Back when Covid first arrived on our collective radar, there were lots of new ideas for ways to make door openings touchless. Most were focused on the use of body parts other than hands – feet, forearms, hips, etc. – to open the door. This application becomes more complicated when the door has latching hardware, and I saw several designs for foot-operated lever handles. No, not the method where you stand on one foot and raise your other foot high enough to turn the lever (although I have seen this done)…rather a pedal mounted at the bottom of the door which turns the lever/retracts the latch when pushed with your foot.
Ideally, a product like this would be able to be retrofitted on an existing door opening, although it’s possible that a day will come when doors are ordered for new projects with this type of hardware. As with foot pulls – stationary pulls that allow a door to be opened using your foot – the accessibility requirements are typically met by the hardware mounted at the standard height, and the foot operation is optional. One issue with a surface-mounted pedal on the push side of the door is that it would likely conflict with the requirement for a flush, smooth surface measured 10 inches up the face of the door on the push side (more about that here).
So here are my questions for you, and I’d really appreciate your feedback: Is a foot-operated lever release something the industry needs? How can a retrofittable pedal be made compliant with the 10-inch flush bottom requirement? What are your thoughts on this application?
The video below shows a product by Metiba that operates in this way but it is recessed in the door.
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Essentially, this is looking to be a replacement for an exit device (which also requires no hands to operate). So it would have to be easier or cheaper in order to justify it.
Getting past the 10″ flush bottom rail doesn’t have to be hard, you can just put it at 11″ high.
The other question would be, how flush is flush? If the device itself sits perfectly flush, and there is less than 1/8″ variation over that area, then can it said to be an actual violation or just a grey area, since it would not impede the use of a wheel chair to open a door.
Hi Andrew –
Based on how the standards are currently written, the answer to “how flush is flush?” would be that the projection would have to be no more than 1/16″.
– Lori
Could you have a device that projected less than 1/16″ but had some areas that were recessed at points? For instance, that device is slightly curved, so if most of it is perfectly flush then other parts will be less than flush, there are thin cut lines to allow for mechanical motion, and so on.
So, if the device mounting and the fore-most surface were perfectly flush, would it qualify as ADA compliant despite any minor recesses, or would those count against it too?
I think that would be up to the AHJ unless the accessibility standards are changed.
– Lori
My first thought is the amount of moving parts required in a product like that would be more parts that will break, wear out or have to be adjusted.
I do however think that if the product functions, can be given a grade rating for durability and longevity and the fire codes can be modified to allow this type of product it may work but it will take some education of the public.
Door modifications like this, and this one looks well made, make me think about all the times we are temporarily disabled – teenagers with sports injuries, pregnant women, older adults with balance challenges. I suggest we avoid making door openings unnecessarily complicated.
Some public restrooms, which avoid outer doors altogether, illustrate good design strategies. Healthcare facilities make good use of automatic operators which can be operated with an elbow or forearm. Electro magnetic hold opens for doors that don’t need to be closed during most of the day avoid touch surfaces too.
There may be some excellent and specific uses for these devices, but asking people who may be temporarily disabled, or just carrying an armload of groceries, to balance on one foot and search for the magic foot button is not better design.
I wonder how much weight needs to be applied to release the latch and move the door. It seems like it would be pretty useless if you’re in a wheelchair or have a lower extremity disability.
If it did have to be installed above 10″, some people might have an issue with balance so wouldn’t use it anyway.
We already have hospital push/pulls available.
I’m not sure why that wouldn’t be the first option.
This could add weight to the operation force on the lever.
I think it is a great Idea and should be implemented to open the doors. If it is not COVID it will be some other virus. We need to start working towards touchless.
High use doors are where people are most concerned about germs, and I don’t see foot operation as a good idea for that application. People can arrive at both sides of the door at the same time, one pushing and one pulling, and the person standing on one leg is a lot more likely to fall.
Tricky door hardware is fine for home use, but it has no place in guest rooms or public spaces.
My 2 cents 🙂
I’ll give Sascha points for thinking of a new product, but to me, this is just as silly as the barrage of security devices dreamed up for classroom doors. The foot mechanism cuts through the door, so I wonder… has it been tested for fire door applications? I suppose it can only work with mortise locks and they might need special modification for the rod and linkage. Is this device limited to hollow metal doors only? What will the added cost for the prep to the door and the hardware? I don’t see this being adapted to a wood door, especially a wood fire door, because that’s a big chunk of door to be removed at the bottom lock stile corner area. I’m sure the wood door would be severely weakened and the warranty would be lost. And what happens when someone with a wide foot tries to use this? They could get their foot wedged into the pedal area and then end up breaking an ankle or, even worse, they could fall and incur other injuries. How does this thing work with a door that needs to be locked at times? Someone approaches and puts their foot into the pedal and gets a surprise!
Sorry, but I’m not impressed. There are too many variables and unknowns.
I honestly do not see a long term use for this considering the complex preparations you would have to make to the door. That alone could make it cost prohibitive.
Lori , my wife was in a wheel chair and getting thru doors can be a real learning experience. I really suggest for a hardware firm to rent a wheel chair and the Spec writers and detailers for each person be confined for a complete day to the chair. You will be amazed at how much you can learn and how differently you look at door operation as you specify or detail projects
Great idea! Thanks Bob!
– Lori
Thanks Bob. When F2F training starts again, we need to do this at DHI
While I applaud the ingenuity of this foot latch-release it has some inherent problems; The cavity created once activated by the foot is not compliant with ADA. I see a potential entanglement with wheelchairs, crutches, walkers, children and children’s fingers. Activating hardware cannot be located this low on a door. What happens when my hands are full, I activate the foot-release, then someone approaches from the other side and quickly pulls the door open with my foot still engaged? How about an elderly person in the same scenario? As a commercial opening consultant and germaphobe I know there are better ways to protect ourselves from Covid-19, germs, and viruses, while keeping the openings compliant with building, fire, and accessibility requirements.
Lori. I do not see any foot operated device as a viable product for all the issues noted above. I would advise my clients not to consider it. The device shown in the video also looks expensive. I would bet its at least $800 per door. Money better spent elsewhere…
When we were developing the UP LoK – also destroyed in the comments section here ( https://idighardware.com/2020/10/wwyd-restroom-up-lok/ ) we examined the idea of using the foot to activate the latch. People who are in a wheelchair and those with balancing issues are immediately denied access. So the entire premise of a foot operated latch activation is a non-starter. Also, this product will not easily retrofit to existing doors, so the product would have to be marketed and sold as the door with the integrated foot operated latch.
I’ll second this. Even if you have both a foot pedal and a traditional lever set or push bar for people with disabilities, then you’re requiring only people with disabilities to touch hardware with their hands. That might not be against any specific codes or laws, but it goes against the idea of accessibility and treating people equally.
0nce again we are trying to reinvent the wheel .. While the idea for a mechanical so called (touchless) device is a hot topic. Why are we struggling. The products exist for this application. Door operators, touchless buttons, electric strikes, all have their place . Yes I know it may be pricey but what are we saying here that people’s lives don’t matter. . This solution not only works on a push door but on the pull side as well . So what’s the problem.
I have a similar feeling about this as I do the stationary foot pull. The first time I saw it, I thought it was neat and a good idea, and it seemed pretty easy to use.
But the more times I encountered one, I realized that it was more a novelty “band-aid” solution than a practical one. I don’t see how either a mechanical or stationary footpull could be any better than a simple handicap push-button actuator.
You need significant balance to operate both of these foot pulls and they each create their own safety issues. Just put a handicap operator button up if you have this kind of budget – people can press it with their elbow, hip, butt, whatever they want.
I am going to agree with David here on this. We already have the hardware needed with Auto-operators, Waive plates, 36″ actuators, Even, motion sensors and touch matts if you want to go all out. These do not require installing a whole new door or spending the same amount of money to modify a door. I too see no reason to reinvent the wheel.
I willing to wager that them Euros don’s have the ADA code requirements or life safety requirements we do
do here in the states… How to build in UL ratings ? how to clear a 10″ aff wheelchair specification ? useful as those upside-down euro profile cylinders…