FIRE SAFETY
Q & A with Fireco ’ s expert : how to keep fire doors compliant
by Sasha Brigden
» IN 2019 THE FIRE DOOR INSPECTION Scheme carried out research which uncovered that a shocking 76 % of doors inspected were deemed unfit for purpose .
Many of our products are either installed onto fire doors or are related to fire doors in some way . It concerned us to realise that we were potentially installing our products onto non-compliant doors . And without specialist fire door training , we couldn ’ t do much other than to recommend customers book an inspection with another provider .
With many customers already asking us whether we offered fire door services , we decided it was time to take action and start getting our team certified so that we could offer a range of fire door services .
After launching the services in 2021 , we ’ ve since introduced fire door inspections , measure up and supply , and supply and install . We ’ ve partnered with a range of certified door manufacturers so that we can offer compliant doorsets . And , our team has undergone rigorous training , achieving certification with BM TRADA and FDIS .
With that in mind , we wanted to sit down with Martin Pearce CertFDI , our Fire Door Consultant , to find out more about his journey into the world of fire doors and how he can help people keep fire doors compliant and safe .
Sasha : Hi Martin , thanks for taking time in your schedule to speak with me today . I thought we could start with you telling us a bit about your career background and how this has evolved into working with fire doors .
Martin : No worries . I ’ m glad I can share my knowledge with everyone as I don ’ t often get to speak to customers unless I ’ m out on a job .
My first job after leaving college was as a trainee manager with a timber importer . Since then I have held several different jobs , both employed and self-employed .
Although I didn ’ t plan it , those jobs have all involved working with , within or alongside the timber industry .
S : So you already had some knowledge that could be applied to working with fire doors . Tell us more about your journey into that fire door world .
M : I joined Fireco as a Field Service Engineer , surveying , installing and servicing products used on fire doors and training others . It was an obvious step to take when I was offered the chance to be trained in fire door installation and inspection as I was already working with them .
S : Well , with that , I ’ d love to ask you some common questions around fire doors that will help our readers .
What are fire doors and why are they important ?
For most , and perhaps all , of its life , a fire door will have the same purpose as a ‘ normal ’ door . It allows passage through the walls in a building . However , if there is a fire then , unlike a normal door , the fire door has to perform its primary and critical function of containing the fire , potentially suppressing the fire and protecting escape routes .
People should think of a fire door as an ‘ engineered life safety product ’. It ’ s an essential part of the fire safety system in a building , protecting people as well as the contents and the fabric of the building .
What legislation covers fire doors ?
There are two important pieces of legislation affecting fire doors . The Building Regulations 2010 covers newbuilds , extensions , material alterations to a building and the material change of use of a building .
Once the building is in use , the Regulatory Reform ( Fire Safety ) Order 2005 imposes the legal requirement to manage the risk of fire and maintain the building ’ s fire safety systems .
In addition , the Fire Safety Act 2021 has become law and has clarified and emphasised certain requirements of the Fire Safety Order – and is likely to lead to further changes or tightening .
How often should fire doors be inspected ?
And that piece of string is how long ? There is no specific frequency required by legislation , but best practice recommends that fire doors are inspected at least every six months .
The Regulatory Reform ( Fire Safety ) Order 2005 requires the Responsible Person to ensure that a suitable system of inspection and maintenance is in place so that fire doors are able to perform their primary function and continue to do so throughout their working life . A risk-based approach may , therefore , dictate that fire doors should be inspected more frequently than every six months . Especially in some cases , for example , if the fire doors are heavily used or subject to abuse .
Who should be checking fire doors ?
For a fire door to function correctly in a fire , it ’ s essential that the door is inspected and maintained correctly . The Responsible Person ( e . g . the owner of the building , employer , headteacher , landlord etc ) may not have great knowledge about fire doors . They can appoint competent persons to assist them . But , the legal responsibility remains with them . The Responsible Person , therefore , needs to be certain that whoever inspects the fire doors has the necessary knowledge and expertise .
Third-party certification schemes are an excellent way to achieve that peace of mind . These schemes ensure that the person doing the work has been trained , assessed and is regularly audited . So the Responsible Person can be confident that the work has been conducted professionally and competently , and they can therefore demonstrate that they have taken steps to comply with their legal obligations .
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SEP / OCT 2022
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