England 05/04/2013 – Most people do not realise the importance of fire doors and their role in keeping them safe
Fire doors are not something most people give even a second thought to. Like many safety measures, they are barely noticeable. However, fire doors are essential. In the UK, and much of the rest of the world installing and maintaining them is a legal requirement for public buildings. Without proper fire doors, it is not possible to pass fire safety inspections, which is enough to render a building legally uninhabitable.
A good fire door will keep flames and smoke at bay long enough to give people the time they need to exist the building. How long depends on the rating of the door, but there are now some doors on the market that will do so for as much as three hours. In most buildings, this is not necessary; usually the doors installed are designed tokeep fire at bay for between 30 and 60 minutes.
Despite the legal requirement to install and maintain fire doors, lives are still being unnecessarily lost due to them not being properly maintained and used. The relatively new FDIS (Fire Door Inspection Scheme) is working hard to raise awareness of fire doors and the role they play. This organisations primary role is to provide training and certification. However, they are tackling the problem of the wrong doors being used and poor use and maintenance practices from as many angles as possible. Therefore, they are backing schemes to encourage residents of tower blocks and flats to report damaged or open fire doors to their landlords. In addition, they are highlighting the consequences of fitting substandard doors to contractors.
Fire door manufacturers playing their part too
Fire door manufacturers like Simply Fire Doors are also working hard to educate as many people as possible. They have recently updated their website to make it easier for them to navigate their site and understand the importance of fire doors. Their new site makes it easier for building owners and contractors to find and buy the right door for their specific building.