In this blog we will be looking at standards such as BS 8300, and how to meet regulations when using sliding doors.
BS 8300 is a British code of practice which sets out requirements and regulations of how buildings should be designed in order to meet the needs of disabled individuals, creating an accessible environment for them.
Clear Openings
When designing a sliding door, to comply with BS 8300, the clear width of the opening of a door. The clear opening is not the distance from frame to frame, it is the minimum distance, including any projection of the door or its hardware into the space. When looking at pocket doors, it is always important to remember that some of the door always remains in the pocket, so the clear opening is narrower than the door.
Sliding Door Opening Regulations
The clear opening must be a minimum of 800mm for interior doors, this includes sliding doors for bathrooms in public buildings such as hospitals, etc. and 1000mm for exterior doors, such as entrances to public buildings, which are usually automatic sliding doors. This allows accessibility for individuals in wheelchairs.
Please note, the minimum width of 800mm may still result in people with poor manoeuvring ability, or people with larger wheelchairs causing damage to themselves or the doorframe. A 1000mm opening is better to accommodate larger wheelchairs, mobility scooters, double pushchairs, etc. Especially when there are more people trying to use the door.
Sports facilities also have their own requirements for effective clear width of a door. This is because sports wheelchairs may require an opening greater than 1000mm for easy access, this includes changing facilities.
Accessibility Regulations
It is also important to ensure that all sliding doors are accessible, for example a corridor in a public building must be wide enough to ensure there is enough space so that a wheelchair can be easily turned around to face the opening of a sliding door, as well as being able to get through the opening of this door.
