Everything You Should Know About Fire Doors In The Uk

By Author: ajmfiresafety
Total Articles: 14
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In countries such as the United Kingdom, fire doors are designed as safety devices that, when open, provide a means of escape and a protected route for the fire brigade to access a building, and when closed, acts as a barrier to compartmentalise smoke and fire, delaying its spread to other parts of the building.
The domino-effect
Fire doors are not only an important part of your building's active fire safety and protection policy, but they may also save lives. Consider a raging fire to be a stack of dominoes that, when there are no obstacles in their path, continue to fall - the same thing that happens when a fire rages through a building.
However, if you put an obstruction in the way of the dominoes, the chain reaction would come to a stop, the same way a fire would because the obstruction is containing the fire, and it is now safe to proceed. Fire doors in the UK are therefore important components of a building's structure, built with fire-resistant materials expressly to control smoke and fire.
What are fire doors made of?
A fire door is made up of several components, and you should be able to ...
... identify them through the frame – the frame must be compatible with the door leaf, and it must be properly fitted to guarantee the gaps are suitable and meet the size required to perform its job. The door itself must be produced and certified with a fire rating appropriate for the building in which it will be installed.
When closed, it should also include smoke or fire seals that complete all of the spaces around the door leaf. In contrast to smoke seals, which always remain in their original shape around the frames of fire doors to prevent fire and smoke, intumescent strips are designed to increase in size when subjected to severe heat, which further seals the space around the frame to prevent any smoke escaping through it.
Another key component is the door hinges, which must have the necessary fixings in the exact locations as well as sufficient hinge pads ensuring the door opens and shuts smoothly. A facilitating door closer ensures that the door closes automatically. You will often note this metal box with an attached arm behind the fire door at the top, but it is important to understand that not all fire doors have a mechanical door closer like this.
In some doors, a lock or latch is also installed within intumescent protection for smoke or fire resistance, and signage is usually also placed on the door indicating the purpose of the door. A blue circular sign on a fire door usually indicates that it is a fire door and that it must be kept closed. Some fire doors in the UK include panels that are glazed and fire-resistant, as these will also include intumescent glazing seals.
Do fire doors in the UK serve a purpose?
The simple answer is yes; they are an essential component of the fire safety strategy of any building. The truth is that more people die as a result of smoke inhalation rather than from the fire itself. Because fire doors in the UK are designed to prevent smoke and fire from escaping, they are a lifeline in such situations.
In the UK, the legislation applies to all non-domestic and communal places (The Regulatory Reform - Fire Safety Order 2005 (RRO), in terms of which delegated individuals (usually a building owner or management) are required to take actions to eliminate and limit fire hazards. This includes providing proper fire safety training for staff members, implementing recommendations based on a fire safety assessment to ensure a safe and legal environment for people to work and live in, as well as completing a Fire Risk Assessment.
British Standards specify several requirements for the design, installation, and maintenance of fire doors, and it is suggested that all fire doors be examined and serviced every six months. The best course of action, however, is to have risk-assessed advice that is customized particularly to your building requirements.
Always ask for accreditations to guarantee that the company you hire is trustworthy and qualified to maintain your building's fire doors and keep the service reports for your records as proof of your diligence to keep your building safe and legal.
About Us:
AJM Fire Safety is an industry leader in fire door installation, maintenance, inspections, and training in the UK. We are completely licensed and accredited to test, install, and repair fire doors, and we provide a one-stop solution for fire door compliance. We are experts in the field of fire doors and passive fire protection, and we hold a BM-Trada Q-Mark accreditation for fire door installations and maintenance. We are committed to high-quality workmanship and innovation to deliver a first-class experience and help you achieve fire door compliance. We can examine fire doors and perform repairs, as well as install new fire doors. Our FDIS (Fire Door Inspection Scheme) trained inspector performs our fire door inspections. Please visit our website https://ajmfiresafety.com at to find out more.