Fire emergencies in buildings demand split-second reactions and reliable systems. Doors are an important part of any fire safety plan. In this blog post, we’ll explore how DIGIWAY, an automatic door operator for swing doors, supports safer evacuations and critical fire safety compliance.
Why doors matter in fire safety
In any building, doors are an essential consideration for an effective fire safety plan. And that’s not only for fire doors. All doors in a building are part of the overall infrastructure, and each makes its own contribution to evacuation routes and occupant safety. Beyond that, doors additionally support the compartmentation of the building, a plan designed to restrict the spread of fires.
Doors are often something most people pay very little attention to. But in an emergency, they are critical. Particularly in a high-stress situation like an ongoing fire swift and simple evacuation relies on the safe and easy operation of doors. Challenges such as locked doors, jammed access, and slow manual operation of automatic doors induce panic, which itself poses further risk to occupants’ safety.
What is DIGIWAY?
DIGIWAY is an automatic door operator for swing doors. It delivers smooth and safe automation with silent operation and bags of added-value features. DIGIWAY equips doors in commercial offices, retail premises, public buildings, healthcare facilities, educational campuses, and many other building types. As well as the fire safety features we’ll look at later in this blog, DIGIWAY prioritises simplicity and flexibility for both single and double doors.
Plus, we offer free training for installers to ensure you know everything you need to make every installation successful. Find out more about training at www.cdvi.co.uk/training.
Fire safety features of DIGIWAY
Certified fire resistance
Compliance is extremely important to us, as it should be for any professional installer. That’s why we’ve ensured that the DIGIWAY Spring Return door operator is certified fire rated under the EN1634-1 regulations. This means that the operator has been rigorously tested and confirmed to resist the effects of fire and smoke for up to 60 minutes. An hour is a long time in an emergency, and the longer a door successfully retains its integrity, the more time there is for people to escape safely.
With this level of regulatory compliance, your customers can be confident that the DIGIWAY SR won’t compromise a fire-rated door’s ability to contain a blaze.
Spring return mechanism for manual override
There are two models of DIGIWAY door operators: the Plus and the SR. The DIGIWAY Plus is powered by a motor that drives it to open, and drives it to close. In contrast, the DIGIWAY SR (which stands for Spring Return) is equipped with a powerful spring inside the operator. That spring return mechanism means that in an emergency, there’s no need to wait for the door to open by itself. Provided the door is unlocked, occupants simply push the door open and escape safely.
When every second counts, not having to rely on electricity or automation makes a big difference.
Fire alarm system integration
DIGIWAY door operators include a fire input connection. This enables integration with a building’s fire alarm system. As a result, when an emergency takes root and the fire alarm triggers, DIGIWAY door operators work in tandem to contribute to safe evacuation procedures.
How the DIGIWAY responds when triggered through the fire input is up to you. In some cases, you may wish for the DIGIWAY to immediately close and lock the door, for fire containment purposes. In other cases, you may wish to open a certain series doors automatically, creating a clear and smooth escape corridor for occupants.
Meeting fire safety standards with DIGIWAY
Fire safety in any building is a complicated matter. Cohesive plans often involve multiple systems and cross-functional cooperation. DIGIWAY door operators integrate smoothly with fire systems and contribute to both fire containment and occupant evacuation procedures. For any facility looking to upgrade fire safety and align with regulations, consider the role of DIGIWAY door automation.
Conclusion: be ready before the alarm sounds
To recap, DIGIWAY SR contributes to overall fire safety with three core features: fire rated hardware, push-to-open manual override, and fire alarm input connections. Doors are easy to ignore in a day-to-day setting, but in a crisis they are crucial. Don’t let doors become a hazard in a emergency – choose DIGIWAY door automation as part of your fire safety infrastructure.
