DDA Compliant Automatic Doors: What Businesses Need To Consider

What are DDA compliant automatic doors?

DDA compliant automatic doors generally refer to automatic doors that help make a building more accessible for disabled users.

This may include wheelchair users, people with reduced mobility, older visitors, people using walking aids, parents with prams, staff carrying equipment and anyone who may struggle with a heavy manual door.

Automatic doors can help reduce barriers by allowing people to enter and leave a building more easily, safely and independently.

DDA, the Equality Act and reasonable adjustments

The Disability Discrimination Act has largely been replaced by the Equality Act 2010. The Equality Act includes a duty to make reasonable adjustments in certain circumstances. Section 20 of the Act sets out the duty to make reasonable adjustments. 

Government guidance for service providers explains that the Equality Act replaced the Disability Discrimination Acts 1995 and 2005 and sets out duties relating to disability discrimination when providing goods, facilities and services to the public. 

For businesses and service providers, this means considering whether disabled people are being placed at a disadvantage when accessing a building or service.

An entrance that is difficult to open, too narrow, poorly positioned or unsuitable for wheelchair users may create a barrier. Automatic doors can be one way to help improve access, depending on the building and the needs of its users.

Why accessible entrances matter

The entrance is often the first point of contact someone has with a building. If the entrance is difficult to use, the experience starts badly before the person has even reached reception, a shop floor, a clinic, a classroom or an office.

Accessible automatic doors can support:

• wheelchair users 
• people with reduced mobility 
• older visitors 
• people using walking aids 
• parents with prams 
• staff carrying equipment 
• delivery teams 
• patients, residents, customers and visitors 

For public-facing buildings, care settings, healthcare environments, offices, retail premises and education sites, accessibility should be considered as part of the wider user journey.

What makes an automatic door accessible?

An accessible entrance is not only about adding a powered door operator. The full entrance area needs to be considered.

Key factors include:

Clear opening width
The entrance needs to provide enough clear space for users to pass through safely and comfortably.

Level access
Thresholds, ramps, steps and floor levels should be considered so that users can approach and pass through the entrance safely.

Approach space
There should be enough space for wheelchair users and people with mobility aids to approach the door and activate it if required.

Suitable activation method
Some entrances use motion sensors, while others use push pads, touchless switches, access control systems or intercoms.

Safe opening and closing
The door should open and close at appropriate speeds, with safety sensors and monitored zones where required.

Visibility and signage
Users should be able to identify how to enter the building and understand how the door operates.

Security and access control
Where security is required, the system should still allow authorised users to enter safely and conveniently.

Types of automatic doors for disabled access

Different automatic door systems can support disabled access, depending on the building layout and how the entrance is used.

Automatic sliding doors
Sliding doors are often suitable for main entrances because they provide easy, hands-free access and work well in high-footfall areas.

Automatic swing doors
Swing doors can often be automated to improve access through existing entrances, corridors or internal doors.

Low-energy swing doors
Low-energy doors can be useful where slower movement and controlled activation are appropriate.

Touchless automatic doors
Touchless activation can reduce the need for physical contact and can be useful in healthcare, care, office and public buildings.

Push-pad operated doors
Push pads or elbow switches may be suitable where users need controlled access but still require low-effort entry.

Access-controlled automatic doors
Automatic doors can be linked to cards, fobs, keypads, intercoms or authorised access systems, helping balance accessibility and security.

Why professional specification matters

Automatic doors for disabled access need to be specified around the building and its users.

A professional site assessment should consider:

• who uses the building 
• how often the entrance is used 
• whether the door is internal or external 
• the existing door and frame condition 
• access routes and floor levels 
• available space 
• power supply 
• safety requirements 
• access control needs 
• emergency escape requirements 
• future maintenance access 

A poorly specified automatic door can still create problems, even if the intention is to improve accessibility. The door needs to be suitable for the building, compliant with relevant safety requirements and practical for everyday use.

Safety considerations for automatic disabled access doors

Accessible doors must also be safe doors.

Safety considerations may include sensors, opening and closing speeds, monitored safety zones, obstruction detection, manual release, signage and emergency operation.

BS EN 16005:2023 provides guidance on safety and best practice for powered pedestrian doorsets, helping ensure automatic doors are installed with acceptable levels of user safety. 

Routine maintenance is also important. A disabled access door that does not open properly, activates inconsistently or closes too quickly can create a serious access issue.

DDA compliant automatic doors for commercial buildings

DDA compliant automatic doors are commonly considered in:

• care homes 
• healthcare buildings 
• offices 
• shops and retail units 
• schools, colleges and universities 
• leisure centres 
• public buildings 
• apartment blocks 
• managed commercial sites 
• community buildings 

Each setting has different access needs. A care home may need doors suitable for residents, visitors, staff and emergency access. A retail unit may need doors that support customer access and high daily footfall. An office may need integration with access control and visitor management systems.

Disabled access door installation from Elite Entrance Systems

Elite Entrance Systems supports commercial organisations with automatic door installation, repair and maintenance across London, the South East and East of England.

The team can assess your entrance, advise on suitable automatic door options and help you improve disabled access while considering safety, security, building use and long-term maintenance.

Contact Elite Entrance Systems to discuss disabled access doors or automatic entrance systems for your building.

FAQs on DDA Compliant Doors

Are DDA compliant doors still a legal term?

Many people still use the phrase “DDA compliant doors”, but the Disability Discrimination Act has largely been replaced by the Equality Act 2010. The phrase is still commonly used when referring to disabled access doors and accessible entrances.

Do businesses need to provide disabled access?

Businesses and service providers should consider whether disabled people are placed at a disadvantage when accessing their goods, facilities or services. In some circumstances, reasonable adjustments may be required under the Equality Act 2010.

Can automatic doors improve disabled access?

Yes. Automatic doors can make entrances easier to use by reducing the need to push or pull a heavy manual door. They can support wheelchair users, people with reduced mobility, older visitors and many other building users.

What type of automatic door is best for disabled access?

The best option depends on the entrance layout, available space, building use, footfall, security needs and user requirements. Sliding doors, swing doors, low-energy doors, push-pad doors and touchless doors may all be suitable in different situations.