Door Industry Journal - Spring 2020

114 THE door industry journal spring 2020 Also online at: www.dijonline.co.uk Fire & Security Concealment Enhances Fire Safety Fire safety, quite rightly, is high on the agenda of every building project, whether new build or refurbishment. It is governed by a host of legislation, performance standards, regulations and orders that place responsibilities on professionals involved in the design, construction and management of all types of property, as well as on the manufacturers of products used in the building process. As a vital component in the performance of a fire door, door closers are not immune to the requirements imposed by the various instruments governing fire safety, and special care needs to be taken when selecting products for different projects. From a performance perspective, door closers which carry the CE mark are essential. This is assured by compliance with BS EN 1154 in the case of controlled door closing devices. BS EN 1154 includes a number of requirements, chief amongst which are successful fire testing to BS EN 1634-1 and cycle testing to at least 500,000 opening/closing cycles, which is equivalent to ten years in a high usage environment and should, reasonably, be expected to be covered by a manufacturer’s product warranty. It should also be noted that only door closers of power size three and above are suitable for use on fire doors. In addition to the areas of product performance covered by legislation and standards, the selection process should also include the consideration of other factors which can have a bearing on the door closer’s (and fire door’s) ability to perform reliably throughout its life:- Reliability Failure of a door closer can lead to failure of the entire fire door to perform the duty for which it is intended; to keep fire and smoke at bay. Cycle testing certainly provides some assurance of a product’s quality and durability, but other factors can also come into play. The need to properly maintain the door closer during its life can impose an undesirable burden on building managers; some door closers, such as Powermatic, are designed to be maintenance-free and come with ten-year warranties for added assurance. Additionally, if a door closer is damaged, either through some misplaced prank, tampering or a deliberate act of vandalism, this too can have a detrimental effect on the fire door’s performance, perhaps even stopping the fire door from working all together. In social housing flats and HMOs, educational establishments, student accommodation, healthcare facilities and other public buildings, such risks, whether accidental or deliberate, can be significantly higher than in other properties. Powermatic jamb-mounted door closers are a viable solution in such situations. Totally concealed when the door is closed, they fit neatly between the door and frame and, unlike surface-mounted devices, have minimal visible components, even when the door is open. Out of sight and unobtrusive, door closers such as Powermatic are less likely to be a target for tampering, vandalism or even removal, offering the potential for enhanced reliability of the door closer and continued service of the fire door. This reduced susceptibility to damage can also result in less maintenance call-outs, saving property owners and managers time and money.