Panic Bars and Their Role in Commercial Building Safety

Panic bars are specialized devices that you have likely seen and even used before in commercial buildings and other public spaces. Panic bars are also referred to as crash bars, exit devices, and push bars. They are placed on the inside of doors within buildings that have a certain level of occupancy. Smaller businesses and some public spaces are not required to have them, but most do.

Benefits of Having Panic Bars

Panic bars have several benefits that you should know about. Not only do panic bars save countless lives every year, but they also offer businesses other benefits in terms of overall safety and security.

• Easy to Operate

One of the best things about panic bars is that they are easy to use. Unlike traditional doorknobs that require that you turn a knob to open and close the door, panic bars only need a push in order to swing open. This mechanism makes panic bars more accessible for day-to-day use and also easier to operate in the event of an emergency.

• Prevent Jams and Stampedes

The number one reason panic bars are necessary is because they save lives. Panic bars were invented to prevent the stampedes that can occur when crowds of people are exiting all at once. In an emergency, panic bars allow the door to be swung open easily without risk of jamming or other interferences that you may find with traditional doorknobs.

• Different Varieties and Styles

Panic bars do not just come in one specific style. Businesses have a lot of options when it comes to the look and finish of the panic bars they choose to install.

• Affordable

Panic bars are a worthwhile investment. Businesses can easily afford to purchase one or several sets of panic bars in order to ensure that their businesses are safe for their employees and customers. Cost should never be an excuse to not install panic bars, as the consequences of failing to do so could be deadly.

The Dark History Surrounding Panic Bars

Why is there so much hype about panic bars, anyway? Unfortunately, to answer this question, we must look into the history of how panic bars came to be. Building safety, in general, was not given much thought prior to the early 1900s. There were few, if any, plans for emergency exit routes, evacuation procedures, and other back-up plans by businesses worldwide. This lack of preparedness became an obvious problem starting in the late 1800s.

In Sunderland, England in 1883, a stampede erupted in a concert hall after an assembly of children were watching a live performance that day. The performers promised the first children to reach the back of the theater would receive a prize. As hundreds of children raced towards the sole exit of the theater, 183 children perished in a stampede after the exit door remained bolted shut part way. Only one child was able to exit the theatre at a time, which ultimately added to the stampede that occurred. It was after this incident that Robert Alexander Briggs went on to invent the panic bolt which received its patent in 1892.

The tragedy that led to panic bar and building safety code laws occurred in the United States in Chicago at a venue known as the Iroquois Theatre. During a severely overcrowded matinee performance on that fateful day in December of 1903, 602 people died after one of the theatre stage curtains caught fire and spread quickly. Lack of exits and other safety measures were ultimately blamed for the high death toll.

The last and final incident that inspired a widespread change of building safety laws and the implementation of the panic bolt in businesses worldwide also occurred in the United States, just five years after the Iroquois Theatre fire incident. In Collinwood, Ohio in 1908, 172 students perished at Lakeview School after a fire started somewhere in the building. One of the only two exits was almost immediately blocked, making it impossible for most of the occupants inside to flee the building quickly.

Due to the severity of these three tragedies, International Building Code laws (IBC) have been put in place to mandate what businesses can and should do to prepare for emergencies and keep their employees and other occupants safe. Businesses are required to have a certain number of exits throughout their buildings, clear emergency exit signs, panic bar installations, and other provisions in order to meet safety standards.

If you are a business owner and do not have panic bars installed, schedule a consultation with a locksmith as soon as possible. Depending on the occupancy capacity of your business, the materials handled on-site at your business, as well as other factors, you may be required by law to have them installed on all of the exit doors throughout your business. Do not risk foregoing panic bar installations. Without them, you may be putting the safety of your workers and customers in danger. Call a professional locksmith in your area today to discuss your business safety and panic bar needs with an expert. Nothing is more important than making sure your business is a safe place to be.

Need a Locksmith for Your Business in Centennial?

Business owners in the Centennial, Colorado area know that Centennial Locksmith Company is the number one locksmith to work with when they need locksmithing installations, upgrades, repairs, and more. We specialize in commercial building safety and can help install panic bars and other security devices that will keep your customers and employees safe. Every good business owner or manager knows that the safety of those in and around one’s business is most important. Let our locksmiths at Centennial Locksmith Company help you with your property safety with our affordable and professional installations. When it comes to your business security and safety needs, trust our experts at Centennial Locksmith Company today! We are available 24-hours a day, seven days a week to serve business owners and residents in and near the Centennial, CO area. Call now!