Frequently asked questions about industrial doors

If you do not have an inspection or maintenance carried out, or if the door does not comply with legal standards.

There are safety risks for employees and third parties. A poorly maintained or non-compliant door can malfunction, jam, close unexpectedly or provide insufficient security. This can lead to a standstill in the company or a risk of entrapment, injury or worse.

In the event of an accident involving an uninspected or unsafe door, the owner/manager may be held liable. Failure to comply with the Working Conditions Act and the Working Conditions Decree may result in penalties. Possible consequences include legal liability and fines.

In the event of damage or injury, an insurer may reject a claim if it appears that the annual inspection and maintenance has not been carried out, or that the door did not comply with legislation.

A defective or unsafe door can lead to business interruption. For example, loss of productivity, delays in logistics, or even closure of business premises with all the financial consequences that entails.

Legal obligation for inspection of (industrial) doors

According to the Working Conditions Decree (and therefore the Working Conditions Act), a commercial door or industrial door falls under the definition of “work equipment” when the door is used in the course of work or business processes.

Article 7.4a of the Working Conditions Decree stipulates that work equipment must be inspected in the following situations:

1 - Before use.
So for new installations or reinstallations.

2- Periodic inspection.
This is when wear, ageing or other factors can lead to a deterioration in functionality and therefore pose a hazard.

In concrete terms, this means that a company, as the owner or employer, must determine whether and how often the door must be inspected. This depends on the use and conditions in which the door is located. A written or digital inspection certificate must be available for all your installations within your company.

In short: you must ensure that your industrial doors are safe before use and that they are checked regularly (periodically) once they are in use.

Please contact us so that we can advise you and help you draw up a suitable plan, enabling us to carry out inspections and maintenance at the right times for you.
Read more about our periodic maintenance contracts on our page about maintenance contracts for industrial doors.

If you do not have an inspection or maintenance carried out, or if the door does not meet legal standards, you run risks.

- There are safety risks for employees and third parties. A poorly maintained or non-compliant door may malfunction, jam, close unexpectedly or provide insufficient security. This can lead to a shutdown of the business or a risk of entrapment, injury or worse.

- In the event of an accident involving an uninspected or unsafe door, the owner/manager may be held liable.

- Failure to comply with the Working Conditions Act and the Working Conditions Decree may result in sanctions. Possible consequences include legal liability and fines. In the event of damage or injury, an insurer may reject a claim if it appears that annual inspections and maintenance have not been carried out, or that the door did not comply with legislation.

- A defective or unsafe door can lead to business interruption. For example, loss of productivity, delays in logistics, or even closure of business premises with all the financial consequences that entails.

What does this mean for you as a property owner, homeowners' association manager or director with staff? Liability of the management or directors

These persons are responsible for complying with the legal regulations concerning industrial doors.

Consider commercial doors, industrial doors and automatic doors as work equipment: they must be safe, well maintained and comply with applicable standards.

Have new doors inspected before use. For existing doors, it is advisable to schedule periodic inspections and maintenance through a maintenance contract. Document this with (digital) inspection reports and stickers.

If your company doors are damaged, have Louwers Deurtechnieken inspect and repair them.

This is the only way to protect your employees, tenants or staff.