Fire Doors Feature
Safety & Security Closing the door on fire
Each year, Fire Door Safety Week raises awareness of the vital role that fire doors play in keeping building occupants across the country safe. Helen Hewitt from the British Woodworking Federation (BWF) explores why the campaign remains as important as ever in driving up safety standards in our buildings
T
he Fire Door Safety campaign continues to increase, as we regularly see fire doors propped open, damaged and poorly installed, which puts lives at risk.
Recent data has clearly highlighted the lack of maintenance and proper
care taken over fire doors. Research from the BWF Fire Door Alliance has found that nearly a fiſth of those responsible for the specification, installation and maintenance of fire doors (19%) inspect their fire doors twice a year, 14% inspect annually, while 3% only inspect their fire doors when an issue has been reported. Tis allows for potentially dangerous maintenance issues to go unnoticed, putting lives at risk. In addition, 2% admitted they never inspect their fire doors – meaning that a tragedy is a matter of ‘when’, not ‘if ’. Te Government is taking positive steps to address fire door inspection. From
the 23rd January 2023, the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 will make it a legal requirement for responsible persons for multi-occupied residential buildings with storeys over 11 metres in height to undertake quarterly checks of all fire doors in common areas, and endeavour to conduct annual checks of all flat entrance doors. Generally speaking, and where legislation is not in place, at the BWF we
advise inspections should be undertaken at a minimum of every six months; unless it is a high traffic area or building, such as a hospital or hotel corridor, in which case it should be once a week or monthly. As only through regular inspections any maintenance issues can be quickly identified, reported and addressed to help maintain the fire safety of the building. Added to this, building users oſten misunderstand the role and function
RAISING AWARENESS Fire Door Safety Week exists to address the ongoing misunderstanding and lack of awareness of the role that fire doors play. Launched in 2013, the campaign is managed by the British Woodworking Federation and is supported by a wide range of partners, including the Home Office’s National Fire Safety campaign, the National Fire Chief ’s Council and London Fire Brigade. Each year the campaign aims to raise awareness of fire doors, drawing
attention to specific issues such as poor installation and maintenance, and encouraging building owners and users to check the operation and condition of their fire doors and report those that aren’t fit for purpose. It also engages and educates property owners and the whole building industry to help them better understand the correct specification, installation, maintenance and inspection of fire doors. Everyone plays their part in ensuring a fire door performs as it should, and
Fire Door Safety Week helps all building users understand a fire door’s role and maintenance needs so that lives are not unnecessarily lost due to fire door neglect. Tis year the campaign’s focus is on ensuring everyone understands the
fundamental and life-saving role that fire doors play in the event of a fire. We’ll be launching new research highlighting common misconceptions of fire doors
www.housingmmonline.co.uk | HMMAugust/September 2022 | 57
of a fire door. Tis results in fire doors being propped open or damaged and not reported for remediation – effectively meaning that the door is unable to perform its role.
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