Riser Blast Hatch
American Safe Room manufactures this riser blast hatch that is designed to be installed on an underground shelter. It features an integrated steel riser that can be ordered in custom heights to match the backfill depth of the shelter.
It is designed to be bolted down onto a shelter top with included concrete wedge anchors, welded to a steel shelter, or poured in place like the one shown above.
It has many unique features such as a rotating cam latch that sucks the blast lid down onto the frame, compressing a seal, a deadbolt lock that sits under a pipe cap, an optional emergency escape jack, and optional wide angle viewers that allow you to see out before you crack the lid. Scroll down to see all of these features and options.
Inside the blast lid
The inner cam latch is the same one we use on our blast doors. It draws the blast lid downward, compressing the EPDM seal and drawing the rain lip down over the riser.
The deadbolt can be operated from the inside without the key. Shown is the inside of a hatch with the deadbolt operator next to the cam latch. Note the stiffeners, the pull handle, and the lift strut on the right side with the upper escape jack on the left side and the closed cell EPDM seal going around the perimeter. When the lid is closed, the seal is compressed between the lid and a mating surface on the frame.
Deadbolt lock assembly
The heavy duty dead bolt lock assembly has an external steel screw on cap to keep it dry and out of sight. The deadbolt can be operated from the inside without the key.
Hinge assembly
The massive hinge assembly is the same one used on our blast doors. It features an inch and half steel pin, bronze bushings, and grease zerks for ongoing lubrication.
Optional viewers
The riser hatch can be supplied with a UL fire rated wide angle viewer strategically mounted on each of the four walls. They are mounted six inches below the top of the frame. This gives you the ability to see what is directly around your hatch before opening it. The viewers are mounted in heavy duty inch and a half round steel rods that have been bored out, leaving three-eighths wall thickness. These mounts are inserted through the side wall of the riser and welded in place. You can see all four viewers in this picture as well as the bottom escape jack mount, the internal ladder mount, and the cam that engages the cam latch mounted on the inside of the blast lid.
Optional internal ladder assembly and escape jack
The riser hatch may be ordered with a bolt on ladder assembly – shown next to the red escape jack. This heavy duty steel ladder is rated for 300 pounds. It is built to order, so it fits your shelter with the proper dimensions – the bottom rung is between 6 and 12 inches off the floor, the top rung is 6 inches from the top of the riser, and all the rungs in between are 12 inches apart with the proper toe clearance from the wall. See page five of the manual for ordering details.
Also available is an emergency escape jack that is used to force the hatch lid open in the event of debris falling on it or a malicious person parking a vehicle on it. The bottom of the jack is secured to it’s anchor at all times and the jack stays out of the way in the stowed position. When it is needed, the top end is rotated into it’s deployed position where a pin is inserted into the top anchor. Then, the handle is inserted into lift assembly and it is pumped to extend the jack and open the lid.
This integrated escape jack option is the safest way to open the hatch lid in an emergency – much safer than climbing a ladder with a jack or operating it from the floor with an extension rod.
Optional external ladder
The riser hatch can be ordered with a removable above ground extension ladder for assistance and added safety for personnel entering or exiting the shelter. It fits into a socket welded onto the outside of the riser and is retained by a pin on a lanyard. It is lightweight and can be stowed inside the shelter and installed before climbing out. This makes transitioning from the ladder to the ground – or the ground to the ladder much easier – especially when you are carrying things.
It is shown installed in its socket on the outside of the riser to the left of the emergency escape jack.
Prices, availability, and ordering
The riser hatch comes in one standard size and has four options:
32 x 38 inches – $4,995, plus shipping and options
Custom sizes quoted upon request
Option – commercial deadbolt lock – $345
Option – internal ladder – quoted for the shelter height
Option – external ladder – $195
Option – four viewers – $325
Option – emergency escape jack – $395
Option – upgrade to 3/8″ ballistic steel – quoted upon request
How to order: page five of the manual has a worksheet that walks you through generating a part number that shows the size and options. You can e-mail or FAX the part number in with a delivery address and we will return a quotation – usually the same day.
Special order item: we usually need four weeks of build time. You arrange a 50% deposit at time order, we build the part, you arrange payment for the balance due, and we ship it right out and send you the tracking number. See our policy page for the full set of terms.