Current affairs
the failings and provide weekly reports on progress.
In addition, National Trading Standards has been asked to oversee local investigations, whilst the MHCLG works with third party certification bodies to develop minimum standards of assurance to provide building owners with greater confidence in the fire doors they purchase.
Public reassurance
The government’s Independent Expert Advisory Panel comprises a team of industry experts, and was set up after the Grenfell fire to advise on immediate measures needed to ensure building safety; while the National Fire Chiefs Council has advised that the additional risk to public safety remains low. It stated that even when fire doors fail to
meet full resistance standards, they continue to provide some protection from the spread of fire, and are part of layered fire protection systems within buildings.
Advice to building owners
On 31 July 2018, the MHCLG issued Advice Note 16 on the replacement of flat entrance fire doors to landlords and building owners who are responsible for the fire safety of residential flats. It provided a reminder that flat entrance fire doors are critical to most fire strategies for buildings, because they provide effective
separation within the building against fire and smoke, and enable escape in an emergency. A fire door can only offer protection if its door seals are working effectively, and if its door closing device is capable of closing the door securely into its frame from any open position, and overcoming the resistance of the door latch and edge seals. Small differences in detail, such as glazing apertures, intumescent strips, door frames and ironmongery may significantly affect its performance.
Evaluating doorsets
Doorsets are becoming increasingly complex and need to perform to comply with the Building Regulations in England, and associated guidance in ADB for fire, to achieve at least 30 minutes’ fire resistance, with additional requirements for smoke leakage. Although the Advice Note concentrates on fire safety, flat entrance doorsets should also meet the security requirements for Approved Document Q and the Building Regulation guidance in Approved Documents E, L and M. Therefore, it is imperative that doorsets are
designed to meet all of the relevant requirements in one package, ie the same specification. Landlords or building owners should reference the manufacturer’s test evidence/certification and documentation for existing or proposed fire doorsets.
FOCUS
www.frmjournal.com OCTOBER 2018
37
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60
