Door Industry Journal - Summer 2021

Also online at: www.dijonline.co.uk 120 THE door industry journal summer 2021 Fire Doors, Safety & Security The regulations and standards associated with fire safety and sheltered, assisted and social housing are, by necessity, robust. Yet, the responsibilities towards those standards, and subsequently, fire safety equipment such as fire doors, can often leave people vulnerable, as previous accounts have highlighted. Fire doors, in particular, are an essential defence against fire and smoke and in the event of a fire, give building occupants the time to get out safely - or have emergency services reach them. However, to work effectively, these doors must be installed by an expert and maintained properly from thereon after. There are no exceptions. This is especially important in care homes and sheltered living scenarios, where there are multiple - and often vulnerable – occupants, and in social housing developments, where many susceptible tenants can live. The standards those buildings must meet are reiterated in the recent updates to both the Fire Safety Bill and the Building Safety Bill, which suggest a renewed focus on the safety of occupants in all residential settings. Robust Legislations Often, residential settings such as care homes and sheltered living locations require extra thinking behind the safety of occupants. With ease of movement and general building safety high on the agenda, so too should the fire safety of a building. But, take care homes for example. Inspectors have been known to reprimand responsible parties for blocking fire door exits, wedging doors open, keeping fire doors locked and in some cases, finding fire doors that are incorrectly fitted. That’s not to mention potential maintenance issues. In fact, it was last year that the Care Removing the Obscurity Behind Sheltered Housing Fire Standards With new fire safety legislation demanding a renewed focus on safety in all residential settings, Karen Trigg of Allegion UK explains why care-home and sheltered housing associations must prioritise the maintenance of fire doors.