DOOR CLOSERS & CONTROLS
Routine responsibilities can save lives
In many cases, improved awareness and communication towards fire door safety can help mitigate risk. As people continue to dissect the safety of other everyday items, a greater understanding is needed concerning fire door use and compliance. With that, we must ask what more can be done to ensure fire doors and their hardware receive the same level of attention and care as other everyday belongings.
The first step is about fostering and filling knowledge gaps. Just because a fire door is visually present doesn’ t mean it will work, especially if it has been neglected, misused or it’ s fitted with hardware lacking the correct certification – a fire door certified for domestic use may not be suitable in a high-traffic commercial setting, for example. The industry must look to bridge the gap by providing resources and support tools whilst reminding people that fire safety is a shared responsibility.
Where the use of uncertified hardware can compromise the effectiveness of a fire door, it’ s also important to recognise that a building’ s fire doors will not perform as intended unless essential hardware has been correctly specified, installed and maintained. Routine maintenance checks are crucial, and responsible persons are urged to assess the certification, gaps, seals, hinges and closing elements on fire doors on
a quarterly basis, ensuring they are maintained in an efficient state and in good working order.
In any circumstance, a building’ s occupants should be encouraged to report damage and propped open fire doors. In higher risk buildings, where many rely on shared fire safety systems, it’ s vital that people feel comfortable to communicate concerns and, more importantly, know who they can turn to when a fire situation arises. Just as we wouldn’ t ignore the smell of gas or exposed electrical wires on show, you shouldn’ t ignore a faulty or improperly used fire door. With this in mind, basic routine fire door safety practices can include:
• Keeping fire doors closed
• Locating fire door signage and recognising emergency escape routes
• Checking hardware and intumescent / smoke seals are in good working order
• Reporting damage on fire doors and their hardware
Whether we recognise it or not, fire door safety is embedded into the way we live, work and play and it is wrong to overlook fire doors until we need them in an emergency. Instead, we must strive to create a culture, one that is centred around greater awareness, shared responsibility and competent action. Simply put, it’ s time to give fire doors and their hardware the same attention as the items that entertain and convenience us.
Allegion UK at The Fire Safety Event 2026
Allegion UK will return to the prestigious Fire Safety Event this year, bringing together a team of experts committed to pioneering safety through its trusted family of brands, including Briton, Boss Door Controls and UAP. With a focus on keeping people safe and secure where they live, learn, work and connect, Allegion will present a complete fire door solution, serving both residential and commercial customers with a comprehensive portfolio of security, hardware and door control products – tailored to meet everything from everyday convenience to complex project requirements.
To demonstrate the crucial role that high-quality, precision-engineered solutions play in protecting people and property, Allegion is inviting visitors to stand 4 / E90, where they can explore the full range of certified fire door solutions and speak with an expert team possessing decades of experience for trusted advice on fire door safety. Visitors can also upskill and broaden their knowledge by visiting FDM( Fire Door Maintenance)- a training and development specialist, and part of the Allegion team- on stand 4 / F20 to learn more about accredited practical fire door training courses offered to facilities managers, maintenance teams, fire-safety officers, contractors and other fire safety professionals.
How Allegion UK is Supporting Better Practice
Allegion UK works closely with reputable bodies such as the GAI, BWF-FDA and DHF and as a conscious member of the supply chain is committed to supporting customers throughout product specification and the necessary installation and maintenance procedures thereafter. Allegion has a wealth of customer support resources, including its newly downloadable‘ Fire Door Hardware Maintenance and Installation Logbook’ which has been designed to address common issues in these areas whilst offering accessible installation guidance and comprehensive maintenance walkthroughs for each of the critical elements of fire door hardware. Allegion continues to redefine fire door hardware installation support, expanding its step-by-step installation video library and introducing its resourceful Accufit System to a wider range of Briton products, each designed to help installers fit hardware quickly and accurately the first-time round. Allegion UK is at the forefront of guidance, fire door hardware solutions and services that help buildings stay safe and compliant.
www. allegion. com
Sources: https:// www. gov. uk / guidance / ce-marking, https:// www. firesafe. org. uk / fire-doors /
MARCH 2026
25
Issue Takeover Door Closers & Controls Sponsor locksmithjournal. co. uk