Modern Passive Fire Protection Products Fire Doors

To comply with fire safety regulations, active fire protection, passive fire protection and fire prevention measures should be in place. All three are essential components for the protection and safety of a building by helping to prevent fire, contain fire or slow the spread of a fire. While active fire protection covers measures for example fire extinguishers, sprinkler systems and fire detection alarms, passive fire protection involves compartmentalising an overall building with the use of fire resistant walls, floors and fire doors. In this article we'll take a look at fire doors and also the essential hardware that should be in place to provide passive fire protection.

Fire resistant doors

A building or premises should be compartmentalised to slow the spread of fire in one area to another. This is achieved using doors which allow foot traffic to move through the premises. These doors should adhere to fire door regulations and be manufactured to carry out two functions: form a fire resistant barrier when closed to prevent the spread of fire, and offer a means of escape from fire when opened.

Different areas of a building should form compartments built of fire resisting materials. The openings leading into and from these compartments must have internal fire doors to act as a barrier against fire and give adequate resistance to smoke or combustible products during the first stages of a fire.

A fire door needs to provide around 30 minutes of fire resistance as a minimum and be equipped with the following fire door hardware:

Fire door closer- An automatic fire door closer is a self closing device which ensures the door closes automatically after a person passes through.

Three door hinges - Produced from quality steel or brass, hinges should measure 102 x 76 x 3mm and be certified for use with a fire door.

Intumescent door seals - Intumescent smoke seals are fitted to the door and frame. When temperatures exceed 200C the seals enlarge and seal off the gap between the door and frame.

Air transfer grilles - Buildings still need to have ventilation for safety and health and for the comfort of occupants however ventilation ductwork compromise fire containment therefore the answer is to install air transfer grilles. Grilles allow air to pass through a building under normal circumstances however in the event of a fire will close to produce a barrier and restrict the flow of hazardous gases.

Fire door risk assessment

By conducting a fire risk assessment audit, safety officers will identify any potential problems with fire doors and any poor practices for example wedging fire doors open. Failure to undertake a fire risk evaluation is a breach of the 2007 Fire Regulations with fines ranging from 40,000-250,000 as well as the potential closure of a premises until compliant.

Nearly all fines issued under the new Fire Regulations happen to be for blocking means of escape (fire exits) or for fire doors being wedged open. As the practice of wedging open fire doors may be convenient for staff or occupants (especially if the route is one with heavy footfall or a place where goods are moved from one place to another) it makes a major fire hazard by breaking the fire barrier.

Proper training and information is essential to keep fire doors closed and every door should display a visible sign informing occupants to keep fire doors shut.