Fire Door Safety Week 2023 urges schools to check their fire doors

With Fire Door Safety Week (25^th - 29^th September) around the corner, we're providing a quick checklist on how to manage fire door safety requirements, what you should do to maintain safety, and why we should all be making improvements to our fire door strategies.

What should schools and Trusts do to maintain fire safety?

• Schools, universities and colleges all have an obligation to adhere to the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 to ensure the safety of their students and staff.
• Educational facilities must conduct fire risk assessments and identify a particular person to be legally responsible for fire safety – including fire safety doors – under the Order.
• If schools are found to be breaching the Order, that person is legally prosecutable for those failing as part of their role.

How can fire safety be improved?

• • Regular inspections of fire doors and the surrounds will minimise the risk of fault through wear and tear.
  • Don’t wedge open fire doors as this renders them useless!
  • Make sure all staff members know what makes a fire door fit for purpose:
    • Doors should be certified – you can find the certification mark on the top or side of the door
    • Mind the gap – there should be no more than a 4mm gap around the door when closed. There can be a 8mm gap between the door and the floor, but ideally there should be no light seen between the gap when the door is shut.
    • Check the seal – the intumescent seals should be intact and undamaged. These seals expand when heated, so block smoke and subsequently fire from moving from room to room.
    • Fix those hinges – there should be no broken or missing screws in a door’s hinges as this will hinder its performance.
    • Latch on – make sure the door closes firmly onto the latch, ensuring the fire door protects your building, and its users, safely.
    • Report your broken or faulty fire doors to management, who are able to escalate the issue to property/estates managers.

How do we develop our fire safety strategies for future situations?

• Hiring an external consultant will guarantee impartiality to your building, meaning that areas or fixtures that internal stakeholders take for granted will be investigated with fresh eyes. Using strict, up-to-date standardisations helps to keep your buildings in check for years to come.
• Have a competent installer fit and fix your doors. Fire doors have been engineered for a specific purpose, unlike other basic doors that you possibly have in your home. Fitting a fire door correctly could be the difference between life and death.