How intimate are you with your life safety assets?
Everyone ‘loves’ a fully compliant fire door but not so much one that isn’t up to standard!
On a serious note, how well do you know your fire doors?
Do you know the ‘parentage’?
Can you trace the original fire door test certificate?
Do you know the specification the fire door frame?
Are you sure the fire door is FD30S / FD60S or whatever is shown on the fire strategy drawings?
Do you know who manufactured the intumescent seals fitted around the door frame?
Do you know where to go if the fire door hinges wear over time and need replaced?
Are you sure you can replace any worn or damaged component as required with the correct product to ensure continued performance of the doorset?
Are you confident you can replace components without nullifying the certification of the doorset?
Do you know how and when to carry out regular maintenance to the doorset to prolong its service life?
If the answer to any of these questions is ‘No’ then are you sure you can effectively maintain the fire integrity of your building?
A correctly installed certified fire doorset will generally perform in excess of its stated performance level, in the majority of doors 30 or 60 minutes (though this can go up to 240 minutes).
This is only true though if the doorset is inspected regularly by a Competent Person and any maintenance tasks or remedial works required are completed efficiently. It is critical though when replacing components on fire doors that the replacement is identical to the original item as detailed in the original fire test from which the certification of the product is derived.
Replacing a component with a ‘similar’ product which may to all intents and purposes appear identical may dramatically reduce the effectiveness of the fire doorset and the length of time it will protect against fire and smoke passage and will nullify the certification of the doorset.
To enable a building owner to carry out effective maintenance of fire doorsets and other fire safety devices Building Regulations Approved Document B ‘Regulation 38’ states that the builder / contractor when handing over a building to the owner or ‘Responsible Person’ should also provide ‘Fire Safety Information’ when works are completed or the building becomes occupied – whichever is sooner.
The information provided should enable the person responsible for fire safety in the building to:
● Understand the fire strategy of the building
● Maintain any fire safety systems fitted
● Carry out an effective FRA (Fire Risk Assessment)
When applied to fire doors, whilst the requirements are not specific, we would suggest the information provided should include:
● Detailed fire strategy drawings showing compartmentation, fire rating and position of fire doors.
● Fire test evidence / certification relating to the products as installed.
● Details of all components fitted with product reference details and original including manufacturers contact details.
● Detailed maintenance schedules for all components.
If a building is less than 10-years old, or has had significant alteration works carried in the same period then this information should already have been provided and be contained within the OEM Manual for the building. If the information is not in place then consideration should be given to making enquiries with those involved in the build or renovation works in an attempt to acquire the relevant information.