The scary fact is that a majority of fire doors in ageing buildings are unsafe – a perfect and horrific example of this was following Grenfell, some of the Fire doors were tested afterwards with some not even lasting half the Fire Tested time they were certified for.
This can be for several reasons…
1. Wear and Tear of usage over time.
2. Poor Quality Fire Doors and Component Products that aren’t and weren’t fit for purpose.
3. Fire Doors that have been made beyond the scope of what has been tested.
4. Due to changing regulations and testing standards following the Building Safety Bill, a lot of Fire doors that may have passed a fire test/assessment in the past, wouldn’t get anywhere close when put through a fire test done to the current EN 1631-1 standard.
This then begs the question – Do you suspect there is a door(s) that aren’t up to scratch in the building you may be working or living in?
Well here’s a simple 5-step guide for you to use:
TOOLS NEEDED:
1. Your Eyes
2. Measuring Device – (Tape Measure, Ruler, Packers etc etc)
PLEASE NOTE: This Will Not Guarantee that your doors will perform as they are supposed to, however, this will give you a guide on the basics. If you are worried that something is not right and the doors are unsafe, we would recommend you get a fire door inspector to do a full audit immediately.
Help spread the word and save lives.
Disclaimer: This is not a guarantee that your doors are fire fit for purpose, it is a guide only to start your safety journey. Any use of this table information must be accredited to the British Woodworking Federation.