Back in the Olden Days, whenever there was a lead-lined door, we scheduled a closer cover that was lined with lead, in addition to other hardware with lead which protected the holes through the door. The frames were also lead-lined (as well as the walls, which were not my bailiwick). It was all a little mysterious to me, but the objective was obviously to prevent radiation from passing through the door opening when imaging equipment was in use.
Last week I stumbled upon some information about lead-lined door closer covers that I had not seen before…a letter from LCN stating that the lead-lined covers were being discontinued. Attached to LCN’s letter is some information from the National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements (NCRP). This states that lead-lined closer covers are not needed, because the steel fasteners filling the holes through the door (and the lead) do not result in significant radiation leaks; the steel fasteners generally attenuate the radiation equally or more effectively than the lead. Interesting, right?
I haven’t found a great resource on lead in doors, that would help us to know what to consider when specifying lead-lined doors, frames, and hardware. I’d love to compile some of this information for future reference.
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By Lori Greene | 2019-02-05T00:48:26-05:00 February 7th, 2019 | Door Closers | 13 CommentsLori is the Manager, Codes and Resources for Allegion, and the creator of iDigHardware. With more than 35 years of experience in the door and hardware industry, in her current role she focuses exclusively on the code requirements that apply to door openings.
