Fire Door Safety Week 2024: Ensuring Life-Saving Fire Door Compliance
As Fire Door Safety Week 2024 unfolds from 23rd to 27th September, it serves as a vital reminder of the life-saving role that correctly installed and maintained fire doors play in fire safety. Spearheaded by the British Woodworking Federation (BWF), this national campaign raises awareness of the critical function fire doors have in protecting both lives and property by slowing the spread of fire and smoke.
At Lyons Fire Safety (LFS), we are deeply committed to fire safety and ensuring that all our clients’ buildings meet and exceed regulatory requirements. Our expertise in fire door installation, inspection, and maintenance ensures that your property is compliant with the latest UK standards, offering maximum protection in the event of a fire.
The Critical Role of Fire Doors in Ensuring Building Safety
Fire doors are the unsung heroes of fire safety systems, designed to act as barriers that prevent fire and smoke from spreading. By creating protected routes for occupants to escape through, fire doors also minimise property damage.
This is where we come in. As their effectiveness depends on correct installation, regular maintenance, and correct usage. Even a minor defect, such as a missing seal or propped-open door, can render a fire door useless in an emergency.
The focus of Fire Door Safety Week 2024 is to drive home the message that fire doors are more than just doors—they are lifesaving devices that need to be treated with the same respect as any fire alarm or sprinkler system. And here, at Lyons Fire Safety, we want to spread that message as certified fire door inspectors.
What to Expect During Fire Door Safety Week 2024
Throughout the week, a series of events and educational webinars have been ongoing in association with Fire Safety Week and the BWF. These events are there to inform property owners, managers, and tenants about the importance of fire door safety.
- Monday 23rd September, 2 PM: Andrew Sayer, Lead Assessor FDIS
Title: Common Issues Surrounding Fire Doors - Tuesday 24th September, 11 AM: Kevin Underwood, Technical Director BWF
Title: Fire doors in the Grenfell Tower Inquiry Phase 2 Report - Thursday 26th September, 11 AM: Kevin Underwood, Technical Director BWF
Title: The Draft of the Revised BS 8214 Code of Practice for Fire Doors - Friday 27th September, 11 AM: Ashley Mather, Senior Fire Engineer, NFCC
Title: Fire Doors – A Fire Service Perspective
For those looking for a flexible learning option, the BWF Introduction to Fire Doors E-Learning course is also available. Certified by the CPD Certification Service, this online module teaches the fundamentals of fire door components, regulations, and their life-saving impact.
Key Elements of Fire Door Safety
To fully protect building occupants, fire doors must be properly inspected, maintained, and used. Here are some key fire door safety elements to ensure your property is compliant:
Fire Door Certification
All fire doors must carry a certification label indicating they’ve been tested and approved to meet FD30 or FD60 standards (providing 30 or 60 minutes of fire resistance). Without this, the door may not perform as required.
You can learn more here on our dedicated page – Fire Door Ratings Explained – where we review the different types of fire doors, tests, compliance and fire door ratings.
Fire Door Components
Each element of the door—frames, seals, hinges, locks, and latches—must be fire-rated. For example, intumescent seals around the door expand under heat to block smoke and flames, while fire-rated hinges ensure the door remains functional during a fire.
Inspection and Maintenance
Fire doors require regular checks to ensure they’re still in good working order. This includes looking for gaps around the frame, inspecting seals, and ensuring the door closes fully and latches without obstruction.
We recently published a piece concerning Common Issues and Problems with Fire Doors: Identification, Prevention, and Solutions – in which, we detail the various issues we encounter daily when it comes to our fire door inspections for our clients. Take a look.
Fire Door Inspection and Maintenance: Trust the Experts at Lyons Fire Safety
At Lyons Fire Safety, we specialise in fire door inspections and ensuring long-term compliance with fire safety regulations. Our experts conduct detailed inspections and provide comprehensive reports on the condition of your fire doors, making any necessary recommendations for repairs or replacements.
Our Services Include
- Fire Door Installation: We provide certified fire door installations that comply with the latest UK fire safety regulations. Whether you need FD30 or FD60 doors, our installations ensure the highest level of protection.
- Fire Door Inspection: Our inspections cover all aspects of fire door safety, including gap measurements, hardware functionality, and the condition of seals and frames. We identify risks before they become threats, helping you maintain compliance.
- Maintenance Plans: To keep your fire doors in peak condition, we offer custom maintenance plans that outline necessary periodic inspections and preventive measures, ensuring long-term compliance.
Recent Case Study: Ensuring Fire Safety in Camden’s Private Residential Properties
In light of Fire Door Safety Week, let’s discuss one of our recent fire door inspections jobs.
Fire safety compliance is more important than ever, particularly in densely populated areas like Camden, London. A recent fire risk assessment at a private residential property in Camden revealed that inadequate fire doors were putting the residents at serious risk. Lyons Fire Safety was called in to address these issues and bring the property up to modern fire safety standards.
The Challenge: Identifying Fire Door Deficiencies
The property, which housed six privately owned flats, had recently undergone a fire risk assessment. It was discovered that several fire doors lacked critical fire protection features, raising concerns about their ability to contain a fire.
During our inspection, we found:
- Gaps Around Doorframes: Visible gaps that allowed smoke and fire to pass through, indicating poor sealing.
- Non-Compliant Locks: The use of Yale locks, which are not fire-rated, compromised the integrity of the doors.
- Inadequate Door Components: Other elements, such as substandard latches and missing intumescent seals, were also identified.
The Solution: Complete Replacement and Compliance
After discussing these issues with the property manager, our team recommended full replacement of the fire doors. This would ensure that every door met FD30 standards and was fitted with the appropriate fire-rated hardware. The work was completed swiftly and with minimal disruption to residents.
- Installation of Certified Fire Doors: We installed new fire doors with intumescent strips and certified fire-rated components.
- Seamless Service: Our team worked efficiently, ensuring the building remained functional throughout the installation process.
- Ongoing Compliance: After installation, we provided a tailored maintenance plan to ensure the fire doors remain compliant with fire safety standards.
Regular fire risk assessments are important and the need for expert intervention is critical to ensure full fire safety compliance. By working with our team at Lyons Fire Safety, the property owner could rest assured that their residents were protected.
Common Fire Door Issues: What to Look Out For
Many fire doors in both commercial and residential properties fall short of compliance due to common but serious issues:
- Propped-Open Doors: Never prop open a fire door without an automatic closing device.
- Worn or Missing Seals: Intumescent seals are critical to fire containment but are often damaged or missing altogether.
- Incorrect Hardware: All components, from hinges to locks, must be fire-rated. Non-compliant hardware can compromise the door’s effectiveness in an emergency.
To prevent these problems, LFS provides thorough inspections and prompt remedial work to ensure your fire doors are functioning as they should.
The Importance of Fire Door Safety: Make the Right Choice
Fire Door Safety Week 2024 is the perfect time to review your fire safety measures and ensure your property is compliant. At Lyons Fire Safety, we’re here to help, offering fire door inspections, installations, and maintenance services that meet the highest standards.
Don’t wait until it’s too late—contact us today to schedule an inspection or discuss how we can help you ensure your building’s fire safety compliance.
Get in Touch with Lyons Fire Safety
If you require fire door inspection or fire risk assessments, contact Lyons Fire Safety today. Our experienced team can help you stay compliant, keep your occupants safe, and protect your property.
Phone: 0121 517 0562
Email: david@lyonsfiresafety.co.uk
Stay safe this Fire Door Safety Week—get in touch with Lyons Fire Safety and protect what matters most.
Choose Lyons Fire Safety for thorough, compliant, and reliable fire safety solutions. Let us help you protect your business, your property, and most importantly, the lives of those within it.
For a custom quote or to discuss your fire safety needs, get in touch with our team today.