An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. That's particularly true when it comes to automatic door maintenance. Retailers that fail to properly maintain automatic doors leave themselves vulnerable to time-consuming, costly and potentially damaging litigation. And they are not the only ones who will be dragged into court.

"The manufacturer, installing/service company and store owner are all likely to he named in a lawsuit involving an automatic door. Each will have to offer a defense," says Donald R. Moerbe, consultant, Horton Automatics, Corpus Christi, Texas, and an author of the ANSI standards on power-operated pedestrian automatic doors.

The best line of defense for a retailer is to be able to show it has maintained the proper standard of care of the equipment. This involves a number of different steps, according to Moerbe, starting with equipment selection.

"You need to take into account the layout of your facilities, the type of people using your facilities, the density of traffic and the expected abuse," he explains.

Before the equipment goes into service, the installer should provide the store owner with a compliance form from the American Association of Automatic Door Manufacturers (AAADM) stating that the equipment has been furnished and inspected to comply with the latest ANSI standard. (A156.l0).

Since automatic doors can change adjustments over time due to use, abuse and/or weather, it is important for owners to have a regular inspection program in place. It should include a daily safety check to detect any changes in door operation.

"My experience has been that when something goes wrong, it generally has to do with the adjustment of the operator or sensors as opposed to any design deficiency," says Moerbe, who has served as an expert witness on automatic doors. "That's why daily inspection is so crucial. It can pay big dividends in lowering maintenance costs, uncovering potential problems and reducing the chance of an accident. And if you do end up in court, it puts you in a much more defensible position."

On a per-use basis, automatic doors have an excellent safety record.

"Most of the problems that are associated with automatic doors are easily corrected," Moerbe says. "In most cases, the daily safety inspection can catch the problem before it turns into something more serious."

Time-wise, a daily inspection requires only a couple of minutes per door opening. (An educational video on automatic door inspection is available from AADM; fax (216) 241-0105.) A good time to check the door is when it is unlocked in the morning.

"It's a very simple procedure," Moerbe says. "The assigned employee should look the door over and walk through it a couple of times to check that the motion sensors are working properly. If possible, that person should also observe customers using the door at some point during the day."

Annual: Moerbe recommends that a more thorough inspection of automatic doors be conducted on an annual basis by an AAADM-certified inspector. The inspectors are trained to understand national building codes.

"The inspection takes about 15 minutes depending on door type," Moerbe adds.

Although prices vary by market and travel distance, certified AAADM inspections generally run about $75.O0 for the first door inspected and $15.00 for additional doors inspected (or for doors inspected following a repair).

"It's a low fee considering the level of documentation," adds Moerbe.

If an accident should occur, the retailer should have the door inspected by a qualified person as soon as possible.

"In most cases, the test will show that the equipment is operating in accordance with the ANSI standard and the manufacturer's intent of operation," Moerbe says. "This information, which should be properly documented, will help establish that the proper standard of care has been followed and be crucial in the retailer's defense if a lawsuit ensues."