All industrial doors are designed to function safely under normal conditions; however, failure of serviceable parts such as lifting cable, springs and motors does often occur. In such instances, the door has the potential to fall unexpectedly.
Anti-fall devices are specifically designed to mitigate this risk by engaging only in the event of a failure, thereby securing the door in its current position (falling no more than 300mm) preventing uncontrolled descent.
For organisations managing premises where personnel or vehicles pass beneath these doors, meeting the current standard with anti-fall protection systems is essential to minimise the likelihood of injury, property damage and operational disruption.
In this blog, our expert engineers explore five of the most common questions we are asked regarding anti-fall devices…
Safety Brakes and anti-fall devices explained
There are three main types of anti-fall back devices and the type that you may have installed depends upon what type of door that you have.
Cable brakes – these act much like an anchor and are designed to jam into the side-track of the door in the case of a lifting cable snapping. These then hold the door in place rather than allowing it to free fall to the floor.
Spring brakes – In the case of a spring or coil failure, these devices are designed to lock the shaft in place and prevent any further movement of the door. Again, without these, the door would be at risk of freefalling to the ground and causing considerable damage to the panels, the floor and anything else unlucky enough to be underneath it at the time.
Motor brakes – If a motor does not have a safety brake already built in, then there is a possibility that the motor could fail, causing the door to drop suddenly. Older motors are more susceptible to this and will, most likely, need to be replaced to meet future safety standards.
The role of anti-fall devices alongside regular servicing
Regular servicing is essential to maintain the health of your door and all its component parts however, if your door does not already have safety brakes or anti-fall devices installed, we strongly advise you to do so. Currently, the health and safety regulator for Britain (HSE) strongly recommend the installation of safety brakes and we anticipate this to become a mandatory regulation within the near future. When this happens, any door not fitted with safety brakes would be deemed unsafe to use.
Checking whether your door meets current guidance
The only way to guarantee your door’s compliance is to have a professional come and look at your door – especially if your door is a Roller Shutter as the brakes are situated within the barrel assembly itself. If your door has been installed recently, these devices come as standard so there is a good chance that you are already protected.
However, to be sure, you would need an expert door engineer to confirm this. Alternatively, if your doors are serviced by Stanair, you would have received a full-service report which will indicate if the door is fitted with anti-fall back devices. If you have not had your door serviced recently, then simply call us on 01536 482187 or click here and our friendly team can arrange a time which is suitable for you.
When new doors may be required
In some cases, installing safety brakes may require door replacement, depending on the age and design of the door. If you have only recently had new doors installed, it is highly likely that they already have anti-fall devices installed – but again – be sure to check this during your door’s regular servicing.
If your doors consist of mainly Sectional Overheads, retro fitting these devices can be achieved easily by our trained experts. However, this is not always possible with a roller shutter. This can be due to a variety of reasons but, most commonly, it is because the springs are located inside the barrel assembly. Modifications can be made to accommodate a safety brake, but it could be more economical to replace the entire door.
Managing anti-fall upgrades across multiple doors
When managing anti-fall upgrades across multiple doors, the approach will depend on the type of doors installed and how the site operates. For the moment, having these devices installed is a ‘strong recommendation’. However, once safety brakes become a mandatory requirement, as they will do soon, all doors which may have personnel or vehicles passing underneath will be deemed too unsafe for use.
Therefore, it is better to be proactive and plan in order to avoid potential disruption and extra costs. Alternatively, you may wish to have the devices installed as soon as possible to minimise any potential risks to your staff, visitors or property and, if this is the case, we would be more than happy to organise this work for you.
If you do have multiple doors that require the fitting of these devices, we suggest that you work with us to create budget plan which allows you to spread the cost over a given time frame. If this is something that you would like to explore further, then please do click here to get in touch.
If you would like to discuss any aspect of our servicing agreements, anti-fall back devices or just have some extra questions that weren’t included in our list, please do just get in touch and one of our friendly team will get back to you as soon as possible.
Frequently asked Questions
What causes an industrial door to fall unexpectedly?
Uncontrolled door descent usually occurs following a failure such as a snapped lifting cable, broken spring or motor fault. Anti-fall devices are designed to activate only in these situations, preventing the door from falling.
Can Anti-fall devices be fitted to existing doors?
In many cases, anti fall devices can be retrofitted to existing doors, particularly sectional overhead doors. With some roller shutters, retrofitting may be limited by the doors design, meaning replacement may be the more economical option.
How can I tell if my door has an anti-fall device installed?
The most reliable way to confirm this is through an inspection by an experienced door engineer. If your doors are serviced regularly, this information should also be detailed within your service report.
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