Panic Bars, Importance in Commercial Property

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.