When it’s just a door!
More importantly, a fire door is no longer a fire door when it’s no longer being serviced and maintained to carry out its duties.
At Arrow, our teams are on the road every day, installing and servicing fire doors and you’d be amazed at what we see when it comes to fire door safety. Doors propped open with fire extinguishers (oh the irony!) is an all to common occurrence. Door slabs that are indeed fire rated, but then fitted into basic door frames which renders them pretty much useless, is another.
We’ve put together this little checklist of the do’s and don’ts and what to look out for with your fire doors.
- Legally, if you wedge open a fire door and it is judged that this puts someone’s life at risk, you could suffer penalties, including a fine or even a prison sentence.
- Fire doors should have working self-closers. These hinges at the top of the door allow the door to close on its own. There are also concealed door closers which can also be utilised. Whatever version is used, it is imperative that they are in full working order, allow the door to fully close and don’t stick.
- In the door or door frame, intumescent seals must be in place and free from damage. We’ve seen some instances where they have been painted over when some decorating clearly took place. This damages the integrity of the seals which are designed to expand when exposed to heat and seal gaps around the door.
- You should test your doors regularly. It’s a simple test that can be carried out by your designated H&S manager. Simply open the door fully and then release it to allow it close of its own accord. Do the same again but open the door to only 15 degrees. On both occasions, the door should fully seat itself back in the frame. If it doesn’t completely close, further expert maintenance is required.
- Signage is often overlooked but is crucial to adhering to fire and safety regulations. Make sure that there is clear signage to indicate fire exits and on the fire doors themselves, signs indicating their FD rating.
Most importantly, fire doors should be serviced at least every 6 months and in high traffic areas, even more often. The job that these doors do is to save lives, no compromises on their integrity should ever be taken. You can read more about the governments fire safety directive by clicking here https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/fire-safety-england-regulations-2022-fire-door-guidance/fire-safety-england-regulations-2022-fire-door-guidance
And don’t forget that our expert team are always on hand across the country, 365 days a year 24/7 to help with your install and maintenance needs, keeping your fire doors in tip top condition and protecting your business and your staff. You can find out more about our fire door range by clicking here.
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