Spotlight On – Fire Door Safety Week

Fire Door Safety Week

The Fire Door Safety Week campaign for 2015 will run 14–20 September. The aim is to spread the word about the crucial importance of fire doors in protecting people and property.

Roughly three million new fire doors are introduced in the UK each year. However, in a recent survey from fire risk assessors, 80% of escape routes were obstructed, 65% of fire doors were wedged open, and 85% had door closers disconnected. Furthermore, a recent review of 100 prosecutions from the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 showed that fire doors were the second highest reason for prosecutions.

Therefore, it is crucial to raise awareness of fire door safety.

Why is fire door safety important? 

A fire door is not just a door. It is an engineered safety device.

Fire doors exist to save lives and protect property. They provide essential protection in buildings by protecting escape routes, and separating different fire hazards within a building. Fire doors are fundamental to most buildings’ fire strategies.

In order to fulfil their function, fire doors must be correctly maintained and implemented. Therefore, fire door safety awareness is integral to a building’s safety procedures.

Like all safety devices, fire doors should be fitted and maintained by a competent person, and shouldn’t be altered or adapted. Their performance should never be compromised, e.g. by being propped open.

Dos and Don’ts

The Fire Safety Door campaign advises the following dos and don’ts in order to stay safe:

DO

• Specify and use third-party certificated fire doors and components
• Buy fire doors, frames and components from certificated companies
• Check the certificate matches the door
• Make sure you have the correct certification for the door’s intended use
• Install and maintain fire doors using competent personnel
• Make sure that ironmongery components are CE marked

DON’T

• Fit a fire door like any other door – it’s not, it’s an engineered safety device
• Cut vision panels and other holes on site
• Patch up a fire door
• Take risks by reducing the specification
• Disconnect a fire door closer
• Prop or wedge open a fire door

Fire Door Safety Week

Fire door Safety Week will run 14-20 September, and will be working in partnership with the Fire Kills Campaign.

Events will run in a variety of locations, and companies are encouraged to get involved in the campaign.

More info can be found here >> 

Get involved on twitter by following @FDSafetyWeek, or check #FireDoorSafetyWeek

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Don’t hesitate to get in touch if we can help you find a solution to your safety matters.