Door Industry Journal - Winter 2021

117 THE door industry journal winter 2021 2 Also online at: www.dijonline.co.uk Fire Doors, Safety & Security knowledge. While it’s clear that expertise is lacking across various touchpoints - think product selection, installation and maintenance - there is momentum to incite real change and the resources to improve awareness and education. In response, and leading by example, is the Architects Registration Board (ARB) which recently published guidance to suggest fire safety is taught under architecture curriculum at universities. And while this shows positive steps are being made, the onus can’t solely be passed to the next generation of architectural professionals. All professional areas must commit and, in an age where information is almost instantaneous, there are several methods to gain a greater understanding of fire door safety - and all from trusted sources. In light of Fire Door Safety Week, the British Woodworking Federation Group shares regular advice and useful toolkits on fire door safety; including a five step checklist that’s designed to support building owners in assessing their own fire doors (via certification, apertures, gaps and seals, closers and operation). Information pools like this provide modern building managers with the know-how they need to monitor and act - making the decision to repair or replace fire doors where necessary. For those actively involved in the maintenance stage, further guidance on topics such as certification and door closer adjustments is available online and by manufacturer request - showing fire door safety doesn’t need to be tackled alone. When it comes to product selection and installation, there’s also a wealth of information and walkthroughs available in the form of detailed product datasheets and installation guides. These can often be found online and allow for a greater understanding on the hardware that’s available, leading to better design decisions and more reliable installation. Aside from product manuals, installers and contractors are commonly offered specialist site visits, training portals and even hardware classification guides in a bid to assist with projects post-installation. With this, professionals can ensure that their standards don’t slip after time passes, by understanding more about the rounded process that fire door safety is and being ready for maintenance periods when they approach. Today’s associations, professional bodies and manufacturers are on hand more than ever to assist specifiers, installers and end users throughout the process that is fire door safety. The support is there, and the resources are readily available and so, there’s now a real opportunity to improve fire safety awareness and education for the better. How Allegion UK can Help Allegion UK has a wealth of resources to help professionals undertake product selection, installation and maintenance checks on fire doors and hardware. This simple toolkit provides information and tips on detecting potential faulty doors and poor installation, a guide to the EN classification system and a safety checklist. There’s also an option to order a free door gap tester or download Allegion’s general guide to service and maintenance for free. For information on product selection and installation, please speak to our experts or head to our download centre for technical fitting instructions. www.allegion.co.uk Concealment Reduces the Risk of Door Closer Damage Renowned for its ability to assure a clean, unhindered appearance to doors and interiors, Samuel Heath’s Powermatic controlled, concealed door closer is used extensively in flats, apartments and HMOs throughout the social housing sector thanks to the safety, reliability and low maintenance benefits that the door closer delivers. Unlike surface-mounted door closers, Powermatic is completely concealed when the door is closed, and not easily visible when open. This can significantly reduce the opportunity for the door closer to be vandalised, tampered with or removed. Together with the fact that the door closer is maintenance- free and facilitates adjustment of closing speed and latching action without removal from the door, this attribute can result in a reduced maintenance burden for social landlords. Reduced risk of vandalism also provides significant safety benefits; a damaged door closer can prevent the door from closing correctly. Any door, especially a fire door, that fails to function is, at best, an inconvenience and, at worst, potentially fatal. From a performance perspective, Powermatic boasts a plethora of national and European technical performance accreditations, including UKCA and CE marking, fire testing on both half-hour and one-hour fire doors to BS EN 1634, opening forces that comply with BS8300 and the ability to enable doors to meet the requirements of Approved Document M. It is also the only Certifire jamb-mounted door closer. Full details can be obtained by contacting Samuel Heath on 0121 766 4200, emailing info@samuel-heath.com , or visiting www.concealeddoorclosers.com .