Door Group, a division of Assa Abloy Opening Solutions UK & Ireland, is calling for a higher calibre of fire door inspections this Fire Door Safety Week (25-29th Sept), after research found a third (32%) of the British public would not report a problem with a fire door, putting lives at risk.
Those asked believed that a fire door that was propped open with a wedge or a fire extinguisher was safe, and 15% believed that keeping a fire door closed stops it performing, highlighting a lack of understanding around the role fire doors play in the event of a fire.
Only 19% of those responsible for the specification, installation and maintenance of fire doors inspect their fire doors twice a year, 14% inspect annually, while 3% only inspect their fire doors when an issue has been reported. Four in five respondents say end clients do not require third-party certified fire doors to be specified.
Brian Sofley, Managing Director at Door Group, said: “Fire doors are one of the most important safety features in a building, as they provide a critical part of the fire compartmentation requirement. Gross negligence when it comes to fire door safety can have serious and devastating implications. The public’s lack of understanding around fire doors means it’s even more vital that buildings and facilities managers ensure compliance to protect occupants. However, nearly a third (30%) of those responsible for fire door safety say they do not fully understand their responsibilities under the Building Safety Act.
“It is imperative that those responsible for the property ensure life safety products have been independently verified, are regularly audited or certified and have been manufactured and installed by competent companies or individuals.
“Suppliers and manufacturers also have a duty of care to their customers at each and every stage of a project, to offer a solution that is properly and unambiguously safeguarded by certification.”
