As it’s a legal requirement in commercial buildings to have the correct systems in place for fire stopping and fire protection, the importance of fire doors cannot be underestimated. It’s a key feature which will help protect the lives of customers and the public, as well as all members of staff, in the event of a fire. Having fire doors fitted by FIRAS accredited experts will ensure that the surrounding walls and structures stay intact, unfortunately there have been many instances of fire doors not doing their job due to poor fitting and maintenance.
Since Grenfell in 2017, fire regulations have become a lot stricter and there is a lot more scrutiny based on whether a company complies with fire regulation. Only 66% of fire audits conducted across England were deemed satisfactory in 2019/2020, and only 59% of licensed premises were satisfactory. Therefore, it is obvious that some work needs to be done in order to raise the bar on fire safety standards.
However, it can be difficult to navigate the rules surrounding fire doors, as it depends on many factors, such as the number of occupants, overall purpose and size of the building, to name a few.
Different types of fire door
Fire doors are heavily tested in order to find out their ‘grade’. The grade refers to the duration that a fire door can provide protection for in the event of a fire. The materials that were used to build the fire door can mean that the results can vary for different doors.
The main organisation that gives fire door ratings is the British Woodworking Federation (BWF). The ratings are assessed using 4 main integrity levels and can also vary from FD30 (30 minutes) to FD120 (120 minutes). The average fire door grade in commercial buildings is typically FD60 or above, compared to FD30 or FD60 in residential buildings. This can all depend on the materials being used to build the fire door, as commercial buildings will typically opt for a much safer door due to the presence of high-risk materials or things that are of a particular value to an organisation.
Steel doors
In a commercial building, a steer door may be the best way to go. This is because they are solid and durable and can offer the maximum protection of above FD120 (120 minutes). A lot of the time, steel doors are used in settings such as hospitals and kitchens.
Glass fire doors
Glass fire doors must be made from fire-rated glass, it cannot be made from regular glass. Regular glass will shatter if it reaches temperatures above 120 degrees Celsius. However, fire-rated glass can withstand temperatures of up to 900 degrees Celsius and can last up to 60 minutes without cracking or breaking.
Wooden fire doors
Wooden fire doors are very popular in residential properties, and they can provide the same level of protection as glass fire doors. This can be anywhere between 30 and 60 minutes. Many wooden fire doors’ cores are made from magboard, particleboard, flax board or timber.
Frames and hinges
Regulations should be followed to the letter as it can mean the difference between life or death, when it comes to the event of a fire. This includes the use of fire door frames and hinges. Frames and hinges must also comply with fire door regulations and the materials and products used for these is just as important as the materials used for the actual fire door itself.
All materials that are used in the construction of fire doors, frames and hinges must be Certifire approved, and where necessary, CE marked. CE marking is how a product complies with EU safety, and other safety legislation. CE marking also requires being vetted by an independent third party. The gap between a fire door and its frame cannot exceed 4mm in size. This is in order to block smoke coming through to the rooms protected by fire doors.
The hinges in which fire doors hang must be made of metal with a metal point of above 800 degrees Celsius. The hinges also must be CE marked and there must 3 hinges on every fire door.
Commercial regulations
A ‘responsible person’ must be allocated on each commercial premises and it will be that person’s job to conduct a thorough fire risk assessment (FRA). In this assessment, any misuse or neglect must be noted. For example, it can be dangerous to wedge open a fire door. However, this is an extremely common thing to do, which compromises the fire door’s ability to do its job and protect people in the event of a fire. It was reported that 68% of buildings visited by the fire service in 2018, had doors wedges open.
The risks of non-compliance
There are very high penalties for not meeting the fire protection regulations, fines of £5,000 and even prison sentences can be carried out for not complying with fire safety regulations. In 2007, supermarket brand Tesco was fined £95,000 for wedging open its fire doors.
If you would like any advice on fire doors installation in your commercial building, please feel free to
get in touch, we’d be happy to help.
02380 675888
Construction site fire safety regulations: Who’s responsible?April 18, 2022 - 2:55 pm
Construction sites: fire safetyMarch 18, 2022 - 3:52 pm
Construction site fire safety regulations: Who’s responsible?
/0 Comments/in Fire Protection, Home Page news feed, News /by Georgia RobertsonRules and regulations should always be followed, especially with regards to fire safety. If a law has been broken or regulations not followed, then it can mean the difference between life and death. Despite the growth in performance that the industry has had over the last decade, the risk of injury, death and ill health are still too high.
However, the risks are not just limited to construction site workers. Other members of the public that happen to be near the site can also be injured if fire safety regulations are not being followed. Fires can of course spread, and any property that is adjacent to a construction site that has a large enough fire can be damaged.
Therefore, it is incredibly important to ensure that the correct people oversee fire regulations and are held responsible for following the rules.
One of the main laws that need to be followed is the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (FSO).
Who is responsible?
FSO requires that a ‘responsible person’ must be designated as the fire safety officer. This person is usually the principal or main contractor in charge of the site.
It is also the client or other duty holders’ responsibility to ensure that the correct information is provided before starting construction work in order to ensure that adequate provision of precautions can be developed. The owner or occupier must also supply the contractor with sufficient health and safety information so that hazards and risks can be identified so that the correct procedures can be put in place.
What are the responsibilities?
The fire safety officer will need to complete a risk assessment and ensure that it consistently kept up to date. The business or building owner will be responsible for ensuring that this assessment gets carried out. This will need to be regularly reviewed in order to ensure that the documentation is constantly up to date. You could consider bringing in an expert, such as an IFE-registered risk assessor, if a comprehensive assessment is required.
Appropriate measures will need to be taken in order to minimise any risks to safety. Sources of fuel must be identified, and precautions must be taken, such as identifying fire escapes, and warning of and fighting fires, based on the risk assessment.
Warning
A warning system must be set up in order to alert people to any fires. This can be in the form of a temporary or permanent mains fitted fire alarm that is tested regularly, a klaxon, an air horn or whistle, however, this completely depends on the size of the building site. The warning will need to be recognisable by everyone and audible above all other noise.
Means of escape
Fire safety regulations set out that safe routes must be identified so that people can leave the building safely in the event of a fire. The risk assessment should determine the fire escape routes required (which have to be kept unobscured and clear), alternative routes to ground level should be provided where possible. Protection can also be provided if the correct fire doors and permanent fire separation are installed as soon as possible. Escape routes should allow people to congregate in a safe place where people can be accounted for. Fire escape routes must also be sign posted so that people unaware of the routes can easily find them. For enclosed escape routes, lighting should also be used.
Consequences of breaking the law
The local fire and rescue authorities may visit the construction site in order to make sure that the risk assessment has been conducted, and to ensure that appropriate fire prevention measures are in place.
If they deem that the measures are inadequate, then an informal notice can be issued. The local authorities can also issue a formal notice, and will inform you of how to fix the safety issues. An alterations notice could also be issued. This could be issued if the premises have high safety concerns or will have high risks if the premises changes. If a serious risk isn’t being managed, then an enforcement notice can be issued. It will detail what improvements are needed and by when. A prohibition notice could be issued if the fire and rescue authorities deem the site unsafe and the premises must be prohibited or restricted.
You can appeal to these notices if you disagree with the notices issued. You can arrange for an informal review from the local fire and rescue authorities. Within 21 days, you can appeal to the local magistrates’ court regarding the notice.
If fire safety regulations are not met, then there can be serious consequences, and you could even go to prison or get a fine. Fines of up to £5000 can be issued for minor offenses. Major offenses can have any fine issued and up to 2 years in prison.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it is incredibly important to ensure that all fire safety regulations are being followed and that the correct people are taking the correct level of responsibility in order to prevent injury or death. The main law to be followed is the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (FSO). It’s also important to make sure it’s being followed so that no fines or sanctions are imposed.
If you have any questions regarding fire safety regulations, please get in touch.
Construction sites: fire safety
/0 Comments/in Fire Protection, Home Page news feed, News /by Georgia RobertsonEvery year, a large number of fire incidents occur on construction sites and in buildings undergoing refurbishments. These incidents can cause many injuries or in severe cases, death. Some of these incidents can be entirely preventable. Therefore, it is extremely important that all legislation is being followed. This article will discuss steps that can be taken in order to prevent these events.
Legal requirements
The Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 (CDM) document discusses duties in relation to fire safety in construction sites. Responsibility is set out in the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (FSO) (England and Wales) document. However, you must constantly familiarise yourself with fire safety legislation on a regular basis as it constantly changes based on current events and trends.
It is down to the principal contractor to ensure that legislation is being followed for that country and also to ensure that risk assessments have been completed.
Fire hazards in construction sites
There are 2 main areas that fire hazards can be controlled, fuel sources and with respect to ignition. The risk of a fire starting can be drastically reduced if it can be controlled or the hazard can be eliminated.
Electrical faults
Electrical items can be a fire hazard whether fixed or portable and it is important to ensure that these items are properly cared for in order to minimise risk. It’s important to ensure that all electrical items are routinely tested and maintained to an appropriate standard. Portable Appliance Testing (PAT) should be carried out in accordance with the HSE guidance note HSG107 which advocates a risk-based testing policy.
Hot working
Hot works are defined as all “processes involving the generation of heat by a naked flame, electrical arc, sparks, and the use of bitumen boilers or grinding”. Unless it’s completely necessary, acetylene should not be used on site when using open flame gas cutting equipment or disc cutters.
Smoking
It may be an obvious one, but smoking can be a huge fire hazard, particularly when smoking around flammable materials on a construction site. Typically, smoking areas will be designated at a construction site in order to minimise fire risk.
Fuel sources
Flammable materials, such as fuel, should be properly contained in order to prevent fires. Management of these materials falls to the site manager and should include the whole process from procuring the correct fuel, its use and the potentially hazardous operations such as refuelling.
If you have any questions regarding fire safety on construction sites, please get in contact.
Screed: What is it?
/0 Comments/in Fire Protection, Home Page news feed, News /by Georgia RobertsonScreed is similar to concrete but is less well-known outside of the construction industry. Nonetheless, it can be an important part of any build.
Screed can be described as a thin material that is placed on top of a concrete subfloor, usually consisting of cement and sharp sand. Coarse aggregates can also be added to create a thicker layer. The layer of screed can be covered with a decorative finish, but in some cases can be left bare, such as in warehouses, where scuffs and marks can be expected. It can also be used as a flooring choice.
There are 3 main types of screeds, bonded, unbonded and floating. Bonded can be applied directly to the concrete base and is bonded, as the name suggests, to the base using a bonding agent. This is a common method for environments where heavy loads are expected and where there is no room for use of unbonded screed.
Unbonded screed can be applied on top of a damp proof membrane. This screed is at least 50 millimetres thick and the fact it is not bonded to the main structure means that settlement and shrinkage risks are reduced.
Floating is used an insulation layer of material. This is most common where underfloor heating is apparent. Typically, the thickness of this screed is around 65 millimetres for lightly loaded floors and 75 millimetres for heavy loaded floors. If using a calcium sulphate screed, 35mm depth will be sufficient for domestic use, and 40mm necessary for commercial applications.
A main reason as to why floor screed is used in homes, despite its extra expense, is to level uneven flooring. This is especially important with modern precast concrete beam and block floors, which have a distinct camber that can cause problems when it comes to laying floor finishes.
Exterior Insulation Finishing Systems (EIFS)
/0 Comments/in Fire Protection, Home Page news feed, News /by Georgia RobertsonAn Exterior Insulation Finishing System (EIFS) can also be known as Exterior Wall Insulation Systems (EWI) or External Thermal Insulation Composite Systems (ETICS). It is a type of cladding system that can provide exterior walls with an insulated finish surface and waterproofing in an integrated composite material system.
These systems can be defined as an ideal energy efficient thermal wrapping or façade insulation, which is applied to the exterior surfaces of a building. It is then finished with a long-life and protective wall coating that can be installed on any type of construction.
Versions of EIFS
Barrier EIFS – A barrier EIFS, which can also be known as traditional or conventional EIFS, can be applied to a solid wall (brick, blockwork, pre-cast panels etc).
EIFS with drainage – This is a type of barrier EIFS, to which a water drainage capability can be added. This is usually done for wood structures.
How do EIFS save energy?
It can be argued that EIFS are unique as they are the best exterior cladding system that offers thermal control, as well as adding improved energy efficiency to the home. EIFS with drainage can help to reduce a household’s carbon footprint and keep energy costs down.
These exterior cladding systems can help to improve the airtightness of the building envelope, which is one of the most critical elements of energy-efficient home construction.
However, most insulation boards used in EIFS is either made from expanded polystyrene or polymer-modified systems. Both products are synthetic and can come with some environmental drawbacks. Polystyrene degrades slowly, and when it is properly disposed of, the foam can leach chemicals which can harm water sources. Also, many recycling centres will not accept expanded polystyrene as it is a relatively low-value product. Therefore, it can be incredibly difficult to get rid of.
Are EIFS healthy?
When properly installed, EIFS do not have any health consequences. However, improper installation techniques and older variations of EIFS that did not include specific drainage systems have been proven to lead to serious mould growth, which can have impacts on the health of the occupants of the building. The mould growth can also damage the structure of the building, which can lead to expensive repairs.
According to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), homes with barrier EIFS are “prone to moisture intrusion problems even when properly constructed according to industry standards. Unlike other cladding types, the design of barrier EIFS does not allow the draining of water that gets behind the system, either through building components (openings in the building envelope for doors, windows, etc.) or when sealants break down or crack. Depending upon the climate and the wall assembly’s overall make-up, the wall may not readily dry out. Sustained elevated levels of moisture without adequate drying will cause rot or decay to sheathing and framing.”
Types of commercial fire alarm systems
/0 Comments/in Fire Protection, Home Page news feed, News /by Georgia RobertsonFire alarm systems are incredibly important in any type of occupied building as its purpose is to alert the occupants of a hazard and the right system could potentially save lives. It’s also important to understand the differences between different fire alarm systems.
Automatic versus manual fire alarm systems
There are 2 different categories of fire alarms that you can have in a commercial space: manual or automatic. When automatic alarms detect heat or smoke, they send an audio-visual alert throughout the building to alert the occupants of danger. Manual fire alarms will have pull stations stationed around the building. When a fire is seen or smelled by one of the employees, they simply pull the leveller and alert the occupants. Manual alarms come in a variety of designs and colours.
Commercial fire alarm system types
There are different types of fire alarm as well as categories.
Conventional
Conventional fire alarms include several different “zones” that are hardwired to the central control panel. These systems allow you to be able to put separate fire alarms in each section of your building and helps to monitor if an alarm is broken.
Addressable fire alarms
These fire alarms can also be known as intelligent systems. This is because they monitor the fire alarms within your building. Addressable alarms allow you to choose between automatic and manual alarms. The alarms that are installed in this system have their own address, which allows visibility to see which alarm is working and which are failing. These fire alarms are more expensive due to the monitoring features.
Hybrid fire alarms
These alarms combine the hardwired zone features of conventional fire alarms with the addressable loops of the addressable fire alarms into a single panel. This combined technology fits some of the settings better than either the addressable or the conventional alarm.
Dry lining: what is it?
/0 Comments/in Fire Protection, Home Page news feed, News /by Georgia RobertsonDry lining is a form of cladding that prepares internal walls and, occasionally, ceilings, for painting or covering. A smooth surface is created by attaching plasterboard.
This method is quicker than plastering, which is a similar process. Dry lining also uses specialist materials which can save money and time. Plastering also uses more water than dry lining does, which is why the term is ‘dry lining’.
Why is it used?
Dry lining produces a similar result to plastering but is much quicker. Simply put, it produces a surface or wall that is ready to paint or cover. This method can hide wires and pipes, and can even provide sound boarding, and also create an insulation space.
Brickwork and uneven surfaces can be covered with dry lining, making it suitable for a range of applications. It can even create curved walls, which can be incredibly beneficial when dealing with small surfaces or unique spaces.
Dry lining can also be added to stud walls, which are often used in newer models of buildings.
Where can it be used?
Dry lining is usually used on internal ceilings and walls (such as uneven surfaces and brick walls) and on internal stud walls. There are two standard sizes of thickness of plasterboard that can be used, 9.5mm and 12.5mm, depending on the surface that the plasterboard is being fixed to.
In bathrooms and kitchens, dry lining can be used, but moisture-resistant plasterboard or specialist insulation must be used in order to combat the condensation that may be produced in these locations.
What materials can be used?
Plasterboard is the main material that will be used in the process, and this can come in many shapes and sizes. This is then affixed to produce the smooth surface. However, this isn’t the only material required. Nails, screws, and adhesives will also be used in the process.
The adhesive will be used to attach plasterboard directly to the internal wall using dabs of quick drying adhesive. This can be called the dob and dab method. Plasterboard can also be attached to timber or metal walls using nails. This technique is known as tacking. However, screws can hold plasterboard in place better than nails, so the screwing technique can also be used.
In order to cover nails or screws sticking out of the plasterboard, water can be mixed with a powder, which is then combined to make a paste and spread over the nails or screws. Once this substance dries, a smooth finish can be created by sanding it down. Tape can be used to cover any joints between the sheets of plasterboard.
What is plastering and why is it different?
A wet substance is used when plastering, that utilises different materials dependent on the required finish in order to cover a wall. It can then be covered over or painted when it dries. However, this method takes far longer, as the plaster takes far longer to dry. For some older properties though, plastering is preferred in order to maintain the style of the building. Architectural mouldings can also be created using the plastering technique, which cannot be done using dry lining.
In conclusion, there are many benefits to dry lining, and there are also some disadvantages, such as dry-lined walls being more subjected to damage.
Fire stopping – what is it and why is it important?
/0 Comments/in Fire Protection, Home Page news feed, News /by Georgia RobertsonFire stopping is an incredibly important part of fire protection and can help to ensure the safety of people within a building. This is especially important in a commercial environment as not complying with fire protection rules and regulations can be very damaging to a business reputation and can also have severe legal consequences, depending on the level of violation.
Fire stopping refers to the use of fire-resistant materials to fill openings and joints between walls and floors in buildings. The idea behind doing this is to slow down the spread of fire between building ‘compartments.
Fire sleeves
The idea of fire stopping methods are to prevent fire from spreading through cavities in buildings, and as pipes and cables run through these cavities and openings, it can allow fire to spread. This is where fire sleeves come in. Fire sleeves are used to fill and seal the gaps that can be created where the pipes and cables run through. In the event of a fire, the sleeve will expand in order to fill the available space. If there is a plastic pipe, then the fire sleeve will crush and seal off the pipe, which will prevent fire and smoke from passing through. Insulated fire sleeves are intended for use on most plastic pipes, copper and steel and can usually provide up to 2 hours of fire protection.
Fire covers
The purpose of a fire cover is to stop fires of luminaires in suspended ceilings that are fire rated. In the event of a fire, a fire cover will expand internally and fill all available space with a fire-resistant, highly insulating char.
Fire collars
A fire collar is a circular device that can be fitted around the base of pipes. A fire collar can then be attached to a masonry, plasterboard or concrete partition. In the event of a fire, pipe and cable openings can become weakened and the fire can affect the pipe or cable quite significantly. Using a fire collar can reinstate the integrity of the resistance of the wall and is fire tested for up to 4 hours.
Fire sealants and gap fillers
If lines are installed after a building has already been built, no matter how well it was built, the integrity of the building can weaken. Building on top of something that may have the best fire protection strategy in mind, can compromise safety. This is where fire sealants and gap fillers come in. Gap fillers and sealants can close any penetrations and restore the building to its original fire safety standards.
The best materials for fire stopping
In order to ensure that maximum safety is in place when it comes to fire-stopping, you must make sure that openings for things such as cables, beams, pipes, ducts are kept as minimal as possible to ensure maximum safety for a building’s occupants. Common fire stopping materials can include, cement mortar, cement or gypsum-based vermiculite mixes, intumescent mastics, fire shutters and curtains, fire-resistant glazing, linear gap seals, cavity barriers and fire-resistant air transfer grilles.
There are some things that you should always be aware of when it comes to implementing certain fire-resistant materials. Make sure that all pipes, cables and ducts are inspected by a professional, in order to make sure that they are completely safe.
The importance of fire stopping
Fire stopping is incredibly important as it can quite literally save lives. Fire stopping is also an essential component of maintaining building safety. However, once installed, the fire safety measurements will need to be checked regularly by a professional. Failure to do this, could mean breaking fire safety laws, which could have legal consequences. This also means that in the event of a fire, you could be held accountable.
8 Top Tips for a Successful School Refurbishment
/0 Comments/in Fire Protection, Home Page news feed, News /by Georgia Robertson1. Planning and organising
A lot of planning is required in order to conduct a successful school refurbishment, as children are at school for the majority of the year. The best times to conduct the refurbishment would be during the holidays, Christmas, Easter and summer. These times are best for smaller projects and also medium sized projects.
Basic principles
The basic principle of any building is to consider the actual, physical construction of the building. This includes insulation. The insulation is incredibly important, especially in a school, as buildings can get incredibly cold in the winter in England. The role of insulation is also to keep heat out during summer. These factors will play a crucial role in the comfort of students and teachers within the school. This will in turn increase productivity and moral.
Consider space
Space must be considered when completing a school refurbishment. This is very important for schools, as students need space to learn. A typical classroom can consist of around 20-30 students, and each student will need at least a chair and a desk or table. So, in order to create a successful school refurbishment, making the most out of space will be one of the most important considerations.
Outdoor space also must be considered. This is due to the fact that most schools have a playground for children to play in. Most schools will also have at least a couple hundred students in them, and these students will all have lunchtime at the same time, and so will use the playground at the same time.
Comfort
A school needs to be a comfortable place for all parties. Most students will be at school around 8 hours, and so need to be comfortable. Floorspace is a big consideration when refurbishing a school. Children need space to comfortably learn and having a large enough classroom with enough floorspace is key to this. The whole purpose of a building is to provide comfort and safety to its occupants. Therefore, the comfort of its occupants needs to be one of the main considerations when carrying out refurbishments. Things such as air conditioning, temperature, and natural lighting must all be considerations.
Consider its location
Location is a very important consideration when conducting the refurbishment of a school. The amount of outdoor space in the school’s location can determine the size of a school, the amount of playground space, and also if any residential areas etc are nearby. Also, if there is a forest or lake nearby, then these can be utilised within the refurbishment of the school.
Reducing waste production
The construction industry is responsible for most of the waste produced in this country, which is a staggering 40% of total waste production. This is argued to be because of the population growth that most cities are experiencing, as well as the large increase in construction from the 1960s. We can combat this by ensuring that most, if not all, waste is sent to recycling facilities, and also using more recycled materials.
Responsibility
At the very early stages of the project, responsibility needs to be assessed and given to whoever needs to take responsibility. It is important that the school is kept informed every step of the process. The school needs to have a clear understanding of the design and contract programme and also needs to know what is going to happen every step of the way of the school refurbishment. The school official also needs to know about health and safety and contractual regulations regarding the build.
Health and safety
Both the school and the construction contractor have a responsibility to ensure that risk assessments and method statements are consistently monitored. For example, fire exits, and all fire systems need to be agreed upon by all parties. It is also important that these exits, and site boundaries are clearly marked, and signage is amended as appropriate.
Why fire doors are critical for your commercial building
/0 Comments/in Fire Protection, Home Page news feed, News /by Georgia RobertsonAs it’s a legal requirement in commercial buildings to have the correct systems in place for fire stopping and fire protection, the importance of fire doors cannot be underestimated. It’s a key feature which will help protect the lives of customers and the public, as well as all members of staff, in the event of a fire. Having fire doors fitted by FIRAS accredited experts will ensure that the surrounding walls and structures stay intact, unfortunately there have been many instances of fire doors not doing their job due to poor fitting and maintenance.
Since Grenfell in 2017, fire regulations have become a lot stricter and there is a lot more scrutiny based on whether a company complies with fire regulation. Only 66% of fire audits conducted across England were deemed satisfactory in 2019/2020, and only 59% of licensed premises were satisfactory. Therefore, it is obvious that some work needs to be done in order to raise the bar on fire safety standards.
However, it can be difficult to navigate the rules surrounding fire doors, as it depends on many factors, such as the number of occupants, overall purpose and size of the building, to name a few.
Different types of fire door
Fire doors are heavily tested in order to find out their ‘grade’. The grade refers to the duration that a fire door can provide protection for in the event of a fire. The materials that were used to build the fire door can mean that the results can vary for different doors.
The main organisation that gives fire door ratings is the British Woodworking Federation (BWF). The ratings are assessed using 4 main integrity levels and can also vary from FD30 (30 minutes) to FD120 (120 minutes). The average fire door grade in commercial buildings is typically FD60 or above, compared to FD30 or FD60 in residential buildings. This can all depend on the materials being used to build the fire door, as commercial buildings will typically opt for a much safer door due to the presence of high-risk materials or things that are of a particular value to an organisation.
Steel doors
In a commercial building, a steer door may be the best way to go. This is because they are solid and durable and can offer the maximum protection of above FD120 (120 minutes). A lot of the time, steel doors are used in settings such as hospitals and kitchens.
Glass fire doors
Glass fire doors must be made from fire-rated glass, it cannot be made from regular glass. Regular glass will shatter if it reaches temperatures above 120 degrees Celsius. However, fire-rated glass can withstand temperatures of up to 900 degrees Celsius and can last up to 60 minutes without cracking or breaking.
Wooden fire doors
Wooden fire doors are very popular in residential properties, and they can provide the same level of protection as glass fire doors. This can be anywhere between 30 and 60 minutes. Many wooden fire doors’ cores are made from magboard, particleboard, flax board or timber.
Frames and hinges
Regulations should be followed to the letter as it can mean the difference between life or death, when it comes to the event of a fire. This includes the use of fire door frames and hinges. Frames and hinges must also comply with fire door regulations and the materials and products used for these is just as important as the materials used for the actual fire door itself.
All materials that are used in the construction of fire doors, frames and hinges must be Certifire approved, and where necessary, CE marked. CE marking is how a product complies with EU safety, and other safety legislation. CE marking also requires being vetted by an independent third party. The gap between a fire door and its frame cannot exceed 4mm in size. This is in order to block smoke coming through to the rooms protected by fire doors.
The hinges in which fire doors hang must be made of metal with a metal point of above 800 degrees Celsius. The hinges also must be CE marked and there must 3 hinges on every fire door.
Commercial regulations
A ‘responsible person’ must be allocated on each commercial premises and it will be that person’s job to conduct a thorough fire risk assessment (FRA). In this assessment, any misuse or neglect must be noted. For example, it can be dangerous to wedge open a fire door. However, this is an extremely common thing to do, which compromises the fire door’s ability to do its job and protect people in the event of a fire. It was reported that 68% of buildings visited by the fire service in 2018, had doors wedges open.
The risks of non-compliance
There are very high penalties for not meeting the fire protection regulations, fines of £5,000 and even prison sentences can be carried out for not complying with fire safety regulations. In 2007, supermarket brand Tesco was fined £95,000 for wedging open its fire doors.
5 Fire Safety Elements for Commercial Buildings
/0 Comments/in Fire Protection, Home Page news feed, News /by Georgia RobertsonIt is incredibly important to maintain fire safety in a commercial building. It’s important as it keeps your customers safe, as well as yourself and your employees. It’s crucial to maintain fire safety equipment and to make sure that your building covers fire laws.
Commercial fires can be caused by the same reasons that domestic fires can, such as ovens, faulty electrics, arson etc. However, the good news is that these fires can be prevented, and measures can be taken to ensure that the building is as safe as it can be.
Use of fire alarms
Fire alarms are an incredibly important part of fire safety as they are the warning signal to people to exit the building. Fire alarms are arguably, the most important feature in a fire safety system. Fire alarms are used as they usually detect a fire the earliest.
However, you are not actually required by law to have a fire alarm system on the premises, it is typically the easiest and most convenient system to have. Although the law states that you do not have to have a fire alarm system in the building, you must have an appropriate fire detection system in place.
Exit Signs
Exit signs are another crucial part of fire safety in a commercial setting. This is because people need to know where to go in the event of a fire. Having signs that clearly point to the exit, is crucial. If people do not know here to go, then a panic will ensue. These kinds of panics can sometimes be fatal as people tend to not think logically. It’s imperative that people remain calm when there is a fire, as it can mean the difference between life and death. Therefore, exit signs are so important.
Emergency lights
Emergency lights are also incredibly important to use alongside exit signs. During a fire, there is typically a lot of smoke. This can obscure vision and make the setting extremely difficult to navigate around, even in a familiar setting. Therefore, emergency lights are important, as they can guide people to the exit. They are easier to see through the thick smoke. Furthermore, light up exit signs switch to emergency power when it cannot connect to the main power.
Fire extinguishers
A lot of commercial buildings have fire extinguishers nearby. However, you must know how to use one in order to operate it. Usually, the operation of these is included within fire safety training.
Fire extinguishers should also not be any further than 75 feet away from each other, as people should not have to travel more than this in order to reach a fire extinguisher. They should also be stored near the exits, as people coming in should not have to travel far to reach one to put out a fire.
Fire sprinklers
A lot of the time in commercial buildings, a sprinkler system will be used. This can be an effective way to reduce a fire, or even stop a fire. These systems require regular maintenance and upkeep by licensed inspectors.