Why is fire door testing so important?

If an emergency occurs, you want to make sure that you have everything in place to keep people as safe as possible. There is lots of equipment that you can install to deal with things such as a fire, but one of the first lines of defence has to be your fire doors.

They are incredibly important when it comes to blocking the path of a fire and containing it long before anyone is able to tackle it or even raise the alarm. However without a proper fire door inspection, if the doors or not in good condition or not working properly, then they may fail, and so they need to be tested regularly. Read on to find out more about fire door testing and why it is so important…

The impact of fires on a workplace

Fire is something which scares most people, and rightly so, as its affects can be devastating. The first priority in any fire is the danger to human life, as people can suffer death or injury from burns, smoke inhalation or falling objects.

A fire can cause untold damage to the building itself which could cause you to have to cease trading and could be exceedingly costly when it comes to repairs. You may also find that you lose a lot of your stock or equipment, which can again make it difficult to trade. All of these will inevitably lead to you needing to make a substantial insurance claim which is likely to increase your premiums, and if the relevant Fire Safety Legislation has not been followed then your policy could be invalidated entirely.

Another loss that your business might suffer is a loss of data, which will again impact on whether you are able to keep working. These losses and potential closures will all have an impact on the reputation of your business, especially if customers are required to find other businesses to service their needs while you get back on your feet.

The role of a fire door

A fire door is not just any door, it will have been through rigorous testing to ensure that it presents a robust defence against any fire. They are crucial in stopping the spread of a fire, as it can be possible to confine it into one area until help arrives. This can not only save large areas of your business, but it can also buy people the vital time needed to escape.

Fire doors can be made from wood, steel or glass and each one has its own rating to show how long it could last against a fire, with times ranging from 30 minutes to 120 minutes. A fire door should automatically close to make sure that it always offers the necessary protection, and so it should never be wedged open. When a fire breaks out, it can take time to be noticed by sensors or the human eye, but if fire doors are in place and closed properly, then they can start working immediately by stopping the fire from spreading before sprinklers kick in, fire extinguishers are deployed or the fire service arrives.

Fire door testing

It is essential to make sure that your fire door is fit for purpose, otherwise it may not be able to fulfil its role properly. All fire doors in a business should ideally be tested every six months by a qualified professional who can not only check that the doors are up to the required standards but also to make any repairs that might be necessary.

The first thing that will be checked is whether the fire door closes fully. It should be able to close automatically and shut without sticking on the floor or the frame. It needs to sit against the door stop and it should be free from distortion. If you have double fire doors, then it is necessary to check that the doors close in line when released together.

It is also important to make sure that there is a latch on the door which holds it in place without rattling, and there should not be any gaps. The top and side of the fire door should have a gap of less than 4mm whilst the gap between the floor and the door must be less than 10mm. A good way to keep an eye on this is to see if light can be seen between the gaps. If there is a gap, then the door will not provide an effective seal and will be unable to contain the smoke and fire.

The seals on the door will also play a large role in containing the fire, and so these should be fitted to the inside groove of the frame or door leaf. To ensure that the door closes automatically, it must have a door closer in place that has been correctly fitted, and everything must be free from damage.

The door frame also needs close inspection as it needs to be firmly attached to the wall and free from damage. It should also have been provided by the same manufacturer as the door itself. The door should be attached with at least three hinges which are securely fixed in place.

It may seem obvious, but it is also important to inspect the door itself. Any fire door must be certified, and so it should carry a label or stamp showing a CE or UKCA mark. It should also be undamaged, and there should be no cracks in the glass.

Of course, a fire door is only ever going to be effective it is used properly, so it should never be propped open with wedges or obstacles.

Fire doors can often be overlooked as part of the furniture of a business, but they can be a life saving tool that can protect your staff and customers as well as the infrastructure of your business. It is therefore important that you look after them and make sure they are fit to do their job by regularly testing them as you never know when you might need them.