TESTING & CERTIFICATION
of a fire . Naturally , these systems are more complex and regular maintenance is mandatory , so it ’ s vital to spot any potential faults , such as the door straining against its self-closing device upon operation . Should an electromagnetic hold-open device not release the door when a fire alarm is activated , a problem has occurred and must be resolved immediately .”
Exit Devices
“ Exit devices are designed to provide safe and effective escape through a doorway with minimum effort . All panic and emergency exit devices must be functioning correctly , with fixings on the operating device , bolts and strikes tightly fit . Emergency exit devices and panic exit devices should be tested to BS EN 179 and BS EN 1125 respectively , as well as UKCA and CE marked . Aside from their mechanical operation , it ’ s critical to keep emergency exits clear and without obstruction - assisting a quick escape when called upon .”
Door Seals
“ When rated FD30 or FD60 , a fire door is certified to resist smoke and fire for 30 or 60 minutes , respectively . For this to remain true , a doorset must be fitted with intumescent seals which , in the event of a fire , expand significantly to close the gap between the door and its frame . Intumescent seals should track continuously around the frame or door leaf and must remain in good condition , intact and undamaged . If you can see excessive gaps between the side of the door and the frame , a fire door may be ineffective . A maximum gap of 3mm is recommended around all fire doors and can be assessed with simple gap tester tools .”
Signage
“ Although not a mechanical element of a fire door , signage plays an important role in fire door safety and must be considered when checking for faults . Providing quick and key information in an emergency , ‘ Fire Door Keep Shut ’ signage must be fitted to both sides of a fire door . Additionally , ‘ Automatic Fire Door Keep Clear ’ signs must appear on fire doors with hold open devices and ‘ Fire Door Keep Locked ’ signs must be fitted to doors without self-closing devices – which can commonly be found in storerooms and cupboards .”
A complete and functional fire door is a prerequisite for fire safety and regular maintenance periods are required to ensure they retain their standard while in operation . The first step is to understand the various components of a fire doorset and the potential faults to look out for when evaluating its condition . Should any doubt linger , it ’ s crucial to seek out professional advice immediately . Checks can save lives but where action is an obligation , knowing what to look out for is only half of the responsibility .
How Allegion UK can Help
Allegion UK has a wealth of resources to help professionals undertake product selection , installation and maintenance checks on fire doors and hardware . For information on product selection and installation , please speak to our experts or head to our download centre for technical fitting instructions . For post-installation support , Allegion ’ s simple toolkit provides information and tips on detecting potential faulty doors and poor installation , a guide to the EN classification system and a safety checklist . There ’ s also an option to order a free door gap tester or download Allegion ’ s general guide to service and maintenance for free .
www . allegion . com
https :// laidlaw . co . uk / architectural-ironmongery / standards-legislation / 02-hinges-bs-en-1935 / | https :// laidlaw . co . uk / architectural-ironmongery / standards-legislation / 03-door-closers-bs-en-1154-1155 / https :// laidlaw . co . uk / architectural-ironmongery / standards-legislation / 07-panic-hardware-bs-en-1125-179 /
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