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FIRE DOORS HAVE TWO main roles; to protect property and to save lives by protecting people from smoke inhalation. A correctly specified, installed and maintained fire door serves both functions.

When a fire door is closed it can stop fire and smoke spreading, provide a safe and protected escape route while people evacuate the building and provide some protection for fire-fighters entering the building to fight the blaze.

Fire doors must be installed to replicate their tested condition, and if any changes are made to them in any way, these are likely to negatively affect their fire performance, and nullify any third party certification or CE mark.

Fire doors rely on the vital functionality of the ironmongery used to allow them to operate daily often over many years. Only then will they perform their proper functions.

Fire doors must also fulfil privacy, security, thermal and acoustic functions which require the hardware to have a very high level of durability and performance. The ironmongery must work together as a system to ensure the fire door works to its intended purpose. So it is vital to have the correctly specified, fitted and maintained essential and non-essential ironmongery.

A specifier under price pressure by a contractor to make changes to a specification to secure an

order,( known as“ value engineering” is a practice fraught with risks, particularly on essentials such as hinges and door closers. The specification of architectural ironmongery is a highly technical practice involving detailed knowledge of product, standards and the correct methodology of scheduling. The GAI provides the GAI Diploma( DipGAI), a three stage course which trains learners in all aspects of this practice. The GAI also provides ongoing continuing professional development( CPD) for those who continue their education beyond DipGAI and become Registered Architectural Ironmongers( RegAI).

There are a number of guidance documents for Building Regulations which relate to fire safety throughout the UK and in the Republic of Ireland. Specifiers should familiarise themselves with the following with particular reference to ironmongery & fire doors.

• England and Wales: Approved Document B: Fire Safety

• Northern Ireland Technical Booklet E: Fire Safety

• Scotland: Technical Handbook Fire: Domestic and Nondomestic

• Republic of Ireland Technical Guidance Document B: Fire Safety( new version published July 2017)

HARMONISED STANDARDS RELATING TO FIRE DOORS ARE:

• EN 12209 for mechanical and EN 14846 for electromechanical locking devices

• EN 1125 for panic hardware

• EN 179 for emergency escape hardware

Any product specified to be installed on a fire or escape door that falls under the scope of these standards should be CE marked, and have all of the correct Declaration of Performance( DoP) documentation.

Relevant publications available to download include the Code of Practice: Hardware for fire and escape doors, published jointly by the Door and Hardware Federation( DHF) and GAI. This publication is referred to in UK and Ireland local Building Regulations – visit www. firecode. org. uk

The British Woodworking Federation( BWF) Certifire Best Practice Guide provides advice on selecting, installing, using and maintaining fire doors and features a range of useful checklists. The Barbour Technical Guide to Fire Precautions and Fire Protection is another useful download which covers legal requirements for responsible people under the Regulatory Reform( Fire Safety) Order 2005( RRO).

The Fire Door Inspection Scheme( FDIS) online learning module was

developed jointly by the GAI and BWF and provides online learning leading to a Diploma in Fire Doors( DipFD) and a route to becoming a Certificated Fire Door Inspector( Cert FDI).

FDIS offers education which is essential for anyone working with fire doors and escape doors, providing knowledge and understanding about the critical role of fire doors and how they can save lives and protect property.

Maintaining life safety critical items such as fire doors and ironmongery is crucial. The RRO states:“ Where necessary in order to safeguard the safety of relevant persons the responsible person must ensure that the premises and any facilities, equipment and devices … are subject to a suitable system of maintenance and are maintained in an efficient state, in efficient working order and in good repair.”

For fire and escape door hardware, the correct specification of product in the right application can mean the difference between life and death.