Door Industry Journal - Winter 2013

Also online at: www.dijonline.co.uk THE door industry journal winter 2013 F RED UP As another year draws to a close, the fire door industry should look back on the lessons it has learnt and how it can continue to improve to safeguard lives and property. One of the biggest stories of the year was the eagerly awaited verdict for the Lakanal House inquest. A fire at the block of flats in 2007 took the lives of six residents, including three children. The verdict was guilty for the council that had refurbished the residential tower block as there were a range of issues with the tower block’s fire safety and it was identified that faulty fire doors were partly responsible for the rapid spread of fire. Soon after the verdict was announced, a building contractor was found to have installed up to 66 faulty fire doors across eleven blocks of flats as part of a refurbishment programme in Stoke-on-Trent. Some of the doors did not meet the 30 minute fire resistance required and others did not open and close correctly. While the faulty fire doors in Stoke-on-Trent were discovered before a fire struck, the potential for another tragedy such as that of Lakanal House was just around the corner. It is real-life, hard hitting stories like this that echo the need for correctly installed and well-maintained fire doors, but sadly this need is often ignored. This is what spurred the British Woodworking Federation (BWF), BWF-CERTIFIRE, FDIS and a host of building trade associations, fire and rescue authorities, housing associations and fire door manufacturers and suppliers, to support the inaugural Fire Door Safety Week. The aim of the initiative was to raise awareness of fire door safety and emphasise their importance as part of a building’s fire protection. The campaign was a much needed wake up call for all fire door related industries but also for property owners and for the general public who rely on fire doors on a day-to-day basis. Fire Door Safety Week will return in 2014 and FDIS will once again be ready to show its support. However, this does not mean our work is done and FDIS remains committed to transforming people’s knowledge and understanding of the role a fire door plays. This year saw FDIS reward its 100th Diploma in Fire Doors (DipFD) and introduced the Certificated Fire Door Inspector (CertFDI). FDIS has also joined forces with BWF and BWF-CERTIFIRE to launch the Fire Door Installer Register. These initiatives are consistently raising the bar in fire safety but will only work if those involved with fire doors step up to their responsibilities and ask the questions they are unsure about. If you manufacture fire doors and fire door components are you up to date with the relevant regulations? If you install or maintain fire doors, do you fully understand their role and the impact of any alterations you make? If you are not sure or have any questions about fire doors it is essential that you find out the answers before it is too late. Fire doors are engineered safety devices and only the correct manufacture, installation and maintenance will help keep buildings’ users safe. So why not make your New Year’s resolution to become a fire door expert? For further information on the Diploma in Fire Doors and Certificated Fire Door Inspector, visit www.fdis.co.uk A regular look at what’s going on in the Fire Door Industry brought to you by Neil Ashdown, General Manager of the Fire Door Inspection Scheme (FDIS). Neil Ashdown, General Manager, Fire Door Inspection Scheme (FDIS) INTRODUCING HYGIENIFORM ECO Leaderflush Shapland has expanded its Hygieniform range with the introduction of its PVC free option - Hygieniform Eco. Hygieniform is a high-impact chemical and bacterial resistant facing option that forms part of Leaderflush Shapland’s Plasform range. Due to manufacturing developments, Leaderflush Shapland is able to offer the same great benefits in a PVC free version - Hygieniform Eco, helping to make the range more environmentally friendly in the long run due to its 100% recyclable nature. This point alone is incredibly important for specifiers who are increasingly looking for more environmentally sound products. Hygieniform Eco contains no harmful chemicals, such as PBT’s, halogens or monomers. What’s more, Hygieniform Eco incorporates an anti-microbial additive which kills harmful bacteria such as C.Diff, E.Coli, MRSA, Listeria and Salmonella that may be present on the door. Even if the surface is scratched, it will still provide protection against such harmful bacteria, perfect for any healthcare environment. Further development of the Hygieniform range has also led to the introduction of two new colours - Sea Green and Gust, allowing for greater flexibility when it comes to specification. Stephen Hutsby, New Product Development Manager from Leaderflush Shapland commented: “The Hygieniform Eco range is incredibly versatile and offers even greater choice for specifiers - the innovation behind the range is second to none and ensures that those looking for a more eco friendly doorset solution are given more options. Eliminating the use of PVC is not of detriment to the products in the range and they are still able to offer the outstanding levels of performance expected from our wide and varied product offer.” For more information on the Hygieniform Eco range visit www.leaderflushshapland.co.uk Leaderflush Shapland The future of performance doorsets