Fire Door Servicing Total Safe UK
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Fire door servicing plays a crucial role in protecting buildings and the people inside them from the spread of fire. They are designed to slow down the spread of smoke and fire, enabling occupants adequate time to evacuate the building safely and emergency services more time to respond. Unlike regular doors, fire doors are manufactured to withstand high temperatures, whilst minimising the potentially hazardous physical effects of the fire. This makes them vital to protecting people in a fire, allowing them to get out of a building with efficient time.

What does fire door servicing involve?

In order to comply with the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, having regular fire door inspections and maintenance is a key requirement for every business and property to which the Order applies to. BS9999 recommends six monthly inspections for any fire doors that are in constant use, such as hospitals, schools etc. It is the responsible person within the business or organisation that is responsible for ensuring adequate inspections are in place. Any repairs or replacements should be promptly to ensure that the door remains functional and able to provide the necessary protection in the event of a fire.

There are two different types of fire door servicing, a basic service, and an intrusive service.

Basic Service of a fire door – This is initially just a basic service. During this inspection, the engineer will undertake a visual check where they will be looking for any damage on the door itself, a look to see if all the hinges are in working order, as well as a visual check of gaps around and under the door.

Intrusive service of a fire door – This is a comprehensive visual inspection of each fire resisting door. It involves the following:

  • A check of the fire resisting qualities of the fire door hinges and all door hardware.
  • A check of the condition, fitting, and operation of the hinges and hardware
  • A review of fire door signage
  • A check of the condition and operation of any hold open devices
  • A check of the fire door closing devices and their ability to effectively close the door set.
  • A check for relevant markings, for example from the British Woodworking Federation to identify the fire rating of the door set.
  • An inspection of the locks and latches to ensure they are operational.
  • An inspection of any vision panels, glazing, and review of their suitability
  • An inspection of the cold smoke seals and the intumescent strips
  • An assessment on the fire resisting qualities of the door set, including its thickness.
  • A review of the gaps between the leaf and frame – including the threshold for suitability
  • A visual inspection of the fire door frame and the door leaf
  • A review of the materials used in the installation of the door set.

Installation of a fire door – When installing fire doors, it is important to ensure that they are properly hung and that all hardware, including hinges and latches, are properly secured. Additionally, fire doors must be self-closing and self-latching to ensure that they are always closed and fully engaged when not in use. It is important to note that a fire door always has to be installed as per the manufacturer’s instructions as the door will not be compliant.

Fire Door Dos and Don’ts

Do…

  • Do get a qualified engineer to install, service or modify your fire door.

If you are looking to have fire door servicing or installation in your building, ensure that this is undertook by someone who is qualified. This is to prevent the fire door not being fitted properly which could result in the door not being fit for use. Additionally, many field modifications can interfere with the fire door, voiding compliance and causing it not to function as intended. So, before modifying a fire door in any way, be sure to consult a compliant person as they can help guide you in making proper modifications, without compromising the door in any way.

  • Inspect, service and test your fire door regularly.

Performing routine visual inspections and operational checks will ensure your door is working as it should at all times. Annual inspections performed by a qualified engineers are just as important, as these inspections are more extensive and can help you catch overlooked deficiencies.

  • Educate the individuals of the building on the importance of closing a fire door.

According to the Fire doors (regulation 10), information given to the residents of a building should cover the importance of keeping doors closed, doors and self-closing devices are not to be tampered with and any faults or damage to doors should be raised immediately. This is extremely important because if one person doesn’t follow this safety step, then it can jeopardise the entire building and the safety of the people inside.

Don’t…

  • Do not lock fire exit doors. To be able to protect the people in buildings in the event of a fire, never lock fire exit doors in a way that could prevent them from being easily opened by a person who may use them during an emergency exit. All fire exit doors should be able to be opened easily from the inside of the building.
  • Do not block fire doors. Fire doors are designed to automatically close when they reach a certain temperature, and it is unable to fully close, it can’t create an effective barrier between rooms to consume the fire’s oxygen supply. This can then fuel the fire with oxygen and allow it to spread freely throughout your building, putting a risk on the lives of the building’s occupants. So, keeping them from obstruction by not putting anything in the way of them from closing, will ensure that the fire door can do its job in the events of a fire.
  • Do not tamper with your fire doors or drill holes in them. It is important to never undertake any modifications to your fire door. This includes painting over the seals and replacing any handles, hinges or hardware. Always have repairs carried out by a qualified individual.

We are BRE academy trained and are CPD qualified in Fire Door Safety.