Fire Safety
A fire safe specification
With fire safety a critical responsibility for building
owners, it is vital installers fully understand legislation
to ensure a compliance. Here Graham Hulland,
Product Marketing Manager at dormakaba explains
what must be considered in order to make an
informed specification for these lifesaving systems.
» THERE ARE A MULTITUDE OF
factors that must be taken into account,
as well as a wide range of products and
solutions available to help minimise the risk
of fire spreading, should one occur. Door
closers are absolutely fundamental to this
part, as fire doors must be fully closed to
effectively prevent the spread of fire and
smoke by keeping the fire contained and
compartmentalised as much as possible. For
installers specifying these products, there
are a variety of complex issues and pieces of
legislation to consider.
APPROVED DOCUMENT B
The first port of call should be to check
Approved Document B of the Building
Regulations. A key source for fire regulation
guidance in England, this provides advice on
mitigating fire risks in all areas of the building.
Approved Document B states that certain fire
doors must be self-closing, such as fire-rated
flat entrance doors.
ENSURING COMPLIANCE
Whilst it may seem incomprehensible,
worryingly there are products on the
market that make misleading claims
around performance during the event of a
fire. Inadvertently selecting and installing
one of these products can have disastrous
consequences.
Therefore, installers should do everything
possible to ensure that they have made
an informed decision when it comes to
the materials specified, by working with
manufacturers and suppliers who are able
to demonstrate that products and systems
are fully certified. These manufacturers will
also be able to supply documented evidence
of independent verification – and it is
important to know what to check within this
information provided.
22 » M AY 2020 » CL EARVI E W- UK . C O M
Firstly, the door closer should be CE
marked to BS EN1154. This demonstrates
that the product is mechanically sound and
has been subjected to fire testing. However,
this CE mark alone is not sufficient – installers
must also be provided with a Declaration of
Performance (DoP) from the manufacturer.
Without this, the CE mark is invalid and the
closer should not be considered for use on any
fire door.
Alongside this, there must be certification
from a third-party scheme such as Certifire, to
prove that the product has been independently
tested and verified and will meet both fire and
mechanical performance.
2010 EQUALITY ACT
Accessibility is also a key issue. Occupants
in multi-residency properties can range
from small children and young adults to the
vulnerable and elderly, as well as occupants
with disabilities. It is crucial that fire doors are
easy to operate for all and do not negatively
impede access for residents.
If the door is difficult to open or use,
residents will see this as a barrier and can even
cause frustration to the point where doors are
propped open, rendering them useless in the
event of a fire.
This is where the 2010 Equality Act must
be taken into consideration. Firstly, installers
must be aware that it is impossible for a
manufacturer to claim that its door ‘closer’ is
compliant with the Equality Act, as the act
does not reference door hardware.
Building Regulations Approved Document
M and BS8300 provides guidance on the
maximum opening forces for door closers.
Meeting these will satisfy the requirements
within the Equality Act, and compliance
here will enable ease of access for all users –
reducing the risk of tampering and negating
the doors fire safe properties.
KEEPING INFORMED
Reputable suppliers will be able to work
closely with installers to recommend the
best systems for the building whilst also
providing all the necessary certification and
full, transparent information. Suppliers
such as dormakaba, for example, provide a
comprehensive Product Pack containing the
third-party documentation, Declaration of
Performance (DoP) and technical specification
with each of its products.
In addition, dormakaba also provides a
free CPD that looks at the requirements of
fire door hardware – including handles, door
closers and hinges, alongside detailed CE
markings and regulations.
Fire safety and ensuring the protection
of occupants is the number one priority in
multi-residency properties. It is a complex
and challenging task, so when it comes
to specification, working with trusted
manufacturers that can provide valuable
insight and guidance on both suitable
products and current legislation will mean
you have everything you need to make an
informed decision.
www.dormakaba.co.uk