A Little Help?

Depending on the scope and magnitude of a door hardware installation project, maintenance and engineering managers might need to bring in outside help to determine the most appropriate door hardware components for a particular application.

Managers need to factor in many side issues when considering door hardware requirements, such as evolving code requirements. Specifications also must be specific, spelling out the standards the hardware must meet. Terms such as heavy duty and high security carry little to no meaning unless they are backed by a requirement that the hardware comply with specific standards from the Builders Hardware Manufacturers Association and the American National Standards Institute.

Even if managers call for outside help to provide guidance on such issues, they should not let the installer specify the products. Doing so will leave create a host of standardization issues that the department will have to deal with for years.

— James Piper, P.E.