Door & Hardware Installers

Door and hardware installers set frames, doors, locks, closers and exit devices in homes, schools, hospitals and offices. The doors can be very heavy, and mistakes can create fire safety and access problems as well as injuries.

• Installers
• Carpenters
• Locksmiths

Hazards

• Heavy lifting: a solid-core or steel door can weigh 100 pounds or more. See Lifting Ergonomics.
• Crush and pinch points in frames, hinges and closing doors.
• Cuts from sheet metal edges, glass lites and sharp hardware.
• Power tool injuries from drills, routers and saws. See Drills & Impact Drivers.
• Falls from ladders when working at transoms and closers. See Step Ladders.
• Dust and fumes from cutting wood, metal and fire-rated cores.
• Hidden wires in walls and frames. See Hidden Wiring.

Safe handling

• Use a door dolly or cart, and get help for heavy or wide doors. Carry doors on edge with a partner.
• Use door jacks or shims to hold doors while hanging them, not your body.
• Keep fingers out of hinge gaps. Use tools to align, and close slowly.
• Wear cut-resistant gloves, safety glasses and hearing protection when drilling or cutting. Clamp the work.
• Use a drill template and a depth stop to avoid drilling into wiring or glass.
• Use a stable ladder or platform. Do not stand on a door or bucket.

Fire and life safety

• Fire-rated doors: use the listed frame, hinges, closer and latch as labeled; do not cut or modify them without approval
• Do not prop open fire doors or remove closers
• Make sure doors on exit routes open without a key or special effort from inside, and exit devices (panic hardware) work freely
• Keep door gaps within the limits set by the code
• Follow ADA clearances for threshold, hardware and opening force
• Test the door, closer and latch after installation

See Exit Routes.

Last updated: October 8, 2026