What should I do first?
The first thing, whatever the current situation is, is to check that you have had a detailed and effective fire risk assessment carried out recently. If not, you should get one done straight away. This will cover the specifications of current UK Legislation for fire safety (‘The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (RRO)’), clarifying whether your building is compliant or requires attention.
Fire Door Basics
One of the fundamental solutions for building safety is fire doors. Their effectiveness or lack of, can massively increase/decrease the threat of fire and risk to safety. Fire doors come in a range of ratings; the grading value is parallel to their efficiency in preventing the spread of fire. From FD30 which can hold back fire for 30 minutes to FD120 which guarantees 2 hours of protection, the options as always are cost, and situation bound. They should also qualify to British Standards BS 476-22:1987 & BS EN 1634-1:2014. The types of fire doors available on the market include: prehung; double fire; steel; wood; glass.
Intumescent strips are fitted around the edges of the door and the frame to ensure that when a fire breaks out, flames and smoke cannot escape due to the expansion of the material. Rooms are therefore sealed providing time to avoid further damage to buildings and their contents. However, the strips only work if the door is closed at the onset of fire – it is often therefore heavily implied that all fire doors should be fitted with an automatic door closer.
Why should I be concerned about Fire Doors?
A survey carried out in 2014 by the Fire Door Inspection Scheme discovered many worrying findings relating to properties and their lack of fire safety. The four fundamental issues highlighted were as follows:
- 61% of the fire doors had their seals missing, installed incorrectly or didn’t fill the perimeter gaps properly
- 34% of the doors surveyed had excessive gaps between the door and their respective frame
- 15% had damaged door leaf’s
- 1/3 had incorrect safety signage
- 1/5 had unsuitable hinges
It is therefore evident that despite clear legislation and risk to health that the completed workmanship at properties around the country aren’t up to scratch. Fire safety should always be a priority given the sheer damage to life and finances it can cause.
Next Steps
At Oracle we can help you make the right choices. Experts in the field of fire safety and facilities management, our goal is to ensure your building is up to scratch. We’ve helped many clients in the past improve on their situation, so why take the risk and get in contact today.