THE door industry journal summer 2022 2 Also online at: www.dijonline.co.uk Almost a Third of Those Responsible for Fire Doors Do Not Understand Fire Door Responsibility Under Building Safety Act The BWF Fire Door Alliance reveals new research into the understanding of fire door third-party certification as new building safety legislation comes into force Nearly a third (30%) of those responsible for fire door safety say they do not fully understand their responsibilities under the Building Safety Act*, one of the UK’s leading authorities on fire door safety and third-party certification has revealed. The British Woodworking Federation (BWF) Fire Door Alliance’s survey of 1,000 people with responsibility for fire door specification, installation, and maintenance across the UK identified a lack of understanding of fire safety-related responsibilities under the new legislation. Almost one in ten (8%) were unaware how new laws will affect how fire doors are specified. However, in signs of an early positive effect of new legislation, more than half of respondents said they would now ask for more information on product traceability and seek more proof of performance. Helen Hewitt, Chief Executive of the BWF Fire Door Alliance, said: “Our findings clearly show that while the new legislation appears to have had a positive initial impact, there is still some work to be done in disseminating the detail, and building an understanding of how compliance with the law can be met. This must be made an urgent priority for all those responsible for fire safety.” Growing awareness of fire door certification, but still work to do The research, published in a new report as part of the BWF Fire Door Alliance’s Be Certain, Be Certified campaign explored understanding and attitudes towards third-party certification of fire doors, which can assist those responsible for a building’s fire safety to fulfil their legal obligations and offer robust proof of a fire door’s performance. While, encouragingly, more than half (55%) of fire doors that respondents had responsibility for are third-party certified, 80% said that end clients, such as building owners and managers, do not require third-party certification. Among those who do specify or use third-party certified fire doors, the primary reason for doing so is to meet and comply with fire safety legislation (47%). 40% said that the reason was to provide traceability of fire door components, manufacture and journey through the supply chain – highlighting a strong awareness of the benefits of third-party certification. However the research also highlighted major barriers to the adoption of third-party certified fire doors. Over a third (35%) cite cost as the primary reason, while 33% reported a lack of end client demand. Certification delivers all-important traceability While end clients typically don’t insist on certification, the overwhelming majority (88%) of respondents agree that the traceability of a complete fire door assembly is important to the organisations they’re working on behalf of. However, less than a third (28%) said they will go as far as to specify third-party certified fire doors to meet their obligations. For more information about third-party certification and the Be Certain, Be Certified campaign, visit: https://firedoors.bwf.org.uk/be-certain-be-certified/ An extended version of this article is available at: blog.doorindustryjournal.co.uk using search term BWF. Fire Doors, Safety & Security
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