5 Top Fire Door Tips for Landlords
In residential environments, fire doors give tenants the vital time they need to evacuate their homes in an emergency situation. Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, the...
ASDMA are supporting Fire Door Safety Week 2019 and as such are sharing the resources they have created that are designed to inform business owners and users, as well as those within the construction industry, of how to use and maintain fire doors properly. This year, Fire Door Safety Week have brought out their ‘Fire Door Myths’ guide that looks at common fire door misconceptions and sets the record straight – check out the myths and truths below.
MYTH
Standard doors can be made into fire doors by fitting larger doorstops to the existing frame.
TRUTH
Additional doorstops don’t turn a standard door into a fire door. A fire door requires all elements to meet the specification stated on the fire door certificate.
MYTH
Painting a door with fire retardant paint makes it a fire door.
TRUTH
BWF Certifire would not recognise this as a fire door. A fire door is made up of many compatible and fire tested materials and components, all listed on the fire door certificate. A lick of paint will not turn a standard door into a fire door.
MYTH
Any lock can be fitted onto a fire door because it’s made of metal, and metal doesn’t burn in a fire.
TRUTH
You can only fit a fire tested and compatible lock as listed on the fire door certificate, as excessive removal of material from the door leaf can impact performance in a fire. Metal gets hot in a fire, so don’t forget the intumescent protection if needed.
MYTH
The gap between the fire door and the frame doesn’t matter.
TRUTH
The dimension of the gap around the entire perimeter of the door is critical to preventing the passage of toxic fumes and smoke in the event of a fire. On a fire door with smoke seals this gap is commonly 3mm, but always check the fitting instructions or the fire door certificate.
MYTH
People can fit their own glazed panels in fire doors.
TRUTH
To manufacture a fire door with a glazed panel requires a number of correct components and should only be carried out by someone who is licensed and trained to do so. Cutting holes in doors for vision panels on site invalidates fire door certification.
MYTH
When fitting a fire door, you don’t need the little packers that come with hinges and other ironmongery. You can throw them away.
TRUTH
The ‘hinge packers’ are actually intumescent pads. They protect the metal hinge from heat in a fire. If the fire door certificate specifies that these intumescent pads are needed, they must be fitted.
MYTH
Fire doors don’t come with any documentation.
TRUTH
Every fire door must have a current independently accredited test certificate. This proves the door’s fire rating, test criteria, and manufacturing compliance. It also shows that the door’s components meet strict performance and compliance standards. It also gives critical information about installation.
MYTH
Fire doors have to be assessed by the fire brigade.
TRUTH
Since October 2006, it is the responsible person’s duty to carry out fire risk assessments. The fire service does not carry out fire risk assessments of commercial or industrial premises.
MYTH
I’m just a landlord, so I’m not expected to know much about fire doors.
TRUTH
If you are the building owner or landlord and the ‘responsible person’ under the Fire Safety Order it is your responsibility to ensure fire safety for the occupants of your building. If you do not have the knowledge or skills, you must appoint a ‘competent person’ to carry this out for you.
MYTH
I’ve had a fire risk assessment, therefore I cannot be prosecuted.
TRUTH
Simply having a fire risk assessment does not make you fully compliant. It just acts as a method to identify and quantify risk.
MYTH
I’ve never had a visit from a Fire Officer, so I don’t need to bother with fire legislation.
TRUTH
All non-domestic premises must adhere to the Fire Safety Order 2005 regardless of whether they’ve had a visit from a Fire Officer or not. By not adhering to this you and your organisation are risking prosecution or a hefty fine.
MYTH
You need to have established qualifications to be competent.
TRUTH
Competence is legally defined as having adequate experience and knowledge of your workplace and not necessarily fire safety. Knowledge of this can be obtained from various sources.
MYTH
We don’t need to fit any intumescent strips to fire doors because we use a bigger door stop.
TRUTH
A fire door always needs intumescent strips either in the frame or around the door edges to ensure its performance in the event of a fire.
MYTH
I can put my own glazed vision panels in fire doors because it’s cheaper and quicker.
TRUTH
Anyone that carries out this type of work must be licensed to do so, otherwise the manufacturer’s certification on the fire door will be void.
To check out more of the Fire Door Safety Week resources that are available, click here.
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