dhf CEO, Bob Perry
is why dhf is calling for complete doorsets to be used that
are manufactured and certified by a 3rd party accreditation
scheme, installed by a 3rd party accredited installer and
maintained by a 3rd party accredited company. And the
organisation is urging the UK government to adopt and
enforce a mandatory requirement for all fire doors to be
complete doorsets.
dhf’s CEO, Bob Perry, explains:
“There are many crucial components of fire doors that
distinguish them from conventional doors, ranging from
specialised smoke seals around the frame to fire-resistant
glazing, but if just one of these components fails due to
poor maintenance or damage, the effectiveness of the door
can be severely reduced. Problems also arise in ensuring
the various components of a fire-resisting door assembly
are compatible with each other and that they are correctly
assembled. The benefit of using complete doorsets is that
they are manufactured and supplied as a complete unit
with the frame, the leaf and all the associated hardware
having been tested and certified together. This eliminates
the risk of non-compatibility between the various
components.”
dhf’s recommendations come in the wake of a number
of recent tragedies involving fire, particularly the Grenfell
disaster which resulted in the loss of 71 lives. Failure to
adhere to proper safety regulations can not only result
in loss of life, but in legal implications. Earlier this year,
Southwark Council was fined £570,000 following a fire at
a 14-storey block of flats in South London in 2009 where
six people died, including three children. Following the
tragedy, inspectors visiting the premises discovered several
structural and safety flaws, including breaches of fire-
resistant structures between each maisonette staircase and
the common internal doors, a lack of compartmentation
in the false ceiling structures of common corridors, and
a failure to provide fitted intumescent strips (which swell
when heated) and smoke seals on fire doors.
“Fire doors are an integral part of the fire strategy
for any building, designed to protect the occupants by
maintaining compartmentation, essential to those who
require speedy evacuation in the event of a fire,” continues
Bob. “Properly installed and maintained, a fire door will
hold back fire and smoke from 30 minutes to more than
four hours. As demonstrated in these tragic cases, these
extra minutes can be lifesaving.”
Nor is this a new problem. In 2013, BRE undertook an
investigation into fire/smoke doors recently installed in
eleven residential tower blocks owned by Stoke on Trent
City Council. 66 doors (a random sample of 10% of the
total) were subjected to very detailed examination, which
included removal of architraves, hinges, locks and other
components. This revealed that not one of the sampled
doors had been adequately installed, to the extent that they
would, in all probability, have failed to perform in a fire.
“Fire doors can be subject to much wear and tear
during their lifetime,” concludes Bob. “For this reason, it
is essential that they are properly and regularly inspected
and maintained by qualified professionals, with any
necessary repairs carried out immediately. We would also
urge landlords and large housing providers such as local
authorities and housing associations to be fully aware of
their responsibilities: that their premises meet all fire safety
requirements, are professionally maintained to provide
protection in the event of a fire, and most importantly, keep
their residents safe.”
For more information, visit www.dhfonline.org.uk
HSE INTERNATIONAL
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