Current affairs
and building owners can be guaranteed that evidence has been independently provided, without them having to rely on the word of the manufacturer. Also highlighted was the importance of using an accredited and experienced fire door installer to ensure that fire doors are installed to manufacturer guidance. Installation of a fire door is very different to hanging a standard interior door and its correct installation following the manufacturer’s guidance ensures that the fire door will perform as designed in the event of a fire.
Legal perspective
Legal responsibility for product performance is held throughout the supply chain. By being thorough and seeking accredited installers and third party certificated products, there is a clear demonstration of going above and beyond the minimum requirements to comply with the Health and Safety at Work Act. If found guilty, the repercussions include
fines, which can have a dramatic impact on the financial stability of a company and, in certain cases, personal liability – neither of which are covered by a company’s insurance. The law relating to responsibility of the supply
chain following a fire is open to interpretation and therefore confusion, leaving stakeholders at risk of legal action which they may not believe
is justifiable. Taking a positive step forward, an update for the fire safety industry in the proposed Fire Safety Bill and Building Safety Bill was announced in the Queen’s Speech in December 2019 – which will hopefully remove confusion around legal responsibilities within the construction industry. This will help provide clarity for the industry and define the role of the responsible person for fire door specification, procurement, installation, maintenance, inspection and documentation. At the BWF, we welcome the government’s
recent publication of Building safety advice for building owners, including fire doors. In this guidance, there is the recommendation to replace any non fire resisting flat entrance door with doorsets ‘that are third party certificated as providing at least 30 minutes’ fire resistance’. We hope that this is the first step towards enshrining independent third party certification in the manufacture of fire doors. By working with a licensed door processor or prime door manufacturer such as a BWF Fire Door Alliance member, building managers and owners can be reassured and confident that fire doors will perform as designed to contain a fire and help save lives
Kevin Underwood is technical director of the British Woodworking Federation. For more information, view page 5
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www.frmjournal.com MARCH 2020
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