Personnel Doors for Hangar Doors
The hangar door manufacturer would be responsible for providing a common framed opening and the electrical limit switch if the hangar door is motorized. The switch will prevent the hangar door from moving if the personnel door isn’t secure.
The general contractor would be responsible for providing the personnel door and hardware including hinges, lockset, weather-stripping, and any exit signage.
Personnel doors in hangar doors are often part of the flight line security perimeter locking behind someone exiting through the hangar door and may, or may not, have exterior door hardware pulls. Architects must address getting back into the hangar from the flight line when the hangar doors are all closed.
ADA or Non ADA Personnel Doors
There are two choices of personnel door frame available for a hangar door:
- ADA compliant personnel doors. They require the hangar door to have a maximum threshold of ½” inches.
- Non ADA is a personnel door that has no limitation on the threshold and the dimension will be decided by the hangar door manufacturer.
Designing a hangar door leaf that has ½” threshold for an ADA compliant man door adds significant cost to your door and we advise architects to move them to the hangar door pocket space or the building when possible.
Design Examples
ADA compliant personnel door frame
Non-compliant ADA personnel door frame
Specifications
Below is an example of how to write a personnel door frame requirement in your hangar door specifications package. Remember to emphasize if ADA or non ADA is required.
Provide personnel door in door leaf as indicated on drawings. Frame should be NON/ ADA compliant. Provide each personnel door frame with an electrical interlock switch to prevent motor operation of the leaf or group in which it is located when the personnel door is open. Provide an identified indicator light at each door leaf control station indicating when the personnel door is in the open position. The intent of this requirement is to prevent any other door leaf from bypassing the door leaf with an open personnel door. Personnel door and hardware by others.
Paul has over 14-years of sales and marketing experience in the hangar door industry. Prior to this, Paul spent 8 years working in a sales division of Apple Inc, where skills in supply chain, selling and customer service were taught at a multinational level.
