchair can reach the door locks and any pulleys if needed. Quality locksmiths will know about this requirement and will advise you on what to do to keep this requirement and all requirements up to date.
