56 • FIRE SAFETY & SECURITY
An open & closed case for fire doors
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FIRE DOORS ARE A VITAL PART OF fire prevention design and products in our buildings , both private and public . What do locksmiths need to know about this vital piece of fire safety equipment ? We find out more from Phil Gallager of Astra Door Controls .
A correctly fitted and functioning fire door can help to suppress a fire by restricting the amount of oxygen available to it and will restrict the spread of fire - a closed fireresisting door is designed to endure direct attack by fire for a specified period of time . This should slow and check the spread of fire through the building , gaining time for active fire protection resources to perform . It will also protect escape and continue to provide some protection for fire fighters entering the building . A vital part of any commercial or public building ’ s fire safety programme and the focus is now on fire doors and the people responsible for their specification , installation , and upkeep .
And that ’ s where locksmiths come in . What do they need to know about fire doors ? Where should they be fitted ? What actually constitutes a fire door making it different from a regular door ?
Some items of building hardware are essential to ensure that the fire-resisting door stays closed in its frame in a fire emergency . Products fitted as “ Essential ” items include :
• pivots or hinges - these attach the door onto the frame , and hinges might also help to stop it bowing
• a door closing device - an overhead or concealed door closer – suitably sized - ensures that the door closes reliably , and stays shut
• and / or a latch / lock - in some cases , a latch or lock takes on the role of holding the door shut ( in lieu of the door closing device ).
These items must be carefully selected to ensure that they will perform their role satisfactorily . Most other items of building hardware on the door perform a function not directly associated with its fire performance (“ non-essential ”), but they must in no way impede or reduce the door ’ s ability to withstand fire attack for the specified time . This also requires careful selection . Too often , holes are drilled through fire doors with no thought as to the consequences .
A door closer - defined as a door closing mechanism where the energy for closing the door is generated by the user opening it , when released returning it to the closed position – is perhaps the least familiar item of the essential hardware for locksmiths .
At Astra , we fit thousands of our concealed closers on social housing , commercial and public building projects every year and find that in many cases it is a struggle make fire doors work correctly while still complying with the Equality Act and Building Regs – let alone Secured by Design and PAS 24 compliant .
The strength or size ( opening and closing force ) of the door closer is critical to this . The closer must be strong enough to close the door and latch it reliably to comply with fire regulations . But it should not be so vicious that users fight to open it – often getting so fed up with struggling to open a fire door that they will often attempt to disable the closer – leading to the door not complying with fire requirements : a vicious circle .
Locksmiths need to assess many factors into account when selecting the size of closer for a door – the weight of the door , the prevailing environmental conditions , air pressure , the use of the door , and , critically , the width of the door . We encounter many narrow doors with a Size 3 on flat entrances that are nigh-on impossible to open , especially for older and disabled tenants .
Front doors to flats need to be fireresisting and self-closing under Approved Document B ( Fire Safety ) and we are often asked if jamb mounted concealed closers are suitable for these situations . In short , the answer is yes ! They can be fitted on 30- and 60-minute fire rated doors but the closer should be CE marked ( where applicable ) and fire tested in accordance
Philip Gallagher , Astra Door Controls
with BS EN 1634-1:2000 and BS EN 1634-1:1999 and it goes without saying that they must conform to the fire test evidence for the door they are fitted on . In fact , a concealed closer can be used on any door with a light to medium traffic flow in many of the applications where overhead closers are used .
The role that fire doors play in saving lives and protecting property is undeniable , so it is vital that they are correctly specified , installed and maintained .
GLOSSARY OF CLOSER TERMS FOR LOCKSMITHS :
• Backcheck : a closer may moderate the opening action to prevent damage to the door , closer or frame if the door slams open or is blown open .
• Closing Force : the power which the closer exerts on the door to close it . Usually measured in EN sizes from 1 to 7 .
• Closing Speed : the speed at which the door closer allows the door leaf to close
• Door closer : a door closing mechanism where the energy for closing the door is generated by the user opening it , when released returning it to the closed position
• EN 1154 : EN1634 – 1 : Fire resistance and smoke control tests for door , shutter and , openable window assemblies and elements of building hardware .
LOCKSMITHJOURNAL . CO . UK | NOV / DEC 2017