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Replacement and certification
Landlords or building owners should replace flat entrance doorsets if they suspect they do not meet the fire or smoke resistance performance in the Building Regulations guidance. Fire risk assessment processes should be used to determine how urgently such doors should be replaced.
Replacement doorsets should have test
evidence from a United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) accredited certification body or equivalent, to ensure they meet the standards set out in the Building Regulations guidance. Test evidence used should be checked carefully to ensure that it is to the same specifications of the doorsets being installed and meets all the other required attributes, such as to allow for disability. Where doorsets have parts that need
replacing, care should be taken to ensure replacements are of the same specification used in the original design, as evidenced in the manufacturer’s test evidence/certification and documentation for the doorset. When carrying out assessments and repairs, or where the manufacturer or supplier is unknown, an assessment should be carried out in line with the manufacturer’s instructions by a suitably qualified professional or organisation that can demonstrate the appropriate levels of skill and competency. Where additional assurance that existing
or proposed fire doorsets meet the current benchmarks is desired, a UKAS accredited body can provide landlords and building owners with greater assurance concerning
38 OCTOBER 2018
www.frmjournal.com Fire and security performance
In Advice Note 16, the MHCLG advises that Part Q is an inherent requirement, when Part Q would normally only be applicable to new homes. It’s significant that the government recognises the need for doorsets to meet security and fire requirements, and that they shouldn’t conflict with one another, as well as certification needing to take both attributes into consideration. Doorsets certificated and supplied to the same specification for fire, smoke and security performance will provide additional assurance of performance, as will certification in the name of the company producing the doorset with the doorset name listed on the certificate. The expert panel advises that doorsets, which aim to meet fire resistance as well as security criteria, should be based on a single combined design specification certified for fire resistance and for security.
Advice Note 17
On 28 August, Advice Note 17 was published emphasising the importance of testing composite doors only on both sides. The MHCLG
door performance. UKAS certification body engineers are qualified and adhere to the latest Passive Fire Protection Federation guidance. The expert panel advises that whilst it should not be solely relied upon, certification by a UKAS accredited body can provide landlords and building owners with greater assurance on the performance of fire doors.
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