24/7 Roller Shutter Repair Specialists Covering London & Kent
The 5-step fire door safety check is a crucial step in ensuring the health and safety of people in the event of a fire - indeed this is a safety check that could quite literally save lives. If you’re a building owner, manager or someone who simply suspects that a fire door is faulty, then you may find this five-step guide to checking your fire doors below invaluable.
Most people aren’t aware that every fire door should have a label or a plug (usually found on top or the side of the door) to prove that it is a properly certified fire door and that it reaches the standards required to protect the building - and more importantly - the people in it.
If this certificate is missing, contact the building’s health and safety manager, or your fire door supplier for more information. A door with a missing certification mark cannot be trusted to be a functioning fire door.
Large gaps of a fire door could indicate a problem. There should be no gaps larger than 4mm around the sides of the door and at the top once it is closed – and the gap at the bottom of the door should not be any larger than 8mm.
If you can see larger gaps anywhere, and if you can see light coming through under the door, then there is a problem with the fire door as smoke and flames could potentially pass through the gaps. For a scale reference, you could use a one-pound coin, which has a thickness of about 3mm.
Carefully check the door seals to ensure that they are in good condition, showing no damage and have no cracks or gaps.
Good intumescent seals are a large part of what makes a fire door work - the seals swell up when heated, sealing any gaps and helping to prevent smoke from seeping through into other parts of the building.
At the very least, there should always be three hinges on a fire door. Check that the door has enough hinges and make sure that they are not loose or broken. Missing or badly fitted hinges could affect the performance of your fire door and give less time for staff to evacuate the building.
Check how the door closes to ensure that it works properly. If a good fire door is opened and let go, it should automatically close by itself without human assistance. Make sure that the door properly latches, and that it fits properly in the frame. A fire door can only work when it is closed - it otherwise becomes useless if it is wedged open or cannot fully close.
Do your fire doors need repair or replacing? Our steel fire doors are available at a range of security ratings, from SR1 to SR8, and with fire ratings offering an average of 30-60 minutes of extra protection. Don’t hesitate to contact our fire door specialists today on 0208 2266 247.
