54 SMOKE & FIRE PROTECTION
is never predictable, a fire door, unlike any other door, must perform to its prime purpose: to delay the spread of fire and smoke, protecting lives and property. Since the Grenfell Tower tragedy, the ability of fire doors to perform has been at the top of the construction industry’s agenda – but at the time of writing this, the results of the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) investigation into fire door burn times are yet to be published. The BWF’s Fire Door Alliance believes that only third- party certification of fire doors and doorsets can provide true confidence in fire safety.
T PERFORMANCE
The performance of a fire door assembly, commonly referred to as a fire door, depends on a number of factors including design, manufacture, installation and ongoing maintenance. A fire door assembly is a system of
components which not only includes the door, but also the frame, ironmongery, seals, and its glazing. These components must all work as one unit and perform as they’re designed, otherwise the door may not be fit for purpose.
A fire door’s effectiveness is determined
by its ability to resist fire and cold smoke. The two main classifications are FD30 and FD60, which means a door can provide resistance to fire for 30 minutes and 60 minutes respectively according to British Standards. Similarly, a door that can also resist the passage of smoke is referred to as FD30S for 30 minutes, and for 60 minutes FD60S. It’s important to note that smoke control is not classified for a particular period of time.
THIRD-PARTY CERTIFICATION Fire doors that are manufactured in isolation without independent scrutiny are unlikely to be subject to a retest programme when the design is changed, or there is a change in the supply chain for raw materials and/or components. This is why third-party certifi- cation is so important, as it ensures that there is a robust and ongoing testing programme.
The certification process relies on three stages: passing the British Standard tests, a strict production control systems audit and, crucially, repeated and regular retesting. This provides specifiers and building owners with reassurance and confidence that the fire door will achieve the perform- ance criteria that its accompanying documentation outlines. Supporters of the
THE DOOR FRAME, IRONMONGERY, SEALS AND GLAZING MUST ALL WORK AS ONE UNIT AND PERFORM AS THEY’RE DESIGNED, OTHERWISE THE DOOR MAY NOT BE FIT FOR PURPOSE
WWW.HBDONLINE.CO.UK
he purpose of a fire door in everyday use is just like any other door. However, since the break-out of fire
THE CASE FOR THIRD PARTY CERTIFICATION
Helen Hewitt of the British Woodworking Federation (BWF) explores the intricacies of third-party fire door certification and its benefits.
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