MAY 2020 | 31
Products
Read online at www.proinstaller.co.uk
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.
Approved Document B
Fire safety should always
be the top priority for installers
and professionals of doors and
door hardware, especially in
hi-rise and multiple occupancy
properties.
There are a multitude of
factors that must be taken into
account, as well as a wide range
of products and solutions avail-
able to help minimise the risk
of fire spreading, should one
occur – helping tenants to follow
emergency protocols and the
emergency services to tackle the
blaze.
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 compart-
mentalised as much as possible.
For installers specifying these
products, there are a variety of
complex issues and pieces of
legislation to consider.
there are
‘ products
on the
market that make
misleading claims
’
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 pro-
vides 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 incom-
prehensible, 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 consequenc-
es.
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 suppli-
ers who are able to demonstrate
that products and systems are
fully certified. These manu-
facturers will also be able to
supply documented evidence of
independent verification – and
it is important to know what to
check within this information
provided.
Firstly, the door closer should
be CE marked to BS EN1154.
This demonstrates that the prod-
uct is mechanically sound and
has been subjected to fire test-
ing. However, this CE mark alone
is not sufficient – installers must
also be provided with a Declara-
tion 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-par-
ty scheme such as Certifire, to
prove that the product has been
independently tested and veri-
fied and will meet both fire and
mechanical performance.
2010 Equality Act Keeping informed
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, render-
ing them useless in the event of
a fire.
This is where the 2010 Equality
Act must be taken into consider-
ation. 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 pro-
vides 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. Reputable suppliers will be able
to work closely with installers to
recommend the best systems for
the building whilst also provid-
ing all the necessary certification
and full, transparent information.
Suppliers such as dormakaba, for
example, provide a comprehen-
sive Product Pack containing the
third-party documentation, Decla-
ration of Performance (DoP) and
technical specification with each
of its products.
In addition, dormakaba also pro-
vides 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-res-
idency 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.
To ensure your door closers are
fire and access compliant and
take the CPD module online,
please visit www.dormakaba.co.uk