Door Industry Journal - Spring 2021

109 THE door industry journal spring 2021 2 Also online at: www.dijonline.co.uk Fire Doors, Safety & Security manufacturer to validate the CE mark. In addition, the door closer must be approved by a third-party certification scheme such as CERTIFIRE – if it is not, the product should not be considered for use, as fitting a non-approved product to a CERTIFIRE door will invalidate the certification. When checking the closers as part of regular maintenance, open the door fully and allow the door closer to activate. The door closer should completely close the door, engage the latch by clicking shut, and the closing time of the door must not take longer than 25 seconds. Also, ensure the door closer has no damage, and that there are no oil leaks. When testing hold-open devices, check the hold-open mechanism releases the door when required, i.e. when the fire alarm sounds or if the power is cut off. In addition, check for any beeping or flashing lights, and make sure you note when batteries are changed. Intumescent seals Intumescent seals are absolutely crucial components to ensuring fire doors work entirely as expected in the event of a fire. When exposed to heat, this material expands to fill the small gaps around the door and other components to trap fire and smoke, preventing the spread beyond the door, so these must be in good condition in order to work as required. The strips on the sides of the door must be inspected to ensure they will properly fill the gaps around the door; as a rule of thumb, these should be less than 4mm on the sides, and up to 8mm maximum below the door. Intumescent pads must be fitted in the correct material around the hinges and within the lock. Fire doors with vision panels are a legal requirement in doors that are along escape routes that sub-divide corridors, so this glazing must also have intumescent glazing seals fitted, and should be free from damage and tested in accordance with BS 476, PT.22. If the door closer is a concealed, overhead door closer (which is an excellent option for those seeking to prevent tampering or damage), it must also be fitted with the correct intumescent material. Locks, Latches and Signs When inspecting fire doors, the locks and latches must also be checked. These should be CE Marked, and the latch must hold the door firmly in place without rattling – any gaps or risk of the door not closing properly means smoke can pass through, hindering escape routes. Correct signage must also be displayed on both sides of the door, in accordance with BS5499, which will include blue “Fire door keep shut” circular sign. Fire doors and all the hardware involved are lifesaving pieces of equipment – and subpar specification, or neglecting regular maintenance, can have disastrous consequences. Included in its range of over 18,000 products in stock, IronmongeryDirect has a wide choice of fire safety products, including CE Marked door closers, locks and latches, intumescent materials, and fire safety signage. In addition, IronmongeryDirect has created a useful Fire Door Checklist, a guide to Fire Protection and a Door Closers guide, as well as a Door Closer Calculator, to equip building owners with more information and help to achieve compliance and keep occupant’s safe. To view the Fire Door Checklist and the full range of certified products as well as a more comprehensive guide to fire safety and door closers, please visit www.ironmongerydirect.co.uk/fire-door-checklist .