Technology Feature


New technology is the key to fire door compliance


With new regulation now in force for checking fire doors, Dave Carr from Propeller Powered explains how advanced technology is helping the housing sector to comply


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nforced in January 2023, the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 set new legal duties for those who own or manage multi-occupied residential buildings over 11 m high. Tese include an obligation for the ‘responsible


person’ to conduct quarterly checks on communal doors that lead onto common areas like hallways, and annual inspections on flat entrance doors. Evidence of the steps taken to comply with the regulations must also be recorded. For social landlords, the rules present a steep and challenging path to


compliance. Ensuring fire doors are safe is critical, but with dozens of doors to check even in small housing blocks, the scale of the task can’t be underestimated. For many housing associations and local authorities, new procedures will be required to meet the requirements. Relying on manual processes such as spreadsheets and paper forms for inspections will present a huge administrative burden that swallows significant time and resources while risking human error.


ACCELERATED DEVELOPMENT In response, new technology has been fast tracked specifically for the housing sector. Tis has been designed based on feedback from housing associations and property managers, making sure it is flexible enough to meet the requirements of individual organisations as well as the regulations. Te technology’s development is focused on enabling social landlords to


carry out the checks quickly and effectively while creating an auditable trail and more transparency. Tis is achieved thanks to new cloud-based soſtware allowing fire door


maintenance and inspection programmes to be managed digitally. Pilots have shown that this process can help landlords conduct the checks up to six times faster than their previous systems. Fire doors, including time-stamped images, can be digitally recorded into


a database along with a history of inspections for auditing purposes. Te frequency of inspections can be set and adjusted to comply with the regulations and to meet an organisation’s own building safety criteria.


TRACEABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY At the heart of the soſtware is QR code technology which gives every fire door within a property a unique asset tag. Tis provides the ‘golden thread’ enabling


Safety & Security


all those with responsibility to identify, manage, and mitigate risks relative to each door. Using a mobile device, each code can be scanned to reveal the door’s history and any defects can be instantly captured using an App. In real time, this information is logged on a central dashboard where actions for repairing individual doors can be raised and prioritised. Advanced technology means this process can take place offline if needed,


avoiding issues in buildings with poor WiFi connectivity or low network signal. Te QR codes are also key to increasing building safety transparency and


communication regarding fire doors. Residents can use the codes to access vital safety information about their building, including a summary of a fire door’s service history. Te same codes can be used by residents to instantly raise issues about specific doors, and upload photographs, triggering automated tasks that are flagged for action.


STREAMLINING PROCESSES Another advantage of adopting new technology is that it can reduce the need to source technical experts or specialists to achieve compliance. Te latest soſtware can be implemented in as little as two weeks and is easy to use requiring minimal training. It can also be tailored to an organisation’s specific policies, meaning it can be used by social landlords of any size and by internal teams or external fire safety contractors. Te ability to tailor the soſtware not only provides flexibility but additional


functionality. Other areas of compliance including gas, electrical, and legionella can be incorporated into the same system bringing all key data into one place, eliminating the need for multiple systems. No access visits can also be recorded using the App, evidencing the number of attempts to survey a flat door for vital safety checks.


PROACTIVE APPROACHES With the need to improve fire door safety front of mind for many social landlords, housing associations have already begun to pilot and implement new technology. For example, LiveWest has recently updated their system to record actions


for doors and has set up a QR code system. Combined with a dashboard, this technology enables the housing association to assess which doors need to be upgraded or replaced to achieve compliance. LiveWest’s existing repairs system has set servicing schedules based on


priorities identified via the soſtware and plans have been put in place to inspect all 22,960 doors over the next two years. Tese include communal and flat doors in buildings – less than 11 m high – to go over and above the regulatory requirements. With limited time leſt for the housing sector to refine its procedures for


checking fire doors and achieving compliance, adopting new technology can tackle the challenge head on. Advanced soſtware will not only save landlords significant time but provide a robust, auditable register and a higher quality service for residents.


Dave Carr is managing director of Propeller Powered www.housingmmonline.co.uk | HMMApril/May 2023 | 31


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