Door Industry Journal - Winter 2018

closers and other hardware cannot claim compliance in themselves. However, the performance and efficiency of the door closer will have a direct effect on the door’s ability to meet the requirements and specifiers should be certain that products can deliver this performance reliably throughout the life of the product. Standard power size 4 door closers can struggle with meeting these accessibility requirements. CE-marked power size 3 devices, such as Powermatic, provide the ideal solution, both for achieving fire safety performance and enabling doorsets to comply with accessibility requirements. Added assurance Not unlike the car industry, the architectural ironmongery industry abounds with rumours of unscrupulous manufacturers who can engineer products to pass test procedures but are unable to carry the principles through to the products which are sold to the market. Consistent, reliable performance should not be taken for granted. Unfortunately, manufacturer’s claims of performance, reliability and suitability cannot always be trusted and specifiers should seek out those companies, such as Samuel Heath, who can support their performance credentials with independent third-party accreditation. For example, Powermatic door closers are the only jamb- mounted door closers to benefit from Certifire accreditation. 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 ability to perform reliably throughout its life:- Reliability Failure of a door closer can lead to failure of the 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 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. Their closing speed and latching action can also be adjusted without requiring the product to be removed from the door, allowing installation and fine-tuning to be carried out easily. 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, educational establishments, student accommodation, healthcare facilities and other public buildings, such risks, whether accidental or deliberate, are significantly higher than in other properties. Samuel Heath 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. Door closers such as Powermatic are less likely to be damaged, thereby enhancing the reliability of the door closer itself as well as the fire door. Safety Wedging fire doors open will obviously prevent the fire door performing its primary function and should be avoided at all times. Despite notices, best practice guides and individual instructions, the practice still goes on, especially in care homes, but also in other facilities. Additionally, individual bedroom doors in care homes, psychiatric care facilities and similar buildings will often require the door to be capable of normal manual operation much of the time, but act as a fire door in the case of a fire or when desired by users. Recognising the risks and assessing the needs of a building’s occupants, are the first steps to providing effective fire safety. The solution is either to use hold-open devices or free swing door closers, such as Powermatic Free Swing, which allows the door to operate manually until the door closer is activated, normally by the building’s fire alarm system. Choose wisely When selecting the right door closer for any fire door situation, the first task will always be to ensure that the product meets relevant fire performance requirements. Once these criteria have been satisfied, skill and judgement need to be applied in interpreting regulations correctly and considering less rigid criteria, such as reliability, maintenance requirements and other factors that can have a significant influence on the safety of a building’s occupants. Whilst performance standards, quite rightly, will always be of prime importance in the selection process, other factors are also coming into play. These include product quality, reliability, manufacturer’s reputation, third party accreditations and a variety of additional benefits that can be gained by selecting the right type and make of door closer. 119 THE door industry journal winter 2018 Also online at: www.dijonline.co.uk Locks & Building Hardware