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The importance of Fire Doors in Commercial Properties

Property Insights – The Importance of Fire Doors

If a fire occurs at a commercial property, time is of the essence to keep it under control. Therefore, having measures in place to slow the spread of the flames and minimise potential damages is crucial. That’s where fire doors can help. These doors are specifically designed to withstand the extreme heat of a fire for a period of time, temporarily blocking flames from travelling from one area of a building to another. Fire doors can make all the difference in preventing property damage and allowing building occupants to escape the premises.

Employers are responsible for adequately maintaining and routinely inspecting fire doors under fire safety legislation. To help employers avoid regulatory penalties and keep their properties’ occupants safe, this article discusses how fire doors work and includes best practices for keeping them fully operational.

How They Work

A fire door is a specially designed, fire-resistant barrier constructed to serve as a heat shield and slow the spread of fire and smoke. In the event of a fire, they are engineered to close automatically. Fire doors are manufactured in accordance with specific regulations, including British Standards (BS) and European Standards (EN), as well as building regulations.

A fire door consists of multiple components, including the door, door frame, hinges, handle and additional hardware. Collectively, these parts are designed to withstand fire exposures for a set period of time, slowing the spread of flames and smoke throughout sections of the affected property.

Fire doors can vary in size, materials and layout (e.g. a swinging, sliding or hinged door or rolling shutter). Although the specific placement of fire doors is dictated by the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, they are often utilised within the wall openings and stairwells of buildings. Installing fire doors in wall openings can help keep flames from spreading on the same floor of a property; in stairwells, these doors can deter a fire from travelling between stories of a property and may allow additional building occupants to escape safely via the stairs. Fire doors can also provide firefighters with better access to the property overall, bolstering fire suppression efforts.

Some fire doors must stay fully closed to work. Otherwise, flames and smoke will easily travel through any openings, defeating the purpose of the doors. Other fire doors equipped with fusible links—heat-activated devices designed to ensure that such doors adequately close in the presence of fire—do not need to stay shut at all times. In these circumstances, the doors can be kept open as long as there are no obstructions (e.g. a door wedge) in the way that could potentially prevent them from closing when necessary. Most rolling fire shutters are equipped with fusible links.

Each fire door is designed to meet the standards of its resistance rating, which represents how long the door can withstand fire exposures before eventually succumbing to the heat and smoke. This rating is determined through various testing procedures and applies not only to the door but also to its collective parts. Fire door resistance ratings can range between 30 minutes and four hours. For example, if the door can withstand fire exposures for one hour, then it will be rated as a one-hour fire door, identified by the code FD60.

The use, size and design of a commercial building dictate how many fire doors are required; it may be prudent for employers to seek legal advice to ensure their property’s fire doors comply with all relevant fire safety regulations. Alongside the risk of regulatory penalties, properties that remove or don’t incorporate fire doors may encounter higher commercial insurance rates since a fire may be more likely to affect the building and result in severe damages.

Maintaining Fire Doors

Fire doors can offer numerous advantages to a commercial property; however, they must be properly maintained to remain effective. Employers can consider the following installation, inspection and maintenance tips:

• Ensure all fire doors at the property contain a fire resistance grade (e.g. FD60) and meet all BS and EN regulations.
• Only allow a competent, qualified contractor to install fire doors or modify existing ones. Modifying a fire door with the wrong components or hardware could make the door ineffective and lose its resistance rating. Also, contractors should be consulted about the possibility of equipping fire doors with fusible links.
• Regularly inspect fire doors for potential damages (e.g. large gaps, broken seals, loose hinges or missing screws). Further, each door should connect firmly to its latch without getting stuck on the frame before fully closing. Repairs must be scheduled when necessary.
• Have a certified professional conduct a visual inspection and, in the case of rolling doors, a drop test (a test that confirms the door works as it should and completely closes) on the property’s fire doors at least once every six months. Based on the results, schedule repairs and make door replacements as needed.

Additionally, many insurance providers require annual fire safety inspections, which may include tests like fire door drop testing. Regular fire door inspections are crucial for ensuring both safety and adherence to fire safety and building regulations.

For commercial insurance solutions, contact us today.

Information provided by Zywave and contributed by Harrison Law, (Cert CII) Head of Commercial & Private Clients, Cox Mahon Ltd.