fire safety
Fire doors are a critical
defence in hospitals and care homes where
patients and residents may be vulnerable or unable to move quickly
If the Building Regulations are
interactive learning portal, Kevin Hulin, FDIS manager, said: "The lack of basic knowledge about fire doors is a real challenge to all parts of the industry and we felt this was something simple we could do to help.” FDIS research shows that more than
61% of fire doors have problems with fire or smoke seals and more than a third have incorrect signage. And 53% of people surveyed
admitted they would not know how to spot a dodgy fire door. Speaking to hdm, Graham Hulland of
dormakaba said another key consideration for healthcare organisations was the balancing act between fire safety and access and the correct specification of door components. He added: “Meeting the
requirements of fire and access legislation in healthcare facilities can be a complex task. “With the requirements for
both holding equal importance; those responsible for product specification have a duty of care to ensure the correct door components are specified to help ensure buildings and occupants are protected.”
Make a selection There are then two main considerations when it comes to product selection: do they meet the requirements of the Equality Act 2010;
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and, if they are being applied to a fire door, do they satisfy Approved Document B? Approved Document B of the
Building Regulations requires fire doors to be self-closing and therefore fitted with an automatic self-closing device. In addition, any such door closing
device should comply with BS EN1154 Controlled Door Closing Devices and be CE marked to this standard. Furthermore, it is advisable to
request a Third Party Fire Test Certificate, such as CERTIFIRE, to ensure the specification will satisfy Approved Document B. Another area to consider when
specifying components is accessibility, which is particularly important in healthcare facilities, where visitors are likely to be varied in terms of age and physical capabilities. Buildings and products must comply
with Building Regulations. These are detailed in Approved Document M in England and Wales, Section 3 in Scotland, and Part R in Northern Ireland. These state that ‘a doorset must
produce an opening force of below 30N between 0o and 30o degrees and below 22.5N between 30o and 60o degrees’.
adhered to, the Equality Act’s requirements for ease of access will also be met. “Although the specification of
door components can appear quite complicated, accurate specification is crucial for healthcare facilities to guarantee compliance with fire and access legislation,” said Hulland.
Safe and compliant Through its website, Allegion has been giving away free fire door gap testers which can reveal whether gaps around fire doors are within the legal limit or not. And it has created a dedicated fire
door safety website with vital information and tools to help ensure fire doors are safe and compliant. According to Pete Hancox,
commercial leader for Allegion UK & Ireland, top focus points for estates and facilities managers include checking the authenticity of fire doors; checking gaps around the doors; specifying and properly fitting handles, panic bars, locks, latches, and hinges; fitting door closers and hold-open devices; improving signage; and checking door seals regularly.
www.firedoorsafetyweek.co.uk www.allegion.com www.dormakaba.com www.fdis.co.uk
Fire doors must be specified, fitted and maintained correctly with compatible components that have been third-party certificated
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