SPOTLIGHT
FACTORY-PREPARED DOORSETS
ARE THE WAY FORWARD
DHF reacts following police investigation
into Grenfell
D
HF (Door & Hardware Federation) has re-issued
its call for the use of factory-prepared doorsets in
the wake of recent findings regarding the Grenfell
tragedy. It was recently reported that a police investigation
has found a number of the doors to flats in Grenfell Tower
did not meet test standards and could only hold back a fire
for half the time they were designed to: just 15 minutes as
opposed to 30.
The test was conducted as part of a Metropolitan Police
review into the fire in West London which killed 71 people
last June. Since the tragedy, DHF has released a number of
recommendations pertaining to the need for increased fire
safety in multi-occupancy buildings such as tower blocks
and office buildings and stressing the vital importance of
compartmentation and the grave risks of getting it wrong.
The Tamworth-based trade association believes that
installing a complete factory-prepared doorset that has
been tested as a complete unit, manufactured under a
third-party certification scheme, installed and maintained by
companies certified to do so under third-party certification,
provides a plethora of benefits, namely, safety, peace of mind,
reduced installation time and ultimately, costs. In February,
DHF produced a comprehensive guide to the benefits of
‘factory prepared complete timber doorsets’ in a bid to raise
awareness of their many advantages, most importantly,
fire safety. And the organisation has also urged the UK to
follow Europe’s lead in providing more thorough fire door
maintenance procedures, which can ultimately, save lives.
“We find the results of the Metropolitan Police’s recent
investigation extremely troubling,” explained DHF’s CEO, Bob
Perry.
“Fire doors are an integral part of the fire strategy for any
building. Properly installed and maintained, a fire door will
achieve its specified fire resistance which could be anything
between 30 minutes and four hours, depending on location,
providing vital and life-saving minutes in the event of a fire.
We wholeheartedly recommend the use of factory-prepared
complete doorsets whose components have been tested
together and – when correctly manufactured, installed and
maintained by trained personnel – will meet the necessary fire
safety requirements. We would also once again encourage
landlords and large housing providers such as local authorities
and housing associations to be completely aware of their legal
and moral responsibilities in ensuring that their premises
provide protection and keep their residents safe.”
See more at: www.dhfonline.org.uk
FIRE DOORS IN GRENFELL TOWER
DID NOT MEET TEST STANDARDS
British Woodworking Federation (BWF)
Chief Executive Iain McIlwee comments
on the news that Fire Doors in Grenfell
Tower did not meet test standards.
“It is concerni ng to hear about the doors at Grenfell, but
sadly it is not a surprise.
“Through our Fire Door Scheme (BWF Certifire), Fire
Door Inspection Scheme (FDIS) and the Fire Door Safety
Week campaign, we have been raising awareness about
the critical role that fire doors play in protecting occupants,
buildings and fire fighters and to draw attention to the legacy
of neglect. Too many people don’t give fire doors a second
thought, and forget that their real job is to provide a barrier
to fire, prevent it spreading throughout a building and keep
escape and access routes clear.
“The fire door is a system of components that all must
be tested and work together to prevent failure. Getting just
one small detail wrong can have an enormous impact. We
regularly see fire doors that have been compromised by the
use of uncertificated, incompatible and non-fire-resistant
components, poor fitting and inadequate maintenance, and
of course if a fire door is wedged open it’s no use whatsoever.
It is vital the door is installed by competent people and there
is full traceability of the products so that those who hold legal
and moral responsibility for managing fire safety can ensure
specification is not broken, and the doors can be managed
properly to remain safe throughout their life span.
“Grenfell is a tragic event and we and our members stand
resolute in our commitment to supporting this review process
and ensuring that this kind of event can never happen again.”
Further BWF research is available via:
www.firedoorsafetyweek.co.uk/toolkit/
12
HSE INTERNATIONAL