FIRE DOORS, SAVING LIVES AND PROTECTING PROPERTY

Helping building owners meet legal and social obligations.

By Neil Ashdown, FDIS manager

Fire Doors, saving lives and protecting property

Today’s presentation will cover………………. • An introduction to the Fire Door Inspection

Scheme • Examples : The good, the bad and the ugly • Why have your fire doors inspected? • The fire door inspection process • Benefits for the building operator • A case study • Conclusion • Q & A’s

An introduction to the Fire Door Inspection Scheme

• Known as FDIS launched in 2012 as a joint initiative by GAI and BWF Certifire

• Aims are to increase awareness amongst building operators and contractors about the critical role of fire doors and escape doors

• And to provide Fire Door education to improve standards of installation, maintenance and repair

• GAI and BWF Certifire members supply certificated fire safety products

• Evidence shows that many fire doors are poorly installed and maintained and would therefore not be effective to provide the required FD30 and FD60 protection

An introduction to the Fire Door Inspection Scheme

• FDIS Diploma in Fire Doors DipFD is an on-line education programme suitable for all involved in specification, supply, installation, inspection, maintenance and repair of doors

• FDIS Transition Module is an on-line course to enable a DipFD to progress to

CertFDI Fire Door Inspector • Aim = improve fire door safety • Fire Door Awareness courses too

Examples of Typical Fire Doors

• Many fire doors poorly fitted. Lack of knowledge and awareness of correct installation methods.

• Doors seen as capital expense and therefore often poorly maintained

• Little awareness about fire doors amongst maintenance staff

Examples of Typical Fire doors • Fire doors are life saving

and property saving fire safety devices

• Legal and social obligations

• Doors such as these will not hold back fire and smoke effectively

• Doors such as these will endanger life and allow damage to property by fire and smoke spread

But when we get it right………

But when we get it right………

Why have your fire doors inspected?

• Legal obligations • Social responsibility • Compartmentalisation

to…………………………….. • Protect escape routes to allow

safe egress and save lives • Protect the rest of the building

from damage • Asset protection and life

protection • Stay-put strategy (HMO

housing and healthcare sector) and Staged Evacuation

Why have your fire doors inspected?

• Fire & Rescue Services have the power to restrict use of your building or even close it down

• Prosecutions under the Fire Safety Order are often very punitive

• Fire doors are one of the most common non compliances

• Fire Safety Order Article 17 and Article 18

• Fitness for purpose and Competent Person

The fire door inspection process • CertFDI fire door

inspectors will conduct a thorough inspection

• Not just the condition of the doors but suitability, installation, configuration and compatibility of components

• Fire door inspections need particular specialist knowledge

• Incorrect hinges, door closers, glazed panels and even the wrong screws for example will greatly affect fire performance

• Door leaves mis-aligned or without correct fire and smoke seals will not perform

• Poor installation and maintenance = poor performance

The fire door inspection process

• Inspection of a fire door is about more than does the door close

• A fire door is not just a door leaf it is a set of different components that must perform together to hold back fire and smoke for a specified time period

• To perform correctly in a real life fire situation the fire door assembly must be installed and maintained to spec equal to the fire performance test

• A CertFDI inspectors inspection will verify whether this is the case

The fire door inspection process

• CertFDI inspector is the Competent Person as referenced by the 2005 Fire Safety Order

• Up to 90 checks will be made during the inspection looking at up to 25 different components including hold-open devices, locks, latches, air transfer grilles, glazing, intumescent protection, handles and fixing methods

• Suitability for door function and configuration will be inspected

The fire door inspection process

• Full and comprehensive report issued to the client

• Any non-compliances and necessary remedial work will be detailed

• Independent and impartial

• Inspectors bound by FDIS code of conduct

The fire door inspection process

Benefits for the building operator

• Confirmation that fire doors are compliant and will perform as designed in a fire situation

• Non compliances detailed by the Competent Person as referenced in Article 18 of the Fire Safety Order

• Remedial work detailed exactly so that any necessary repairs are clearly identified

• Working document to enable exact costing and so avoid unnecessary works and expense

Benefits for the building operator

• Inspected doors carry a unique ID number

• Ease of reference to the fire door inspection report

Benefits for the building operator

Benefits for the building operator

Benefits for the building operator • Help with cost savings

going forward • Suggestions for suitable

door specifications and protection products to reduce repeat damage

• Help with implementing a suitable maintenance regime

• In-house or sub-contract going forward to your preference

• Help to prolong the service life of your doors

• Inspections in-line with your fire risk assessment and fire strategy. Prioritise on most critical areas

Benefits for the building operator case studies

• Leics. Children’s Home • Converted house • First floor sleeping • Smoking in rooms • Only one escape route • Doors poorly installed • CertFDI inspector engaged • Inspection pin-pointed necessary

remedial works • Competent contractor engaged

and existing doors upgraded • Signed off by CertFDI

• Nottingham factory • Twenty Four – Seven working • Agency workers bussed-in • Lack of awareness about safe

evacuation • Confusing escape signage (Three

escape routes) • CertFDI helped client to identify

associated risks and manage them

• CertFDI helped identify critical FR Doors

• Competent contractor engaged and those doors upgraded

Conclusion • Assistance from a Competent Person as referenced in

Article 18 of the Fire Safety Order 2005. • Ensure legal compliance and meet social responsibility. • Protect lives and property by reducing fire and smoke

spread. Protect critical escape routes. • Reports will pin-point any necessary remedial repairs and

reduce unnecessary works and expense. • Help with maintenance regime to prolong door service life

and reduce costs going forward. • Fits with your fire risk assessment and emergency strategy. • www.fdis.co.uk/inspector

Conclusion

www.fdis.co.uk/inspector • Solid core timber or

chipboard core in standard sheet sizes

• Can be re-sized and altered within the scope of instructions from the supplier (global assessment)