Well, if you ask most people, they would probably say that the name panic bar would strike fear in them. However, if you know what panic bars are intended to do, it would quickly put your mind at ease. You may have heard of panic bars before or crash bars, as they are sometimes referred to. These doors were invented for emergency purposes. The panic bar has a spring-loaded metal bar that extends horizontally on the inside. Once someone pushes on the bar, it unlatches and opens outwardly. This door enables people to leave an emergency situation quickly without injury. The fact that it opens outward means no one should be in your way trying to come in since they only open out. This is very important in an emergency situation.
Larger commercial businesses and venues that receive a lot of foot traffic; usually have panic bars installed. If there is an emergency, people are looking for the quickest exit. This exit should enable them to flee quickly and to do so without harming themselves on anyone else. The exit door should allow an easy flow of traffic to go through. This is what a panic bar enables people to do. By now, you see why we mentioned that it should ease your mind when you hear of a panic bar. It doesn’t take much thought to open up a door with a panic bar on it, whether they are familiar with what they are or not. Most people recognize this type of door and instinctively, push it to get out.
It was necessary for someone to design this due to a tragic accident that dates back to the 1800’s where hundreds of people lost their lives due to the inability to get out of a burning building in time. We are sure you can see clearly why it is beneficial to have this type of door if you are business owner. At Mountain Brook Locksmith, in Mountain Brook, AL, we want you to know some additional benefits of panic bars.
Affordable
You might think that something like this would cost an arm and a leg. The reality is that it cost far less than it would if you had to pay out insurance due to injuries of people who were unable to get to safety and was harmed. The panic bar generally cost as little as $300 and goes up from their. The price of it depends largely on the model. If you are planning on having them installed in more than one area of your property, your locksmith might be willing to offer you a deal on installation.
Decreased Amount of Insurance
Often times, when you plan for the worst, the insurance companies will often cut you a break by offering affordable insurance. This shows them that you are considering the amount of money that has to be paid out if someone is harmed. This lets them know that you a responsible building manager or business owner. It will, of course, depend on the insurance company you choose to use. In order to receive a discount on your insurance, you’ll have to inform them of the fact that you have panic bars, otherwise, they wouldn’t have any way of know this.
Effective
OSHA would never recommend panic bars if they didn’t prove effective in doing what they are intended to do. In fact, there are some cases that OSHA mandates that a business have panic bars. You have to remember that people lives are at stake and without these bars, they could quickly and tragically lose their lives. Not only does OSHA want to make sure everyone is safe, as a business owner, you should want to do your part in keeping everyone safe who does business with you.
Assured Safety
I don’t know about you but if I sat in a movie theater, looked down and didn’t see panic bars, I doubt that I would feel very comfortable sticking around. There are there for a reason and knowing that they are there gives some of us, peace-of-mind. Not only are they good at getting everyone out of the building safely, they are also a great way to keep out people who wish to come in and cause harm to those inside. This type of door will not allow anyone who is unauthorized to enter through that door. If someone is caught doing so, the police are usually called out to investigate their reason for attempting entry through that door. If security is on hand, the police will not be called but you can be sure that if someone is attempting to get in through the panic bar door, they will be apprehended and questioned extensively. This door clearly serves as a protection for everyone.
Several Options Available
Believe it or not, some panic bars come with alarms that will sound when unauthorized entry is attempted. There are also those that are cross bar panic bars. The type that you might need or want should be discussed prior to installation. You have to make sure it fits your budget and serves the exact purpose that you wish for it to. Know your options and choose accordingly.
Equipped with this information, you might need to make sure that you know how your customers are going to be able to safely get in and out of your business. If you do not have panic bars, after reading this we hope that it is something you will give serious consideration to. Don’t procrastinate, if you do not have them; begin doing your research to determine which one will be better suited to your needs. We have a team of knowledgeable and helpful associates who are here to help you make the best choice possible. The one thing we would hate for anyone to do is walk away from reading this article and does absolutely nothing. We presented this information to you with the hopes that it would move you to action.
