The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 states the Responsible Person for non-domestic buildings must ensure fire doors and frames are correctly installed so they can effectively prevent the spread of fire. The integrity of a fire door is also affected by its hardware (e.g. hinges, closers, handles / locks).

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It can be difficult for those unfamiliar with the standards to determine whether a fire door is suitable, especially for buildings where older fire doors that were previously compliant have been installed and may have been modified or damaged over time.

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Inspections should be completed by a competent person; a certified fire door inspector who is able to carefully assess each door set or door assembly’s key components for faults, damaged or wear is the best way to ensure that this work is completed correctly.
 

Our inspections begin with focusing on each door’s structural integrity and correct operation consisting of assessing the door leaf, frame, glazing, and hardware. We also cover the passive fire protection features surrounding the door such as intumescent fire seals, and cold smoke seals. The gaps between the door and frame and the threshold gaps are measured. In addition, fire safety signage is checked for clarity and compliance.
 

Hardware

Hinges
Hinges play a vital role in ensuring the integrity of a fire door, they must remain adequately attached to the fire door. UKCA/CE Markings ensure hinges are made to British standard BS EN 1935: 2002
 

Intumescent Fire & Cold Smoke Seals
Smoke inhalation kills in just a few minutes. An intumescent seal is a strip of intumescent material encased in a rigid casing, that when exposed to heat, expands, closing any gaps around the door to stop the fire & smoke spreading for a period of time. A separate seal is sometimes incorporated into the frame or combined with an intumescent seal to provide ambient temperature or ‘cold’ smoke sealing which restricts the issuance of smoke prior to the intumescent seals reaching the temperature at which they expand.
 

Glazing
Glazed apertures provide added safety in everyday use and in the event of a fire they aid detection of fire and smoke, whilst providing visibility to potential escape routes. Doors should only be glazed in accordance with the door manufacturers test evidence and the glass should be permanently marked as a minimum with the glass name, glass suppliers name and the applicable glass performance classification.
 

Door & Frame Gaps
Ensuring the correct gaps between door and frame & Threshold gaps which is the gap between door and the finished floor level are vital in the performance of a fire door set being signed off for fit purpose of use. Ensuring gaps between door and frame are no bigger than 4mm and that threshold are no bigger than 8mm or else, in accordance with the door manufacturers tested evidence, is vital to the fire door performance.
 

Hardware & Ironmongery
For many ironmongery items you will need to ensure that only marked products are used on all fire doors and escape doors, just like hinges this comes in the way of a CE marked item which falls in line with the relevant British standard. The correct installation and maintenance of these items are necessary for the door set to be approved.