AUGUST 2019 | 35
Hardware & Security
Read online at www.proinstaller.co.uk
DOORS, WINDOWS
& HARDWARE: SAFE
SPECIFICATION
Graham Hulland, Product
Marketing Manager at dormakaba,
speaks about the importance of
correctly specifying door closers
within social housing properties,
the factors that should always
be considered and the potential
impact of changing an approved
specification.
What are the key
legislative considerations
when looking to specify
closers for fire doors in
residential properties?
Initially, you need to make sure
that the specification is compliant
with both Building Regulations
and the 2010 Equality Act. Ap-
proved Document B of the Build-
ing Regulations requires certain
fire doors to be self closing — fire
rated flat entrance doors fall under
this category.
The main requirement of the
Equality Act is in relation to the
access into and through buildings.
Whilst that might sound straight-
forward — it is important to be
aware that it is impossible for a
manufacturer to claim it has a
door ‘closer’ that is compliant with
the Equality Act. The Act does not
mention door hardware. However,
if the building regulations (Ap-
proved Document M and BS8300)
are met then this will meet the
Equality Act’s requirements for
ease of access. Unless the door is
Automated or fitted with a Hold
Open or Free Swing door closer,
then there is no way of guarantee-
ing compliance.
Although this guidance is
provided, the legislation can still
be quite complex and there are
a number of other factors that
specifiers must consider to ensure
a compliant system. For example,
whilst a CE mark does show that a
product has successfully been test-
ed to meet ‘safety in case of fire’,
this is not sufficient on its own to
ensure that a door closer is suita-
ble for an intended fire door.
The impartial approval from a
third-party certification scheme
makes sure that the door closer
can be used for specific fire door
applications. The Certifire scheme
is one that not only certifies
that the product meets its
intended fire performance, but
also that it meets its mechanical
performance, providing added
peace of mind for specifiers
that the door closer selected
will work as required.
How do specifiers
make sure that a
door closer not only
satisfies UK legislation
but also works for the
residents who will use
it on a daily basis?
Every resident is different,
and the majority of social hous-
ing projects will house both
young and old, with varying levels
of physical capabilities, which is
why the chosen door closer needs
to be carefully considered. By
specifying an adjustable powered
closer, you can adjust the closing
force for each door individually
and keep the force required to
open it to a minimum.
In some cases, if the force
exerted by a door closer is too
high, residents will find the doors
heavy and difficult to open which
increases the risk of fire doors be-
coming ‘wedged’ and could result
in the door closer actually being
remove the door closer, should the
temptation arise, which could pose
considerable danger to residents if
a fire were to break out.
TS 99 FL/FLR
EN 2–5
Free-swing slide channel door
closer in Contur design
removed to ease usability. On the
other hand, if the closing force is
too low, the door may never fully
shut which could also compromise
resident safety.
It is also important to think
about aesthetics and whether or
not the chosen door closer will be
suitable for the space. In all cases,
safety should be paramount. To
make sure safety is maximised, you
should also look to specify adjust-
able powered door closers or sur-
face units that include concealed
fixings. Concealed fixings elimi-
nate the ability to tamper with or
Whilst changes to an
approved specification
can be made for a
number of reasons,
are there any long-
term factors that
should be considered
prior to any deviation
from the original?
Value engineering is often
identified as the key driver behind
specification switches, with finan-
cial pressures leading to elements
of the building being altered from
the original product specified in
an effort to reduce initial costs.
While this may reduce short-term
pressures, it could then increase
the long-term costs involved with
maintaining the building as a
whole.
It is also important to remember
that if any door hardware needs
replacing, including fire door
closers, as part of regular servicing
and maintenance, the replacement
parts must meet the requirements
of both the original specification,
and the current legislation.
What can specifiers
do to ensure a robust,
safe specification?
As I have already mentioned,
keeping to regulations and ensur-
ing that the specified door closer
is user friendly in daily life are
both key considerations to ensure
resident safety. To ensure a robust
specification, it is advised that a
trusted supplier is engaged with
early on in the process — helping
the correct solution to be identified
and for detailed information to be
included in the specification.
www.dormakaba.com