Choosing the Right Panic Bars for Your Doors

Panic exit devices, commonly known as panic bars, are critical for enabling safe and fast egress in emergency situations. Selecting the right panic hardware depends on the door configuration and your specific access and compliance requirements. Here are some key considerations to guide your selection:

1. Door Configuration. There are three common applications:

1. Single Door – use a single horizontal bars.
2. Double Door – Rebated – use a horizontal bar on the active leaf and a vertical bar on the inactive leaf.
3. Double Door – Non-Rebated – use vertical bars on both leaves.

2. Optional Features to consider. When selecting a panic bar, consider the following customisable options:

Outer Key Access – Two types of external access options are available: Flush keyhole – permanently locked from the outside. Lockable lever – can be left unlocked to allow pedestrian access.

Door Width – Standard width: panic bars suit doors up to 900mm. Wider doors: models are available to suit widths up to 1200mm.

Door Height – Standard height: up to 2300mm. Extended height: optional extenders are available for doors up to 3000mm.

Dogging (Hold-Open Function) – Dogging allows the panic bar to be held in the open position to ease access during high foot traffic times.

• Important: Dogging is not permitted on fire doors by law.

• Depending on the manufacturer, dogging may be activated with a general key or a security key.

We stock DormaKaba and Briton Panic Bars

We supply a wide range of Dormakaba and Biton panic bars – trusted brands known for quality and compliance. If you’re unsure which panic bar suits your site, our expert Technicians can help assess your doors and install the correct hardware to meet both safety and legal requirements.

Need Help Choosing the Right Panic Bar?

Call us on 1300 500 600 or contact our Service Department to book a site visit or get technical advice. For more details, visit the Panic Bars section on our website.