This blog was written by Stemko Group.
Although we don’t supply & install doorsets to the residential sector, the Grenfell Tower fire has firmly clarified the importance of correctly installed fire doors and it is has become a big topic of conversation in the construction industry.
The only positive thing that has been taken from this truly devastating tragedy, is an awareness of fire protection and the importance of it during the construction process. The investigations into the fire uncovered clear evidence that the fire protection inside and outside the building was certainly not up to standard, and it has, without doubt, opened people’s eyes into the true value of fire doors and their purpose.
We walk through fire doors every day, whether it be at work or in a public place, without even realising how important that door would be in the event of a fire. If a fire was to break out at your place of work, local gym, or shopping centre, you would naturally assume that the best fire protection would be in place, sadly this wasn’t the case for the victims and residents of the Grenfell tower.
It saddens me that it has taken such a tragedy for people to understand the importance of fire protection when it comes to public buildings. Fire and smoke kills, so when it comes to the safety of tens, hundreds or even thousands of lives, cutting corners to save money should never be an option.
Looking back at some old articles based on the testing and investigations that took place around the Grenfell Tower fire, Fire Engineer Dr Barbara Lane, stated the problems with the doors :
• Failed to reach FD30 standard regulations
•Fire door closers in corridors were broken or missing.
•The doors were not being maintained
•The doors should have been FD30S (smoke rated) as standard.
FD30S doors give protection from smoke (the S on a fire door rating stands for smoke). An FD30 door would resist fire for 30 minutes and an FD30S door would resist fire for 30 minutes as well as offering protection from deadly cold smoke, using both intumescent and brush seals. If a door closer is missing or not working correctly, the doors would be open during a fire, allowing it to spread. A fire door cannot perform unless it is closed.
As commercial fire door suppliers and installers, we cannot stress the importance of fire protection. Getting the best ‘deal’ when it comes to safety in a public building should never be top of the agenda. Correctly installed, good quality fire doors, that are fitted using the correct fire rated hardware, will ultimately help to save lives in the event of a fire, it really is as simple as that.
It’s important to note that it’s not just doors in a building that need to be addressed when it comes to fire safety. All other things need to be considered, such as walls, floors, cladding, escape routes and fire alarms.
We take fire safety seriously here at Stemko and all of our quotes for fire doors include drop down smoke seals as standard, giving that extra protection against cold smoke because we feel it’s necessary. The extra money it costs per door for cold smoke protection would seem irrelevant if it meant it saved the lives of the people at the other side of the door in the event of a fire.
All our installers hold the BMTRADA Q Mark which gives our clients peace of mind when it comes to the fire doors being fitted correctly. Certified fire door installation guarantees that, if maintained correctly, by registered fire door inspectors, they will perform their very important job of keeping that fire and smoke out!
We supply & install the fire doors, but we don’t maintain them. It’s just as important to keep the fire doors maintained in a building as it is to have them installed correctly. Always use a company that are registered fire door inspectors to make sure the doors are kept in good working order to keep everyone safe in the event of a fire.
If you want more understanding into fire ratings, how we display them on our quotations, or information on fire door specifications in general, speak to us today.