Access to and use of buildings: Approved Document M

OOO NNN LLL III NNN EEE VVV EEE RRR SSS III OOO NNN M1/M2 ACCESS INTO BUILDINGS OTHER THAN DWELLINGS control. Entrance doors should be capable to 30° open, and not more than 22.5N of being held closed when not in use. at the leading edge from 30° to 60° of the opening cycle; 2.9 A non-powered manually operated entrance door, fitted with a self-closing b. the effective clear width through a device capable of closing the door against single leaf door, or one leaf of a double wind forces and the resistance of draught leaf door, is in accordance with Table 2, seals is unlikely to be openable by many and the rules for measurement are in people, particularly those who are wheelchair accordance with Diagram 9; users or who have limited strength. c. they are installed in accordance with 2.10 A powered door opening and closing Approved Document K, section 10. system, either manually controlled or automatically operated by sensors, is the Table 2 Minimum effective clear most satisfactory solution for most people. widths of doors An automatic sliding door arrangement is particularly beneficial as it avoids the risks Direction and New Existing associated with automatic swing doors width of approach buildings buildings (mm) (mm) and its use can make it possible to reduce Straight-on (without a turn or 800 750 the length of any entrance lobby. oblique approach) 2.11 Once open, all doors to accessible At right angles to an access route 800 750 entrances should be wide enough to allow at least 1500mm wide unrestricted passage for a variety of users, At right angles to an access route 825 775 at least 1200mm wide including wheelchair users, people carrying External doors to buildings used 1000 775 luggage, people with assistance dogs, and by the general public parents with pushchairs and small children. Note: It should be noted that double buggies are The effective clear width is the width of the opening measured at wider than wheelchairs and that, where right angles to the wall in which the door is situated from the outside of the door stop on the door closing side to any obstruction on relevant to the building type, this should the hinge side, whether this be projecting door opening furniture, a weather board, the door or the door stop (see Diagram 9). For be borne in mind when determining an specific guidance on the effective clear widths of doors in sports appropriate effective clear width for an accommodation, refer to ‘’accessible sports facilities’. entrance door. There may be circumstances in existing buildings where it is not practicable Diagram 9 Effective clear width of doors or cost-effective to adopt the preferred effective clear widths for new buildings. 2.12 People should be able to see other people approaching from the opposite direction, thereby allowing sufficient reaction time for both parties to avoid a collision. Exceptions may be acceptable for reasons of privacy or security.(cid:1) Provisions 2.13 Doors to accessible entrances will satisfy Requirement M1 or M2 if: Manually operated non-powered a. where required to be self-closing, a entrance doors power-operated door opening and closing system is used when through Design considerations calculation and experience it appears 2.14 Self-closing devices on manually that it will not be possible otherwise for operated non-powered swing doors a person to open the door using a force disadvantage many people who have not more than 30N at the leading edge limited upper body strength, are pushing from 0° (the door in the closed position) Approved Document M Volume 2 Access to and use of buildings other than dwellings O N L I N E V E R S I O N 25