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Karen Trigg of Allegion UK provides insight on the safety standards that buildings must meet and why now seems an opportune time to carry out essential maintenance in a bid to help to achieve them .
Regular building maintenance has and always will be a fundamental part of a facilities manager role . Work can sometimes feel continuous , ensuring everything from ventilation to water systems are in good working order and all while making sure health and safety standards are maintained along the way .
Each building has a set of unique needs that must be addressed , and , for that , maintenance is key . And with several public buildings now either empty or operating with far fewer staff ; it ’ s an opportune time for decision makers to schedule a comprehensive check on those ‘ essential maintenance ’ areas , starting with fire doors and their accompanying hardware .
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Maintaining Safety
Despite the recognisable dangers , fire doors are often not operating as they should be and thus an industy report from the Fire Door Inspection Scheme ( FDIS ) has highlighted the issues of many building ’ s fire doors . This has subsequently led to government investigations and the launch of fire safety guidance on some of the more recurring issues , including fire doors with excessive gaps , poorly maintained door closers and problems with intumescent seals .
There ’ s no doubt that poorly fitted and maintained fire doors don ’ t save lives in the event of a fire . The safety and security of a building and its occupants rely on the effective operation of all fire doors – without them , safety is truly compromised . And regardless of a reduced footfall across 2020 , so many fire doors are still not meeting standards . With an eventual ‘ return to normal ’ expected , it has never been more important
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to turn attention towards essential maintenance checks .
With that in mind , it ’ s not only fire doors that must be up to standard either . All hardware and furniture must meet the stringent EN classification codes and Health & Safety requirements . Additionally , exit devices must comply with the latest revisions of EN1125:2008 , which applies to panic applications that can be used by any member of the public , and EN 179:2008 , which refers to emergency applications used by trained personnel . So how can facility managers ensure they ’ re meeting these standards ?
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Checks are key
Essential maintenance is far more than checking the cosmetic condition of fire doors . When ensuring fire doors are functioning correctly , a stringent five-point check is necessary , inspecting certification , gaps , seals , hinges and closure . To meet all British and European legal requirements , fire doors must have all the necessary components and they must work as designed , because even the smallest of changes can reduce effectiveness .
Take a door ’ s intumescent seal , for example . Fire doors have a number of ratings , ranging from FD20 to FD120 which show they will provide protection against fire from 20 minutes and then up to 120 minutes . The intumescent seals expand in a fire , sealing the gap between door and frame when temperatures reach 200 ° C , so it ’ s essential they remain intact , undamaged and in good condition . Failing to keep them in top condition means smoke can leak out with ease and create a potentially dangerous situation in the event of a fire .
When it comes to door furniture , it ’ s important to consider the main elements of the door such as the handle . The door handle , itself , must be fitted correctly – not loose , or even worse , missing . Screws too must be checked over to ensure none are missing and that each one is tight and secure .
Hinges – of which there should be a minimum of three – should be marked with a CE stamp or BS EN 1935 to meet the necessary safety standards . Furthermore , they should be free of any metal fragments and signs of oil leakage as these
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could be signs of wear and tear . Finally , check the locks and latches as these should also be fixed securely , leaving no room for movement when the latch secures firmly into place .
Outside of functional checks , it ’ s also key to consider the visual elements such as certification labels and ‘ Fire Door , Keep Shut ’ signage , amongst others . These signs and labels provide essential information to both building occupants in the event of a fire and installers who can use certification labels when looking for manufacturers and tracability .
Vital timing
Outside of healthcare , these times present building managers with a rare opportunity . With so many buildings experiencing reduced footfall , perhaps it ’ s the perfect time to carry out essential maintenance and build towards a safer tomorrow .
After all , maintenance – whether regular or more essential – should never be neglected , and those fire safety and health standard requirements should always be met and are arguably even more important in today ’ s climate .
www . allegion . com
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