Fire doors are vital for ensuring the safety and security of premises and their occupants. For both commercial and industrial buildings, there are several regulations that must be followed when installing and maintaining fire doors.
Fire protection offered by regulated fire doors
When a fire door is certified, securely installed, and well maintained, it will offer a high level of fire protection. Working to stop the spread of fire from beyond the point of installation, a fire door will help to save lives in the event of a fire and stop the progression of a fire throughout the interior of a building.
The containment of the fire thanks to the installation of a fire door also makes the job of firefighters simpler. Helping them to locate the fire to one single location and tackling this without damage being caused to other areas of the premises.
The law regarding fire doors
To keep in line with the legal requirements set in place by the government, all non-domestic premises, as well as buildings of multiple occupancies (such as apartment buildings), must have fire doors installed. The number of fire doors will vary depending on the size of the building and the number of fire exits available.
- Updates to the Fire Safety Regulations in England will make it a legal requirement, from the 23rd January 2023, for those responsible to carry out quarterly inspections on all fire doors and undertake annual checks of all flat entrance doors leading onto common areas for all multi-occupied buildings with storeys over 11 meters in height.
Fire door signage
All fire doors must have the correct signage on both sides of the door. This should highlight that the door is a safety door and include any other important safety information about the door. For example, whether the door needs to remain locked or clear/closed. These signs must be visible to all who use the doors and access the buildings.
Fire door maintenance
According to regulations put in place by the government, in order to adhere to fire safety laws, all fire doors must be regularly maintained and serviced. This means carrying out regular maintenance checks and servicing these doors as soon as an issue arises or damage is flagged. When appropriate, it is beneficial to contact an FDIS inspector who can carry out an official inspection of the fire doors on your property. These inspectors are highly experienced and have the relevant understanding and qualifications to assess the safety and security of fire doors.
Fire door ratings
All fire doors come with ratings. These are indicated with the letters FD for fire door, followed by numbers. The following numbers indicate to the relevant parties the length of time in which the fire door will protect from fire breaking through to the adjoining room. For example, FD30 tells us that the fire door will protect for up to 30 minutes, withstanding the fire. If the FD rating is followed by the letter ‘s’ this shows that the fire door is fitted with additional features to protect against the spread of smoke.
Leave a Reply