What is EN16005 and how can you comply with it?
EN16005 (officially known in the UK as BS EN 16005) is a European standard that defines a set of best practices to improve the safety of automatic doors for pedestrian use. It falls under the European Machinery Directive, which has been adopted into UK law in the time since Brexit.
An automatic door is a type of machine, and all machines must comply with the European Machinery Directive. As a result, CDVI recommends that all door automation installations comply with the regulations set out in the EN16005 standard.
What do the EN16005 regulations cover?
There are a wide variety of factors to consider when installing automatic doors. Installations involve large and heavy moving parts, such as the door leaf, as well as small, tight areas like the hinge line which pose entrapment risks to fingers. EN16005 aims to address these risks and define best practices for mitigating them as much as possible.
When evaluating, specifying, or installing a door automation system, designers must consider factors including (but not limited to):
- Clear signage to highlight and warn users about risks
- Electronic sensors to detect obstructions or dangers when the system is in operation
- Safety barriers to prevent users in the active traffic zone from entering an area of risk
- Emergency provisions to minimise adverse consequences in case of emergencies
What are the exact regulations to follow?
A full digital copy of the standard can only be purchased directly from BSI. You can also purchase a hard copy from BSI, or one of the two associations that offer training and examinations in the standard.
The ADSA (Automatic Door Suppliers Association) and the ADIA (Automatic Door Installers Association) both offer comprehensive training on BS EN 16005. Both will provide you with a hard copy of the full detail.
We recommend that anyone looking to install automatic doors completes one of the official courses.
If you’re looking for an overview of the regulations or more technical guidance on installing door automation, visit the CDVI Academy.
How do sensors help comply with EN16005?
In a door automation installation, sensors are designed to scan the areas around and close to the automated door. There are two types of sensors: trigger sensors and safety sensors.
Trigger sensors
Trigger sensors are generally placed slightly further away from the door’s operation zone. They are intended to pick up when a person is approaching the door and trigger it automatically, so that it is already open when they reach it.
Trigger sensors are useful when there is no requirement for access control at that entry or exit point. For example, on the way out of a gym, where people may be carrying bags and not have a hand free to push an exit button, a trigger sensor means their journey will be smooth and unimpeded.
Safety sensors
Safety sensors are designed to reduce the risk of harm or injury to users. They are generally fixed to the door leaf or very close to the frame. The objective of safety sensors is to halt or reverse the operation of the system when danger is detected. Danger could be things like obstructions in the path of the door or a person’s fingers at risk of entrapment in the door hinge.
Safety sensors generally project infrared or laser beams into the danger zones. If a person or other obstruction breaks the beam, the sensor is triggered, causing the operation of the door to immediately stop.