• Signtist@lemm.ee
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    8 months ago

    Stupid cosmetic designs have been an issue for a long time. There was a theater fire in Chicago in the early 1900’s where a bunch of people died because they couldn’t figure out how to use the fancy door handles while panicking and being crushed by everyone trying to get out. That’s the reason why exit doors on buildings with a high occupancy are now required to swing out, and have those pushbar locks that allow the door to open even if you’re just falling on it.

    If it’s possible that someone will need to use something while panicking, it needs to be as simple, intuitive, and failproof as possible

    • ✺roguetrick✺@lemmy.world
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      8 months ago

      Wanted to chime in and clarify, the major issue there is you cannot operate a door handle in a crush, no matter how much of your senses you have. Can’t use a door handle if you can’t use your arms. Am drunk on the internet and hope this isn’t interpreted as a hostile reply.

      • Adramis@lemmy.world
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        8 months ago

        But isn’t the point of crash bar locks that just the act of being crushed against the door will force it open? The only thing you have to do to open it is push on it or be pushed into it. Of course that won’t help you when you fall as the door swings open and get trampled, but it’s better than everyone burning to death.

    • EssentialCoffee@midwest.social
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      8 months ago

      It wasn’t that they didn’t know how to use the door handles. It was that the doors opened inward.

      There were also ornamental doors that were an issue, but those weren’t actually doors, so it wasn’t that the victims couldn’t figure out how to use the handles, it’s that the “doors” weren’t really doors. They were walls.