Fire doors are an essential part of the passive fire protection of buildings, as they ensure adequate compartmentation.
Many buildings, other than most domestic dwellings, are required by law to have fire doors fitted. It is therefore vital for such doors to be correctly specified, installed and maintained.
Below is a five step check (courtesy of Fire Door Safety Week) for any fire doors in your property:
- Check for certification – is there a label or plug on top (or occasionally on the side) of the door to show it is a certificated fire door? You can use the selfie function on your camera phone or a mirror to check. If there is, that’s good news, otherwise report it to whoever is in charge of your building.
- Check the gaps – check the gaps around the top and sides of the door are consistently less than 4mm when closed. You can use a £1 coin to give a feel for scale, this is about 3mm thick. The gap under the door can be slightly larger (up to 8mm is not uncommon), but it does depend on the door – as a rule of thumb, if you can see light under the door, the gap is likely to be too big. It’s good news if the door fits the frame and it’s not damaged. If not, report it. If the gaps are too big smoke and fire could travel through the cracks.
- Check the seals – are there any intumescent seals around the door or frame, and are they intact with no sign of damage? These seals are usually vital to the fire door’s performance, expanding if in contact with heat to ensure fire (and in some cases smoke) can’t move through the cracks. If not, report it – the door may not be properly maintained and in the intensity of a fire may not protect you long enough.
- Check the hinges – are the hinges firmly fixed (three or more of them), with no missing or broken screws? If you see problems, report it, as the door is obviously not properly maintained and, in the intensity of a fire, may not perform and hold back the flames for long enough.
- Check the door closes properly – open the door about halfway, let go and allow it to close by itself. Does it close firmly onto the latch without sticking on the floor or the frame? If not, report it. A fire door only works when it’s closed. A fire door is completely useless if it’s wedged open or can’t close fully.
If you think the building you’re living in, working in or visiting has a faulty fire door, report it to whoever manages or owns the building. You could save a life that day.
- For further advice, visit www.firedoorsafetyweek.co.uk
- Advice to landlords on fire door testing: www.gov.uk/government/publications/testing-and-classification-of-composite-fire-doorsets-advice-note
- Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022: fire door guidance – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Fire Door Installers
The importance of a properly installed and maintained fire door can never be stressed enough. Fire doors provide lifesaving passive protection from the effects of both heat and smoke.
When a fire door is beyond repair, you will need to replace the door. The following are examples of how this fire service recommends the door is replaced:
- The installation of a manufacturer certified doorset (door, frame and fittings) fire rated to the correct specification and certified by the manufacturer. The installation should be completed by a third party accredited competent installer who would provide certification for the completed works. This option is recommended by Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service as being best practice.
- The installation of a manufacturer certified door, using component parts rated to the correct specification and approved for use with the door in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions. The installation should be completed by a third party accredited competent installer who would provide certification for the completed works.
When a door or doorset is suspected as being defective, or no documentation exists for its installation, further assurance the fire door is effective will be required. When this occurs, Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service may request the door or doors are assessed by a third-party accredited assessor, certified in the inspection of fire doors.
Third-party certification means that the fire door manufacturer or installer is audited by an independent third party that checks that the fire door/doorset is tested appropriately. This process ensures fire doors are produced and installed to a consistent standard making them effective at saving lives.
Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service cannot provide contact details for approved contractors. Advice on finding third party accredited contractors can be found using the following links, which are sources known to the Service at the time of writing this guidance note.
BM TRADA Q-Mark Fire Door Installation scheme
British Woodworking Federation Fire Door Alliance