DOOR CLOSERS & CONTROLS
SMOKE INHALATION AND FIRE DOOR INFORMATION
» ACROSS GREAT BRITAIN IN 2022-23 there were 321 fire related fatalities In England 77 were due to gas / smoke inhalation and 55 due to fire and smoke .* In Wales ‘ the greatest proportion of fatalities from fires were due to being overcome by gas or smoke ’.** While in Scotland of the 595 casualties requiring treatment the main cause of injury , 61 %, was being overcome by gas , smoke or toxic fumes .***
The effects of smoke inhalation can be life changing
GEZE UK ‘ s Area Sales Manager Barry Topham looks at how a properly fitted fire door with the appropriate components will give occupants of a building vital time and the chance to escape in the event of a fire .
What constitutes a fire door ? The BWF Fire Door Alliance state the term usually refers to a fire door leaf which is the main component installed into a firerated frame along with ‘ essential ironmongery ’ to make the door perform correctly in the event of a fire .
However therein lies the challenge , when not required to be a fire door it must still perform everyday functions of providing safety , security , privacy , separating different areas and reducing building noise .
Let ’ s take a closer look at a fire door . Apart from the frame and door leaf it must includes a door closer , intumescent / smoke seals , hinges , handles and signage . Each and every component must be fit for purpose , should any component fail then the whole fire door assembly could fail . And any item that is badly fitted or wrongly specified could contribute to the spread of fire and smoke .
Unsurprisingly the devil is in the detail ; for each part of the fire door there are standards that must be followed . For
example , the door and frame should be installed securely and plumb and true with a maximum gap of 3mm to all sides for a fire door with smoke protection . There are similar standards for all the fire door components . Here we concentrate on what to look for in a door closer .
Specifying a closer for a fire door
Surface mounted with link arm or with guide rail , concealed and floor mounted closers must be tested , approved and certificated to harmonised standard EN 1154 , BS EN 1634-1 and have Certifire or similarly approved testing for the fitting configuration in which they are being used . In addition a closer should be CE marked or hold the new UKCA ( UK Conformity Assessed ) certificate ( effective from January 2023 ). Where electro-magnetic closers are specified they should also conform to EN 1155 .
Understanding the sixfigure classification
All door closers complying with EN 1154 will have a six-figure classification which should be marked on the door closer .
• The first digit is for category of use and denotes what angle the door will close from , 3 is 105 degrees , 4 is 180 degrees .
• The second digit is the number of test cycles . Only class 8 which is 500,000 cycles is suitable for fire doors .
• The third digit is the door test mass and is defines the available power of the door closer from minimum to maximum , it will show two numbers , one above the other that shows the adjustable power .
• Digit 4 concerns whether there is fire test data available – a 1 states there is but a 0 shows there is not .
• The fifth digit is for safety and must always be 1 which means it is hazard free .
• And the sixth digit is corrosion resistance . 0 is no resistance , 4 is high resistance .
The power of door closers according to the EN 1154 standard are rated from 1 to 9 , for example a size 3 door closer has a minimum closing force of 18 Nm ( Newton Metres ), where Nm is the closing force exerted by the door one metre from the hinge point . It should be noted that the minimum size allowed for any door closer on a fire door is size 3 for doors up to 950mm wide .
www . geze . co . uk
* Home Office Fire Statistics 2022-23 ** Fire and Rescue Incident Statistics 2022-23 Statistics for Wales *** Fire and Rescue Incident Statistics 2022-23 Scottish Fire and Rescue Service
30
MARCH 2024
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