78 SAFETY & SECURITY


we last carried out research in 2022, highlighting a wider understanding of the role third arty certifi cation can lay in achievin coliance


esite iroved understandin over third certifi cation and its benefi ts, other aroaches  which dont offer the sae traceability and reassurance over erforance  are still bein adoted n increasin nuber of those with resonsibility with fi re doors also look to fi re test certifi cates as roof of erforance, but these are sily oneoff test results They dont offer the guarantee over repeatability or anufacturin consistency that third arty certifi cation does


CHOOSING THIRD-PARTY CERTIFIED FIRE DOORS Concerningly, growing awareness of thirdarty certifi cation and reater intention to secify thirdarty certifi ed doors hasnt yet translated into reater utake


o, what are the ain reasons for this ith ressure on budets, its unsurprising that cost is the barrier cited by ost isin in ation rates and other spending pressures are undoubtedly creatin a challenin environent for the construction industry to work within ts iortant however not to solely consider cost, and instead assess overall value of building products. Thirdarty certifi ed doors rovide evidence that the responsible person


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THE PRIMARY REASON THAT THIRD-PARTY CERTIFIED DOORS ARE SPECIFIED IS TO PROVIDE ROBUST PROOF OF PERFORMANCE


has fulfi lled their duties under the new reulations The cost of failin to ensure these safeguards are in place can be sinifi cant for those resonsible for a buildins safety, and those involved in their design and construction.


THE IMPORTANCE OF CORRECT INSTALLATION


hile thirdarty certifi ed fi re doors can offer any benefi ts, they will not erfor as they are desined to in the event of a fi re if they havent been installed correctly. Installation of a fi re door is as critical as the roduct secifi cation and should only be carried out by a coetent individual whos trained to install fi re doors  fi re door should always be sulied with installation instructions fro the anufacturer that are secifi c to the particular product.


There are several factors to consider


when installin a fi re door, includin • heckin coatibility The certifi cation inforation needs to be checked to ensure that only coatible irononery and intuescent seals are used which are confority arked when reuired


• lain aertures nsure they are never cut onsite as this will invalidate the fi re doors certifi ed status, and to always ensure the gap between the edge of the door and the frae is not too lare


• rae secifi cation t is iortant to ensure that the frae secifi cation is correct for the doors fi re ratin and that the Building Regulations are strictly adhered to.


• uality assured trainin sessions or those new to fi re door installation, its vital to seek such quality assured training in order to be able to deonstrate coetence


The only way to be certain that fi re doors and door sets will erfor as they are intended is through third party certifi cation, and we believe it should be a iniu reuireent for all fi re doors and doorsets. We would urge developers to fully elore its benefi ts in order to create a new benchark for buildin safety in the UK.


Helen Hewitt is chief executive offi cer of the Fire Door Alliance (FDA) – part of the British Woodworking Federation


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