Used daily, but often overlooked in terms of maintenance, fire doors can prevent the spread of fire and smoke when installed and maintained properly by qualified individuals.
Working as a physical barrier between those in the vicinity, and fire and smoke, fire doors play a significant role in the overall fire protection system in place. Properly maintained doors can hinder the movement of fire and smoke, lessening the damage to property and allowing time for evacuation.
Doors must be regularly inspected to make sure they perform as expected in the event of a fire. It is everyone’s responsibility to ensure fire doors are not left open unnecessarily, and that any damage is noted and actioned promptly.
Who is responsible for fire doors?
As an employer, owner, landlord or occupier of a business (or non-domestic premises), you could be the person legally responsible for the management of fire safety.
The role of the Responsible Person covers fire safety for the business premises, members of staff and those visiting the site.
Arranging the maintenance of fire doors falls under the remit of the Responsible Person, who must arrange for their regular inspection, by a creditable company skilled in this area, as stated in BS 9999: Code of practice for fire safety in the design, management and use of buildings.
How does a fire door work?
Built to stringent safety standards, fire doors are designed to act as a barrier between compartments of a building.
When closed, fire doors provide protection from the spread of smoke and fire, allowing time for evacuation to the nearest exit point. Fire doors are classed as passive protection, meaning that they are able to operate automatically without the need for activation. Open doors can be programmed to activate and close when the building fire alarm sounds, with the doors releasing from their open position to close. Closed doors act immediately in the event of a fire, and are kept closed to prevent spreading.
Maintaining fire door safety
Safety inspections of fire doors should be carried out weekly to ensure no damage has occured, weakening the integrity of the door. The door itself, door frames, locks, hinges and all related elements must be checked by the Responsible Person.
When properly installed, it must be arranged for thorough inspections to be carried out (as a minimum) every six months. This detailed examination scrutinises the doors condition, its performance, and the surrounding area.
Churches Fire & Security works with many industries to ensure fire doors will be effective in the event of an emergency, providing servicing, maintenance and replacement with little disruption to the business day.
If you require fire door maintenance or you would like more information on fire doors, please get in touch.
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