6 • INDUSTRYNEWS
PROUD SPONSORS OF THIS PAGE
The UNION CE3F door closer for compliance and confidence
UNION Product Manager for door closers, Alison Aston, discusses the fire safety issues locksmiths should consider when fitting door closers.
»»
FIRE SAFETY LEGISLATION IS SET TO become increasingly complex and more deeply embedded into the design of a building. Most property owners and facilities managers will want a building they are responsible for to be safe and fit for purpose; safeguarding lives in the event of a fire is being taken more seriously than ever and the penalties for flouting fire safety regulations are severe. So the use of door closers is coming under increased scrutiny, ensuring they are specified correctly and work as intended.
It really is essential that you have a good level of detailed, current knowledge if you are going to specify door closers, particularly having a good understanding of the legislation covering fire safety in order to offer valuable insight and experience. For example, Certifire has recently tightened its criteria for approval of closers on uninsulated metal fire doors; many door closers have had their certificate refreshed in recent months to reflect the change in the type of metal fire door they can be specified for.
Fire doors play a vital role in the fire safety of buildings, and their correct specification, installation and maintenance is paramount to the safety of all those who use the building. Quite simply, if they do not close properly, they are unsafe and not fit for purpose.
To help ensure buildings are‘ fire safe’, compliant door closer products meeting EN1154, 1155 or 1158 should be used. It is important that all products be CE marked and have passed a fire test on the door type to EN1634 standard.
Locksmiths must check test time, door type and power and fixing positions evidence, to ensure they are 100 per cent safe. Crucially, the door closer must be
‘ correct specification, installation and maintenance is paramount to the safety of all those who use the building’
certified as meeting BS EN 1154 in the mounting position you want to use – not all door closers are. Frustratingly, this information can often be hard to find. As a result, locksmiths can be assured peace of mind with the CE3F, which is fully compliant and transparent.
With good, detailed knowledge, a locksmith can give valuable advice to a property owner or facilities manager, helping them to avoid using door closers that do not meet the necessary standards – with potentially serious consequences.
As an example, CE3F is the only door closer in its class that is CE marked in all three positions and fire rated for timber and metal fire doors. This is a legal requirement, underscored by Certifire approval. The resulting certificate is available to view on the Exova website and clearly details the door closer is suitable for use in all positions as well as on timber, uninsulated and fully insulated metal doors.
Not all door closers are as simple to understand or install as the CE3F( or other UNION door closers), which makes it the perfect starting point when looking for a door closer, for new installations or as a retro fit. Which of course is vital when you need to be confident in what you’ re recommending and fitting.
LOCKSMITHJOURNAL. CO. UK | MAR / APR 2018 Sponsored by Lockex 2018- Security & Fire Safety