Door Industry Journal - Winter 2020

102 THE door industry journal winter 2020 Also online at: www.dijonline.co.uk Fire Doors, Safety & Security Often overlooked by building occupants, closers are vital to ensure fire doors function correctly in the event of a fire. However, there are important factors to take into account when selecting the relevant product for application. For instance, the door size and weight, levels of traffic and usage, accessibility, risk of damage and adhering to Building Regulations. Building Legislation – Fire Risk and Accessibility Compliance with Building Regulations is of the utmost priority when specifying, as these outline fire safety legislation and accessibility requirements. Fire Safety Fire doors are essential in providing passive fire protection – ensuring safe evacuation in the event of a fire and preventing the spread of flame and smoke. However, fire doors can only operate effectively when the door is able to fully close. Approved Document B (Fire safety) in England and Wales, Section 2 in Scotland and Part E in Northern Ireland, outlines requirements for fire doors to be fitted with a self-closing device that will fully close the door from any angle. These door closers must comply with BS EN1154 Controlled Door Closing Devices, or BS EN1155 for electromagnetic closers and fire holders. All products must be CE marked to these standards and must also have certification from third party approval schemes such as CERTIFIRE. Without this, the certification will be invalidated, and the product should not be considered for use. Accessibility The Equality Act 2010 stipulates that physical features of a building, including fixtures, fittings and equipment, must not Door Closers: How to Specify Door closers play a critical role in ensuring the effectiveness of fire doors to protect lives and property. Here, David Saxby, Senior Category Manager at IronmongeryDirect, highlights some of the key considerations for specifiers as well as some recommended solutions.