If a fire occurs within a flat, it is essential that it is contained as long as possible to prevent it spreading to other flats or other parts of a building. Having a suitable and working fire door is a key element to containing the heat and smoke from a fire.
The Fire Safety Act 2021 came into force on 16 May 2022. It amends the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, clarifying that it now applies to all doors between domestic premises and common parts, such as flat entrance doors (or any other relevant door).
The UK Government has now introduced the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022, which seek to implement several recommendations from Phase 1 of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry, and will come into force on 23 January 2023.
As part of this, the Responsible Person(s) of all multi-occupied residential buildings, containing two or more sets of domestic premises, are required to provide residents with information relating to the proper use and management of fire doors.
It is also the duty of the Responsible Person(s) of all multi-occupied residential buildings in England with storeys over 11 metres in height to:
- Undertake quarterly checks of all fire doors (including self-closing devices) in the common parts; and
- Undertake, on a best endeavour basis, annual checks of all flat entrance doors (including self-closing devices) that lead onto a building’s common parts.
The Grenfell Tower Inquiry Phase 1 report noted that “fire doors play an essential role in preventing or inhibiting the spread of smoke and toxic gases and in preserving the effective compartmentation of buildings.” The Inquiry noted that the fire doors in Grenfell Tower did not – through damage and/or disrepair – act in the way that they should to prevent smoke and gases from spreading.
Flat entrance fire doors leading to a shared or communal area are required to provide fire and smoke protection, and are part of a layered approach to most fire strategies for residential buildings.
Action will need to be taken by the Responsible Person(s) to ensure replacement of existing flat entrance door-sets, if they suspect they don’t meet the required fire or smoke resistance performance, as set out in the Local Government Association guide Fire safety in Purpose-Built Blocks of Flats.
For further reading on fire doors: