Importance of Panic Bars for Commercial Properties

Panic bars are a common installation on many commercial properties due to the many factors that make them a cost-effective, injury-preventing safety device. A proper building emergency plan should include having panic bars on all of your doors. This article aims to explain what panic bars are and why they’re to integral to a building’s emergency prevention measures. There are many factors that make panic bars a cost-effective, irreplaceable investment for your business.

What Are Panic Bars?

A panic bar, also known as a crash bar, is a door opening device that is commonly found on the doors of many commercial properties in Glen Ellyn, IL, and all around the country. It’s a horizontal metal bar containing a spring mechanism that is affixed to an exit door. You’ve probably seen and used them many times without realizing what they were called. The purpose of panic bars is to allow the door to easily open when the bar is pushed. A panic bar allows for a faster and easier exit than traditional door handles or knobs. Some panic bars have an alarm system attached. This type is generally restricted to emergency exits. Many buildings utilize panic bars on all of their exits, because they also offer

Panic bars not only allow for an easy exit, but they also work on aspects of human psychology. During an emergency situation, it’s crucial that people be able to exit quickly and safely, no matter how many people are in the building at the time. Panic bars allow for the free flow of traffic out of your building. In an emergency, this prevents panic because people can see that those ahead of them are exiting the building quickly, without impediment, they will be less likely to panic. It’s important to prevent any panic or unnecessary anxiety that may lead to a stampede. These reactions are built into our basic instincts as living creatures, just like many animals. Stampedes have caused many injuries and even deaths in the past, and so panic bars were created to prevent this from happening. Since the widespread use of panic bars began, these types of incidents have drastically decreased.

Why Panic Bars Are Necessary

There are many reasons why panic bars are so important for your commercial property. Here are just a few of the reasons why these simple devices are so crucial if you want your business to be as safe as possible. It’s no fluke that you see panic bars on most commercial properties nowadays, from restaurants to shopping centers. No matter what type of exit door your business uses, panic bars can be installed on them, including double doors. It’s recommended not only to install panic bars on your emergency exits and front door, but every exit in your building.

They allow for many people to exit quickly to safety.

In the event of a fire or another emergency that requires evacuation of your commercial property, panic bars can allow many people to easily exit in a fast manner. If your building has more than ten or twenty people in it at any given time, panic bars are strongly recommended. During an emergency, every second counts, and anything preventing people from quickly leaving is a potential hazard. Most panic bars a feature that allows them to be “dogged,” which allows the door to swing open no matter where on its surface a person applies pressure.

They help your building meet fire safety codes.

Every commercial property is required to meet the fire code of its particular region. Depending on the fire codes that governs your Illinois business’s commercial property, you may be required to install panic bars on your doors. A good locksmith company will offer you affordable panic bar installation for your business. With panic bars, in the event of a fire or other emergency that requires the quick evacuation of your commercial building, getting out will be far easier and safer for everyone involved. Panic bars can be integrated with other technology, such as alarm systems, depending on your building’s needs. Don’t wait until the threat of a safety inspection to have panic bars installed or replaced on your doors if you do not already. Make sure to always be aware of the fire codes governing your particular commercial building.

They make general traffic flow easily in and out of your building.

This may not seem like a big deal, but anything that adds to a positive customer experience is important. These exit devices make entering and exiting your building convenient. Dogging can be utilized during business hours, allowing the door to open even more easily, which can be of use when foot traffic is particularly heavy. The only drawback of this process is if your door is caught by a high wind and whipped back, which can be prevented by not using dogging during gusty weather.

They prevent injuries and save lives.

The most important reason that panic bars have become such a staple in commercial properties is because they work. Panic bars have been proven to not only prevent injuries by greatly lowering the risk of a stampede or a bottleneck at the exits in case of emergency, but also by saving lives in these hectic situations. When people can exit your building quickly and keep the line of traffic moving, they will be less likely to rush toward the exit or push other people. For this reason alone, panic bars are a vital component of your business’s emergency plan.

If you need one or more panic bars installed on the exit doors of your commercial property, it’s best to contact a professional locksmith company to assist you. A locksmith business, such as Locksmith Glen Ellyn, can outfit your doors with the proper size and type of panic bars, as well as assisting you with any other security measures your business needs. Contact a locksmith today to discuss your options when it comes to having a panic bar installed or replaced for your business.