Recognise it, Report it – Improving fire door safety
Posted on September 27, 2023
Recognise it, Report it.
Fire doors are designed to prevent the spread of smoke, flames and toxic gases throughout a building in the event of a fire. Therefore, when a fire door is held open, or is faulty, fire can quickly pass through the building, blocking escape routes and endangering lives.
Research carried out by the Fire Door Alliance stated – A lack of knowledge over what constitutes a faulty fire door leads to under-reporting, with 29% of respondents saying they wouldn’t report a faulty fire door for this reason – putting themselves and others at risk.
Worryingly, 21% said the reason they wouldn’t report in future is because they don’t think anything would get done. Almost half (49%) didn’t feel it’s their responsibility to report a faulty fire door.
It wasn’t just issues with spotting and reporting problems that were prevalent, there was also a lack of understanding over the purpose of fire doors and how they function. More people believed that a fire door aids stopping the spread of fire (46%) rather than the spread of smoke (32%).
Only a fully functioning fire door will protect property and life from fire and smoke, with smoke inhalation being the main cause of fire-related deaths.
It is important that everybody who encounters fire doors spot and report issues, so they can be immediately addressed. Report any issues with fire doors to the building H&S representative.
A fire door check list includes:
- Check the door’s hinges. Are they CE stamped and do they fit correctly?
- Check the correct fire signage is displayed.
- Check your doorholder / closer Check it works, and check that it does not need updating.
- Check your locks and hatches are CE marked and not damaged.
- Check that the seals and vision panels are free from damage.
How to spot a faulty fire door Video – British Woodworking Federation
Legally, a building’s fire doors must be self-closing to ensure the door closes to act as a barrier that stops the fire from spreading. It is recognised that it is sometimes necessary to hold fire doors open for practical reasons e.g. easing access and increasing ventilation.
Wedging open fire doors with a wooden wedge will put the people in the building at risk. If you want to hold the fire door open, it must have a device installed to release the door, so that it will close upon activation of the fire alarm system.
Fire door retainers such as the Agrippa magnetic fire door holder are fitted hygienically to the top of the door and use a magnet to hold open heavy fire doors that will release in the event of a fire
Agrippa magnetic fire door holder
- Hygienically installed at the top of the door
- Releases the door on the sound of the fire alarm
- Wife-free so no disturbance to building infrastructure
- Fitted in just ten minutes
- 2 x C cell batteries
- Conforms to BS EN1155 and recognised by UK Fire and Rescue Services
- CE marked under the Construction Products Regulation
- EMC approved
The Agrippa fire door closer is fitted in place of a traditional door closer to hold the fire door open in any position, whilst ensuring the door will close in the event of a fire.
Agrippa fire door closer
- Easy, wire free installation and programming
- 2 x C cell batteries
- Free-swing mode makes doors feel light and easy to move
- Adjustable closing speed
- Conforms with BS EN1155 and EN1154 and recognised by UK Fire and Rescue Services
- CE marked through the Construction Products Regulation
- EMC approved
Fire safety is everyone’s responsibility and a vital consideration for any businesses, to protect employees and your building assets.
Fire door check list
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