Automatic Door Force Testing Under BS EN 16005

A door can appear to open and close normally while still applying unsafe force at its leading edge. That is why automatic door force testing forms an important part of commissioning, servicing, and safety checks.

BS EN 16005 sets requirements for power-operated pedestrian doorsets, including how they move, detect users, limit force, and respond to faults. The current UK edition is listed by BSI as BS EN 16005:2023+A1:2024. Understanding the testing process helps facilities managers, business owners, and contractors identify genuine compliance evidence rather than relying on a simple visual check.

What BS EN 16005 covers

BS EN 16005 applies to automatic pedestrian doors used inside and outside buildings. This includes common sliding, swing, folding, balanced, and revolving door arrangements when they are designed for pedestrian access.

The standard looks at the complete doorset, not only the motor. Door leaves, sensors, control units, safety devices, hinges, guides, glazing, emergency release systems, and the surrounding structure all affect safe operation.

A door can fail its safety assessment because of a worn roller, a badly adjusted closer, a damaged sensor, excessive speed, or a control fault. Replacing the motor alone may not solve the problem if the door leaf is dragging or the frame has moved.

The standard doesn’t automatically cover every roller shutter, industrial door, gate, or high-speed door. Those systems may fall under different standards and manufacturer requirements. A site manager should therefore identify the exact type and intended use of the doorset before commissioning a test.

A BS EN 16005 and BS 7036 comparison also helps show why older guidance should not be treated as a substitute for the current standard.

For new installations, the door should be assessed before it enters service. Existing doors need further testing after alterations, impact damage, repairs, or changes to the operating settings. UK Doors & Shutters provides automatic door installation services for commercial and residential properties, with the design based on the opening, traffic level, access needs, and surrounding risks.

What automatic door force testing measures

Automatic door force testing measures the physical forces produced as the door opens, closes, stops, or meets resistance. It uses a calibrated force meter rather than relying on how the movement feels to a person standing nearby.

For a sliding door, the engineer will usually assess the main closing edge and other locations where a user could be trapped, crushed, or drawn in. A swing door needs attention around the leading edge, hinge side, and areas where the leaf could strike someone.

The test considers more than the peak force. The instrument records how much force develops, how quickly it rises, and how long it remains above certain levels. A short impact and a sustained crushing force create different risks, so both the force and the duration matter.

Engineers may also check:

• Closing and opening speed under normal operating conditions.
• The response of presence sensors and safety sensors.
• Whether the door stops or reverses when an obstruction is detected.
• Manual operation force during power failure or emergency use.
• Safe release and reset functions.
• Clearances around the leaf, frame, guide, and adjacent fixed surfaces.

Manual-operation force is measured statically at the operating handle or other manual-control point. If the door has no suitable manual operating element, the measurement is taken at the leading edge, at right angles to the leaf, around 1,000 mm above the floor.

A useful test checks the door in realistic operating conditions. The engineer should consider floor level, wind exposure, traffic direction, door weight, and any access-control delay. A reading taken with the door unloaded or incorrectly positioned may not represent what users experience.

A force reading only has value when the engineer records where, how, and under which operating condition the measurement was taken.

Equipment and method for a reliable test

The force meter must suit the test method and have a current calibration certificate. Technical material associated with EN 16005 describes dynamic equipment with two contact areas, each measuring 80 mm, a spring ratio of 500 N/mm with a tolerance of plus or minus 50 N/mm, a load cell, a time-measuring device, and a display or output system.

The equipment specification also refers to an amplifier response time below 5 milliseconds and accuracy of at least plus or minus 5% or plus or minus 10 N. Some field guidance allows a wider tolerance for certain portable instruments. The test report should therefore identify the equipment used and the applicable accuracy class instead of presenting an unexplained reading.

Calibration should take place at least once a year, or sooner if the equipment suffers damage, gives inconsistent results, or the manufacturer requires an earlier check. A calibration sticker alone isn’t enough. The engineer should retain the certificate and equipment identification number with the door records.

A practical test normally follows this sequence:

1. The engineer identifies the doorset, operating mode, leaf direction, and relevant hazard points.
2. The door receives a visual and mechanical inspection before force measurements begin.
3. The force meter is positioned at the required point, with the door operating at its normal speed and settings.
4. The engineer records the force curve during opening, closing, stopping, and any reversal response.
5. The process is repeated where required, then the results are compared with the applicable limits.
6. Any failed result is linked to a repair, adjustment, safeguarding change, or further risk assessment.

The engineer should avoid changing the door settings only to obtain a passing result. Reducing speed may lower impact force, but it could create access problems, prevent the door from closing correctly, or affect emergency escape. Safe compliance depends on the whole system.

Force limits and the 400 N confusion

One EN 16005 criterion commonly cited in guidance is 67 N at the main closing edge for a stopped doorset. This relates to the force required to prevent the doorset from opening or closing any further, measured in the direction of travel.

Low-energy doorsets without safety sensors are also associated with a maximum kinetic energy of 1.69 joules. Speed, door mass, and movement distance all affect kinetic energy. A heavy door moving too quickly may exceed the limit even when its motor appears to be functioning correctly.

Many online articles quote 400 N for crush, shear, or draw-in hazards and 1,400 N for pure impact areas. Those figures are often drawn from adjacent guidance covering automated gates, barriers, industrial doors, or machinery. They shouldn’t be copied into an EN 16005 report without checking the door type and the standard that applies.

The same adjacent force-limitation documents may refer to force above 150 N lasting no more than 0.75 seconds and force above 25 N lasting no more than five seconds. These figures can be useful when reviewing a broader automated-door risk assessment, but they aren’t a replacement for checking the exact EN 16005 requirements for the doorset.

This distinction matters for facilities managers. A report that lists a force value without naming the standard, test location, door mode, and pass criteria is incomplete.

When automatic door force testing should happen

Automatic door force testing should take place during commissioning, after installation work, and whenever a change could affect the way the door moves or detects users. Common triggers include:

• Replacement of a motor, controller, sensor, gearbox, spring, hinge, or door leaf.
• Changes to speed, hold-open time, access control, or operating mode.
• Damage caused by a trolley, vehicle, delivery, or attempted forced entry.
• Reports that the door strikes, hesitates, reverses late, or closes unevenly.
• Changes to the surrounding floor, frame, wall, or entrance layout.
• A failed inspection or unexplained change in operating behaviour.

Routine servicing is also important because force readings can change as components wear. Dirt in the track, loose fixings, damaged rollers, and sensor movement can gradually alter the closing cycle.

The correct service frequency depends on traffic, door type, exposure, usage, and risk. UK Doors & Shutters recommends automatic door servicing at intervals of around six to twelve months, with higher-use entrances often needing more frequent attention. Their door servicing and maintenance covers automatic doors and other commercial and industrial door systems.

A service visit should include functional checks, cleaning where appropriate, inspection of safety devices, and force testing when required by the door’s condition, use, or maintenance plan.

What the report should record

A professional report should allow another competent person to understand exactly what happened during the test. It should include:

• The site address, door reference, manufacturer, model, and doorset type.
• The date, operating mode, test locations, and door settings.
• The force meter make, serial number, calibration date, and accuracy.
• Peak force, force duration, speed, kinetic energy, and recorded force curves where applicable.
• Sensor and obstruction response.
• Manual-operation and emergency-release results.
• Defects found before testing and repairs or adjustments completed afterward.
• The standard, guidance, or manufacturer instruction used for the pass criteria.
• The final result and any actions still required.

If the door fails, keep people away from the affected area and prevent normal use until a safe temporary arrangement is in place. Don’t defeat a sensor, increase speed, or force the leaf through its travel. A competent engineer should identify whether the cause is mechanical, electrical, structural, or related to control settings.

For a survey, compliance inspection, repair, or maintenance plan, Contact Us to discuss the door, its usage, and the available support.

Conclusion

Automatic door force testing is a measured safety check, not a quick push against the door leaf. The engineer must assess force, duration, speed, kinetic energy, sensors, manual operation, and the condition of the complete doorset.

BS EN 16005:2023+A1:2024 provides the current UK framework for power-operated pedestrian doorsets. Accurate equipment, current calibration, clear records, and testing after repairs help keep entrances safe for staff, visitors, customers, and residents. A door that opens smoothly is useful, but a door that responds safely under fault and contact conditions is the standard that matters.