Clearview 243 - February 2022 | Page 57

HARDWARE Extra
closing devices must conform to Standards , EN 1154 and EN 1155 - and for exit devices , the mandatory EN 1125 and EN 179 . From July 2013 , it became a legal requirement for all products that are covered by a harmonised EN standard to be CE marked , of which , validation for the CE mark requires the production of a Declaration of Performance ( DoP ) by a manufacturer . This is now also the case for UKCA marking too .
“ It ’ s widely understood that fire doors themselves must be rigorously tested to British Standards BS 476 : Part 22 or BS EN 1634-1 , to guarantee they remain fire resistant for a minimum of 30 minutes ( FD30 ) or 60 minutes ( FD60 ). With that in mind , decision makers have a clear responsibility to ensure only certified and compliant hardware is fitted to their fire doors - otherwise they risk the reliability of the door itself . All elements of a fire door , from exit hardware to handles , hinges and locks and latches must be fire-rated and thus , tested to verify their performance .
“ Outside of third-party testing , it ’ s also imperative for fire door hardware to be routinely tested internally . Over time , fire doors and their fitted hardware can be subject to wear and tear and so , all elements of the set must be checked to ensure performance remains optimal . To make sure fire doors are functioning in accordance with regulations , responsible parties must often check the functionality and effectiveness of key elements of the door set : including opening and closing devices ,
the intumescent seals and door strips for example .
“ Furthermore , when retro fitting a product , there should always be evidence that the retro fit has been installed in the existing manufacture footprint . To safeguard the integrity of the fire door , it ’ s crucial that hardware isn ’ t replaced with an inferior product . Decision makers often find themselves under pressure to keep costs minimal , yet will find the cost for tested , verified products is higher than the cheaper , untested alternatives . But as is always the case with fire safety , cost saving should never detriment the safety of the building and the lives of those within . There ’ s always value in choosing the tried , tested and trusted methods .”
https :// www . firesafe . org . uk / explanation-of-the-coding-system-for-fire-door-closers-in-bs-en-1154-1997 / | https :// www . en-standard . eu / bs-en-1155-1997-building-hardware-electrically-powered-hold-open-devices-for-swing-doors-requirements-and-test-methods / https :// www . en-standard . eu / bs-en-1125-2008-building-hardware-panic-exit-devices-operated-by-a-horizontal-bar-for-use-on-escape-routes-requirements-and-test-methods / | https :// www . firesafe . org . uk / british-standard-476-fire-tests / https :// www . en-standard . eu / bs-en-179-2008-building-hardware-emergency-exit-devices-operated-by-a-lever-handle-or-push-pad-for-use-on-escape-routes-requirements-and-test-methods / | https :// www . gov . uk / guidance / ce-marking https :// shop . bsigroup . com / products / fire-resistance-and-smoke-control-tests-for-door-and-shutter-assemblies-openable-windows-and-elements-of-building-hardware-fire-resistance-test-for-door-and-shutter-assemblies-and-openable-windows
CLEARVIEW-UK . COM FEBRUARY 2022
57