Fire doors/glazing
manufactured consistently to a tight specification within the limitations of the scope set through the certification process. Manufacturers are required to undertake
regular training, and to make available critical information to support subsequent operations such as glazing, checking compatibility of components and maintaining the scope of certification. How apertures are prepared and doors are glazed is a critical part of certification – for example, when installing fire resistant glazing systems or other components such as letterplates, air transfer grilles and some door furniture. The other benefit that you have with doors
that are manufactured within third party certification is that they should also carry traceability of the product. You can find out if an existing fire door is manufactured by a member of BWF-Certifire by checking the top edge for the ‘badge’ or label/s. These labels identify the manufacturer, the relevant fire door certificate that holds all of the detail related to the specification of the product, and a unique traceability number referring back to production records within the manufacturing facility, and to that specific door. This means that the original fire certificate and the original specification can be sourced and used to carry out checks on the product which is installed on site, to ensure compliance and that the correct specification is maintained if any components need to be replaced
during the lifetime of the door. It can also be used to check whether the door is the correct application or configuration according to the door’s fire test evidence and certificate. There are various third party certification
schemes operating in the UK, but it is estimated that over 75%1
of the certified timber fire doors
and doorsets sold in the UK are manufactured by members of the BWF-Certifire Fire Door and Doorset Scheme. Other certification schemes have different labels or plugs that identify the manufacturer and the specification of the product.
Small details, big difference
If you are specifying, fitting, checking or maintaining fire doors and fire resistant glazed screens, it is important to remember that the small details make all the difference and can severely impact performance of the overall fire door. Performance of a glazed aperture is not just about the specification of the glass, it also relates to the preparation of the aperture and the compatibility of the entire system of components (the glazing system). The specification of all the other elements
of this system (such as the bead design and material, bead fixing system, intumescent protection and even the overall size of the aperture that is cut into the doorleaf) impact upon performance. Tolerances are extremely tight, and the level of workmanship needs to be high to ensure performance. There are
Five step door check
1. Certification – look for a label or plug on top (or occasionally on the side) of the door. You can use the selfie function on your camera phone or a mirror to check. If there is one, that’s good news, otherwise report it to whoever is in charge of your building.
2. Gaps – check that the gaps around the top and sides of the door are consistently less than 4mm when closed. You can use a £1 coin to give a feel for scale, this is about 3mm thick. The gap under the door can be slightly larger (up to 8mm is not uncommon), but it does depend on the door. As a rule of thumb, if you can see light under the door, the gap is likely to be too big – if the gaps are too big, smoke and fire could travel through the cracks.
3. Seals – look for any intumescent seals around the door or frame. Check they are intact with no sign of damage. These seals are usually vital to the fire door’s performance, expanding if in contact with heat to ensure fire (and in some cases, smoke) can’t move through the cracks.
4. Hinges – check all hinges are firmly fixed (three or more of them), with no missing or broken screws. Open the door and take a look at the hinges. Be sure the door is properly maintained and will perform properly in the intensity of a fire.
5. Closing properly – check the door closes firmly onto the latch without sticking on the floor or the frame. Open the door about halfway, let go and allow it to close by itself. A fire door only works when it’s closed. A fire door is completely useless if it’s wedged open or can’t close fully
www.frmjournal.com MAY 2018 49
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