The property owner's responsibility for automatic doors
An automatic door legally counts as a machine, and once it is taken into use, responsibility for keeping it safe shifts from the installer to the building owner. Here is what the rules require, how service, inspection and record-keeping fit together, and what documentation to demand from your installer.
The responsibility becomes yours at handover
National building law across Europe typically places an ongoing duty on the building owner to keep the building and its technical installations safe and maintained. Power-operated pedestrian doors — automatic sliding, swing and revolving doors — are covered by such rules: the owner, or whoever is otherwise responsible for the installation, must ensure it is operated, supervised, serviced and maintained so that it remains safe to use. In Sweden, for example, the building authority's rules on power-operated devices spell this duty out explicitly.
You can contract a service company for the practical work, but the legal responsibility itself cannot be signed away. An unsafe door is, in the end, always the owner's problem.
Three sets of rules apply at once
The requirements on an automatic door come from several directions:
- Building regulations: operation, regular supervision, servicing and maintenance — and in several countries a legal duty to keep a maintenance log of everything that is done.
- Workplace rules: if the door is in a workplace, the employer must additionally keep the equipment maintained and safe to use.
- The EU Machinery Directive and EN 16005: the door must be CE marked at delivery, and the standard expects regular maintenance and an annual safety inspection by a competent person.
In a workplace, responsibility can therefore sit with two parties at once — the building owner under building law and the employer (often the tenant) under workplace law. It pays to settle the split explicitly in the lease so nothing falls between the chairs.
Inspection — what is actually required?
The European safety standard EN 16005 expects a documented safety inspection of every power-operated pedestrian door at least once a year, carried out by a person with the competence to do it. The inspection covers, among other things, the sensors, finger and entrapment protection, and the door's forces.
On top of the standard, some countries require periodic inspections by an accredited body for certain categories of powered doors and gates. In Sweden, for instance, CE-marked automatic pedestrian doors are exempt from accredited inspection, while powered gates must be inspected every two years — and using a device without a required inspection can lead to a usage ban and fines. Check what applies in your country.
Service — how often?
The manufacturer's instructions govern the maintenance interval. In practice, the industry recommends service one to four times per year, depending on how heavily the door is used and the environment it sits in.
The maintenance log — a requirement and your best protection
Both EN 16005 and national building rules expect records of the door's maintenance: every supervision, service and repair action noted with the date, what was done and who did it, available to inspectors and authorities on request.
The log is also your most important evidence if something happens. Liability for an injury turns on negligence — whether the owner did what could reasonably be expected. Documented service and a maintained log are in practice the strongest way to show that, and neglected maintenance can also affect your insurance cover.
With Digilog, every door gets a digital logbook reachable directly from a QR label or CE sign on the door. Every action is recorded with date, scope and performer — exactly what a maintenance log must contain — and you and your service company see the same history.
Checklist: what to demand from your installer
When a new or modernized door operator is handed over, you should receive:
- CE marking and a declaration of conformity for the installed door
- A risk assessment for the installation per EN 16005
- User instructions and operation and maintenance instructions in your language
- A started logbook for the door
- A proposed service agreement with intervals per the manufacturer's instructions
- An annual safety inspection with a written protocol
Frequently asked questions
Who is responsible for an automatic door in a building?
After handover it is the building owner — or whoever is otherwise responsible for the installation — who must ensure the door is operated, serviced, maintained and documented. The work can be outsourced to a service company, but the responsibility cannot. In workplaces, the employer additionally carries their own duty under workplace-safety rules.
How often must automatic doors be inspected or serviced?
The safety standard EN 16005 expects a documented safety inspection at least once a year by a competent person, and maintenance per the manufacturer's instructions — in practice one to four service visits per year depending on traffic. Some countries add mandatory accredited inspections for certain powered doors and gates.
What documentation must exist for an automatic door?
CE marking with a declaration of conformity, a risk assessment, user and maintenance instructions, and a maintenance log where every action is recorded with date, scope and performer. The log should be available to inspectors and authorities on request.
What happens if someone is injured by the door?
Liability is assessed on negligence: did the owner do what could reasonably be required to prevent the injury? Documented service and a maintained log are in practice the owner's key evidence of diligence. Liability insurance normally covers damages, but neglected maintenance can affect the cover.