ANSI Standard Changes

By Jacques Vaarre

The anticipated standard from the American National Standards Institute is one of the most comprehensive ever, leaving automatic door professionals with some serious studying to do before the next installation. This article expresses the interpretation of some of the key changes in the standard and explains how these changes will affect the installing or servicing distributor.

Sliding Door Packages

Approach Zone (Current Standard ANSI 156.10 section 8.2.1)
Activating detection areas shall have a minimum width equal to the width of the clear opening measured at 15 inches and 30 inches perpendicular from the face of the closed door(s).

New Standard
The new standard will require that the activating zones for swinging, sliding and folding doors have a minimum width equal to the width of the clear opening measured at 8 inches and 30 inches perpendicular from the face of the closed door(s).

Why is this important?
New technology allows presence detection area to lie much closer to the moving part of the door than in the past. The ability to adjust the detection pattern closer to the door dramatically increases the level of safety achievable. Different technologies adjust in different ways. At this time, the most accurate adjustments can be made with products that use focused infrared technology.

Slide Door Presence Sensor

Current Standard ANSI 156.10 section 8.2.2
A presence sensor shall be used to prevent a fully open door(s) from closing when a person is in the space between the two non-overlapping activation areas.

New Standard
The new standard calls for presence detection on both sides of the sliding door package. The standard allows for the following configurations: four photo beams (two on the nonslide side and two on the slide side of the package) with the lowest beam installed between 6 and 28 inches and the other three at a spacing between 6 and 12 inches.

Look through overhead presence sensor that remains active until the doors are within 6 inches of close or add two photo beams if the sensor shuts off before 6 inches of closed. Two overhead presence sensors that can be adjusted to within 3 inches of the face of the door and shall remain active to within 6 inches of closed. Two photo beams should be used if the sensors can not be adjusted to within 3 inches of the face of the door.

Two photoelectric beams on the nonslide side of the door with an overhead presence sensor on the slide side of the door adjusted to within 5 inches of the face of the door.

Why is this important? New technologies allow for there to be an increased level of safety at the threshold of a sliding door package. These new parameters take into consideration pedestrians using walking aids or shopping carts. It also considers our smaller pedestrians and slower moving traffic. Existing door systems can easily and cost-effectively be upgraded to these new standards using active infrared overhead presence sensors.

Swing Door Packages

Header Mounted Sensor, Swing Side (Current Standard ANSI 156.10 section 8.1.2.1)
If an overhead sensor is used to provide a safety zone, the length of the active area shall be effective to within 5 inches of the face of the closed door measured at the center of the door opening. The safety zone shall extend out a minimum of 5 inches beyond the leading edge of the door in the open position when measured at the center of the door opening. The width of the active area measured perpendicular to the face of the closed door shall be the door opening less five inches from either side for a total of 10 inches maximum measured parallel to the face of the door at a distance of 15 and 30 inches.

New Standard
The new standard calls for the active area width be measured at 8 inches and 30 inches parallel to the face of the door. It also added that when an overhead sensor is prevented from providing a safety signal to the control during the closing cycle, additional sensor(s) or photo beam shall be used to inhibit reopening of the door until the safety zone is cleared. The photo beams would be installed at the end of the guard rails. The door mounted sensors would have to meet the parameters listed below.

Why is this important?
Any application where overhead presence sensors are locked out during the closing or opening cycle will require photo beams at the end of the guide rails or door-mounted presence sensors and guide rails to be in compliance. When upgrading your customer’s door system consider cost, labor and functionality of either system.

Door Mount Sensors

Current Standard ANSI 156.10 section 8.1.2.2
If a door-mount sensor is used to provide a safety zone, it shall provide an active area 5 inches maximum from the face of the door for the width of the door less 5 inches from the pivot point. A door-mount sensor on either side of the door shall detect, at a minimum, any person or object within 28 inches of the swing path, during the opening or closing cycle and shall cause the door to reverse direction, stop or slow down to a maximum latch speed of 4 inches per second measured within 1 inch of the latch edge before any contact is made.

New Standard
The new standard will require a door mount sensor to have an active area equal to the width of the door less 5 inches from the pivot point and within 1 inch of the leading edge of the door and be active to within 5 inches of the face of the door. A door-mounted sensor mounted on either side of the door shall detect, at a minimum, any person or object within 28 inches of the swing path during the opening or closing cycle and shall cause the door to reverse direction, stop or slow down to a maximum latch edge speed of 4 inches per second measured within 1 inch of the latch edge before any contact is made.

Why is this important?
This change was made with the specific intention of increasing safety on a swinging door panel along its leading edge. Because of the specific nature of this part of the standard, we highly recommend you walk-test all doors with this type of sensor configuration to ensure you have proper coverage. If you have any question as to whether or not your sensor system complies, please refer to the manufacturer for their recommendations.

The 1999 standard used the term “human or equivalent” to describe test targets for sensor adjustments. The 2005 standard will simply use the term “Human” when referring to what the sensors are intended to detect. This change came as a result of field testing and the difficulty to mimic true human characteristics with an object.

This analysis illustrates just a few of the key changes in the new ANSI standard. We highly recommend you read ANSI 156.10 when it is published to ensure full understanding and compliance. The goal of the standards change is to increase the overall safety of automatic doors in our industry.

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