Since the devastating Grenfell fire in 2017, there have been calls for major reform on outdated fire safety regulations in the UK. One of the key focuses has been on fire doors, which are essential for preventing the spread of flames and smoke. Following the fire, the subsequent Grenfell Tower Inquiry posed several recommendations that have been added to a new legislation. As of January 2023, it is a legal requirement to have annual checks of flat entrance doors and quarterly checks of communal doors in multi-occupied residential buildings above 11 meters.
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Are your Fire Doors safe?
Did you know in 2021, three-quarters of fire doors inspected did not meet the required standard? This means that 75% of buildings were not effectively protecting the people inside them.
Fire doors are a key part of any building’s fire safety strategy. It is essential that they are regularly checked and maintained, with the necessary repairs done in a timely manner, to ensure their effectiveness. Without fire doors, there is a significantly higher risk of fire spreading quickly throughout a building, leading to loss of life and damage to property.
Not only do they slow the spread of smoke and fire, giving people the time to escape and for emergency services to arrive, but they can also save lives by providing a buffer to separate people from the fire, reducing heat and smoke inhalation.
To ensure that your fire doors are up to standard and safe, it is important to conduct fire door inspections throughout the building. As this is now a legal requirement, you must also have them installed by a certified fire door installer and checked by a qualified fire risk assessor.
Why has the legislation changed?
The Grenfell inquiry noted that “Fire doors play an essential role in preventing or inhibiting the spread of smoke and toxic gases and in preserving the effective compartmentation of buildings” and that “the fire doors in Grenfell Tower did not, through damage and/or disrepair, act in the way that they should so that they prevent smoke and gases from spreading.”
This is why the legislation has changed: to ensure that all buildings are properly equipped with effective fire doors, which have been installed correctly and regularly inspected so that they can act as a barrier between people and any fire or smoke present. It is important that your building complies with these changes now – ensuring that you undertake fire door surveys and have adequate protection measures in place.
NEED TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THE FIRE SAFETY REGULATION UPDATE
What should you do?
Here at Global Facilities, our qualified surveyors can carry out a detailed inspection to check if your fire doors are safe, compliant and effective in protecting against fire.
We're offering the UK's best savings on surveys and remedial work when booked through us. For buildings with 25+ doors, further offers and savings are to be had. All you need to do is give us a call and let us know the details of your building to get booked in.
Our technicians will carry out a comprehensive survey, and rectify any risks before providing certified documentation that complies with new legislation. Additionally, if you have any other questions about fire protection or fire door assembly, our experts will be more than happy to help.
Yes, it is now a legal requirement for fire doors to be surveyed. This is in line with the new building safety legislation, and it is important that firms are compliant to avoid any potential penalties. To help keep you in line with these new measures, some companies may even provide you with a fire door survey checklist so that you can keep your fire protection up to scratch all year round.
Fire doors should now be surveyed annually. This is according to new fire safety legislation that was introduced in January 2023. This is to ensure that post-Grenfell, all major buildings have a robust fire protection measure in place.
A fire door survey will vary depending on the provider you choose for an inspection and the extent of work needed to be carried out. As a facilities management company, we're proud to offer a range of affordable services for our clients, which include fire door surveys. Contact us today for more information!
When a fire door survey is carried out, the inspection will involve looking at the cold smoke seals, vision panels, glazing and the thickness of the door. All of these factors must meet the requirements laid out in the Fire Safety Regulations 2022.
Fire door inspectors should be approved and qualified to carry out the assessment of your door sets competently. They should have a proper qualification registered with the FDIS (Fire Door Inspectors Scheme), CHAS and SafeContractor or another regulatory bodies.