Security & Fire Protection
The 101 on Fire Door Safety Responsibilities
Statistics show that the industry needs to educate tenants on who to speak to regarding fire door safety, while there is a call for more transparency in the chain of responsibility, says Allegion Commercial Leader Pete Hancox
Fire door safety can often be a minefield. Knowing the many different standards and regulations that affect the use of fire doors, which can often be complex and sometimes contradictory, can be tough.
To name a few, there is the ‘Regulatory Reform Fire Safety Order’ (RRFSO) that details the responsibilities of the so-called ‘responsible person’ for the fire risk assessment. There;s also Regulation 38 of the Building Regulations, which links the Building Regulations to RRFSO to ensure that adequate fire safety provisions are incorporated into buildings when constructed.
‘Approved Document B’ of the Building Regulations specifically covers fire safety guidance for buildings in which fire doors play a unique role, and is designed to ensure that fire safety and performance requirements are met.
With so many regulations, it is easy to see why tenants, and even those in the actual supply chain of fire doors, can become confused.
In fact, according to Atomik Research’s survey of 1,000 tenants living in flats in 2016, only 35 per cent of the lowest income households renting say they have been given information on the emergency fire plan. At the same time, more than 58 per cent of tenants have no idea who the responsible person is in their buildings. And, that’s likely why 15 per cent of tenants who have had fire safety concerns have never reported them to anyone.
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Exactly who is responsible for ensuring the fire doors in a building function correctly to guarantee the safety of our buildings and its occupants? The answer stems all the way from the architects of the building, right through to the owners, building control, fire departments and facilities managers.
ARCHITECTS AND SPECIFIERS
Architects and specifiers aren’t usually directly responsible for the final say on fire door safety; however, they are in control of a building’s design. As such, they have an associated responsibility of making sure a building is designed with fire safety in mind.
Architects should be encouraging the use of third-party accredited fire doors and ironmongery, as well as considering specifying specific doorsets.
DEVELOPERS AND CONTRACTORS
For developers and contractors, they arguably have the hardest task within the supply chain of building management. They are often tasked with delivering the visions of architects and specifiers, but also managing these projects on tight budgets for stakeholders.
Add to that the fact they have to deliver projects that meet various standards and legislation, and you can start to see why this group comes under scrutiny often.
To ensure building projects are managed within budget and are safe and secure, always use third party accredited and certified products from regulated manufacturers.
Manufacturers will be able to determine which solutions are viable from a finance perspective. They will also know the specifics about hardware you are intending to use, and where you can, or cannot, specify them in your buildings.
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