Why do businesses and other public facilities have a metal plate where the door knob should be? Is pushing open the door more sanitary or something?

Comments

• AlchemicalAgent@mander.xyz ⁨1⁩ ⁨week⁩ ago

  Smooth surfaces such as polished metal have fewer areas to harbor bacteria compared to the fibers of a wooden door, for instance. In addition, a flat surface is easier to clean than a round knob.

  Another benefit is that some metals have a natural antibacterial property toward bacteria organisms on their surfaces.

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• capuccino@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago

  To be able to open the door easier (let’s say, a fire) and the knob could make some jobs more harder, like moving huge stuff from one side to another. That’s all. Should be true that can be easy to clean, but that’s it’s a side effect of its original purpose.

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• DoubleDongle@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨week⁩ ago

  Doors that push open are a lot more amenable to panickong people who need to get out in an emergency. You may notice that a lot of these non-latching or push-mechanism doors also swing out towards the exit.

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• turtlesareneat@piefed.ca ⁨1⁩ ⁨week⁩ ago

  ADA prefers them to doorknobs. Back in the day when hardware conventions started, it was to show that a place was free to walk into without a barrier, i.e. open to the public. Think about saloon doors, kind of a modernization of that. Not to mention you can open it with your back and they’re cheaper to produce/buy than knobs and handles.

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• Rhynoplaz@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨week⁩ ago

  They say brass can sanitize, but assuming it’s not that…

  Is easier to clean and will prevent wear on the door itself.

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• bryndos@fedia.io ⁨1⁩ ⁨week⁩ ago

  Business doors are often sprung to close automatically - possibly a fire regulation thing.
  So they don't need a latch to stay shut. A knob or handle is often the way to release the latch.

  Flat plates vs say, a bar to pull can also naturally communicate push vs pull if it only opens one way.

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• ShellMonkey@piefed.socdojo.com ⁨1⁩ ⁨week⁩ ago

  Trying to work a doorknob with your hands full of bags is a hassle that nobody needs. How many times of people banging into a door that didn’t properly unlatch would it take before something/someone gets damaged?

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• ohulancutash@feddit.uk ⁨1⁩ ⁨week⁩ ago

  Why do some houses have a knob where a push plate should be?

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• AbouBenAdhem@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨week⁩ ago

  I assume it’s an access plate to service the door mechanism.

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