Fire door safety

About fire doors

About 3 million new fire doors are bought and installed every year in the UK. But to save lives, fire doors must work correctly.

  • They are part of a building’s passive fire protection system and are fundamental to most fire strategies for buildings
  • They provide critical protection within a building such as escape routes (stairs and corridors) and places of relative safety, and in separating different fire hazards in a building

Importance of fire doors

Important information about fire doors:

  • To save lives, fire doors must work correctly
  • They must be tested and third-party certificated to BS 476 Part 22 or BS EN 1634 Part 1
  • They must be fitted with the correct and compatible components suited to the door leaf and its purpose
  • Like any fire safety device, they should be installed and maintained by competent people
  • Never prop open a fire door

Fire doors - what to do

  • Buy fire doors, frames and components from certificated companies
  • Check the certificate matches the door
  • Install and maintain fire doors using competent personnel
  • Make sure that ironmongery components are CE marked

Fire doors - don't

  • Fit a fire door like any other door – it’s not, it’s an engineered safety device
  • Cut vision panels and other holes on site
  • Patch up a fire door
  • Take risks by reducing the specification
  • Disconnect a fire door closer
  • Prop or wedge open a fire door