Emergency Exit Door Handles Definitely Deserve a Redesign

In case of fire, push to open. The basic design of emergency doors still makes sense – a horizontal bar that someone in a panic would run into and open by default – but a vertical component, as illustrated here, would make doors more accessible to those who need them most during a disaster.

The solution, as is often the case, likely lies between extremes. It would be a mistake to change something so universally recognized and that works well in most situations to its polar opposite. At the same time, this classic design does seem to miss a critical demographic and at just the wrong time, namely: when its flexibility and vertical accessibility is needed the most.