Making the case for closed and sealed at Evangelical Community Hospital.

The use of sliding doors in the health care industry is increasing at an exponential rate. Medical facilities embrace the ability to reclaim previously unused space, create wider paths of travel, and offer a more inviting and biophilic environment for patients. However, finding the right locking solution for sliding doors can be challenging. This is especially the case in health care facilities where privacy, security, acoustic performance and sustainability are critical factors.

Evangelica l Community Hospital originally opened in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, in 1953 with 79 beds. When the hospital designed its facility expansion in 2020, it chose sliding door systems for many of the medical exam rooms and offices.

LOCKING CHALLENGE

Finding the right sliding door lock can present a unique challenge to designers and specifiers. There are several factors needed to be included in the considerations.

The beveled latch bolt in a swing door enables self-latching. This allows a closed door to remain closed, whether the deadbolt is thrown or not. A sliding door lock does not have beveled latch bolts, so it is not self-latching in the conventional

sense. However, properly closed and sealed openings are very important in a health care environment. They prevent draft and smoke, reduce noise, and provide security and safe egress. See more in the sidebar on page 38.

MEETING EVERY NEED

The hospital needed a solution to meet all the requirements outlined in the sidebar of this article, "Closed and Sealed." This included self-latching or self-locking doors and to utilize the benefits of a sliding door for security and safety. The hospital 's

architectural hardware consultant selected the INOX PD96 sliding door mortise locks to meet the hospital 's unique requirements for sliding doors in a health care setting.

The PD96 was designed as an ANSI/BHMA commercial Grade 1 lock with the healthcare environment in mind. It has a unique and patented anti-gravity deadbolt design to minimize binding issues caused by misalignments between doors and frames, which often happens on sliding door system.

PD96 not only has the essential functions for commercial openings such as keyed entry, passage and privacy, it also offers storeroom and classroom functions that do not exist with any other sliding door locking solution.

CLOSED AND SEALED

Properly closed and sealed openings in health care facilities are crucial to:

• Contain draft and smoke: Keeping the access point completely enclosed to prevent draft and smoke from coming through the opening is critical. These draft and smoke control door assemblies must comply with UL 1784, the Standard for Safety of Air Leakage Tests of Door Assemblies. A self-latching sliding door lock is essential to meet this standard.

• Reduce sound and noise: Sliding door assemblies are often required to be compliant with the STC35 acoustic rating. A self-latching deadbolt will ensure the door is properly engaged with the frame, which is also an important factor to maintain the privacy of the patient when consultation is in progress.

• Provide security: Security is equally important for the health care environment

  when many of the spaces contain drugs, alcohol and controlled substances. A standard deadbolt cannot hold a sliding door closed, because it cannot engage properly with the door frame. A sliding door deadbolt requires winged bolts or hooks that engage with the frame and hold the door in the secured position. These protrusions must be able to withstand a 500-pound pulling force without

  the door separating from the frame. In addition, some openings require self-locking mechanisms. The opening is secured when the door is closed without relying on an end user needing a physical key from the outside or using the thumbturn from the inside.

• Promote compatibility: Sliding door locks must integrate with interchangeable core cylinders to work seamlessly with existing master keying systems.

• Ensure egress: In any commercial space, egress from the interior side is required by universal building codes on all commercial locks. Sliding door locks are no exception. A single motion of retracting the deadbolt and opening the door should be in place in case of an emergency.

• Enhance sustainability: The use of sustainable materials such as stainless steel, which is 98% recyclable, in the construction of the locks aligns with the hospital's commitment to sustainability and environmental responsibility.

Overall, the INOX PD96 sliding door mortise locks have proven to be an excellent solution for Evangelical Community Hospital's needs. Enhanced security, privacy and sustainability for its medica l exam rooms and offices have all been delivered.

By choosing the right sliding door-locking solution, the hospital has been able to create a more efficient, aesthetically pleasing and inviting environment for its patients, while maintaining the highest standards of safety and security.