A question we hear constantly from our clients is ‘Is it ok, to wedge a Fire Door open?’
The simple answer is no, however, there are many solutions from budget-friendly, to comprehensive, that solve this problem in commercial environments.
Whilst we understand the appeal of propping a Fire Door open, ultimately, it is hazardous to the people, and assets in the building. It voids compliance, often breaks insurance contracts, and is illegal.
In this video we will cover:
- Reasons why a Fire Door needs to be closed, in the instance of a fire.
- Why people illegally hold open a Fire Door in the first place.
- Simple and comprehensive solutions to solve the task at hand.
First up, let’s delve into why we can’t prop a Fire Door open in the first place.
Why you can’t prop a Fire Door open
A Fire Door is a technical product. Various components of the door are designed to slow the spread of heat, smoke and fire from one environment to the next.
If a door is wedged wide open, it simply can’t protect to the legal standards required. Smoke travels very quickly, which is a key cause of injury and death when a fire breaks out.
If the door were to be wedged open, it would allow a much greater volume of air to circulate around the site. This could subsequently feed any fires and rapidly circulate toxic fumes.
Therefore, actively propping open a Fire Door is directly degrading the safety, and security protocols of the site. Unsurprisingly, fines and even court cases are common consequences for these violations.
If the risks are so serious, why are Fire Doors propped open so frequently in the UK, even after seeing such devastating events, such as the Grenfell Tower fire?
Top 5 reasons why a Fire Door might be held open illegally
At the heart of every problem, there stems a source. Here are the top 5 reasons why Fire Doors might be held open illegally.
1/5 User Experience
It could be that the hardware has malfunctioned, making the user experience strenuous for various users.
2/5 Equality users
Equality, sometimes referred to as DDA users, may require frequent access to certain areas. For instance, it could be that the ironmongery for the door was not specified correctly, therefore, hindering their access requirements.
3/5 Influxes of users
On some sites, they may see large influxes of people using a space, so people may be tempted to prop it open.
4/5 Heavy goods
When heavy goods, or trollies are going throughout the building, sometimes they are propped open to reduce damage to the door and make manoeuvrability easier for such users.
5/5 Ventilation
Sites often have various environments that require temperature, smells or noise to be regulated. Keeping doors open, or shut, can therefore be advantageous for ventilation, or isolation purposes.
Now we know why Fire Doors are wedged open, let’s look at ways we can navigate these challenges.
The solutions
Stand-alone solutions
As the name suggests, stand-alone hardware isn’t physically connected to wider systems, such as Access Control or fire alarm systems.
Often they are mounted directly to the door itself, and normally battery-powered.
When referring to this type of product, the names ‘door guard’, or ‘door hold open device’ are common search terms.
The technologies vary in execution, however, normally these systems enable a Fire Door to be held open, via a magnet of kinds. When a fire alarm is detected, the door is then released, and pulled shut via a traditional sprung door closer.
These types of products are widely available, and are often budget-friendly.
Despite being inexpensive, these solutions play a critical role in the safety of the building, and every site manager, or building owner should consider utilising this simple yet effective technology.
Whilst stand-alone systems do solve most problems, there are some downsides and limitations to these technologies.
Being battery-powered means maintenance teams will need to keep on top of battery changes, to ensure each device stays active.
Unlike integrated solutions, each door acts in a silo, which can be limiting in terms of controlling the doors throughout the site as a whole.
Let’s now look at the benefits of integrated systems to get a broader understanding of the solutions that can be utilised.
Integrated systems
There are many solutions that fit within the bracket of ‘integrated systems’, however, to simplify things, broadly speaking, these systems are hard-wired to fire and emergency systems, access control systems, and utilise mains power.
The combination of these technologies enables the doors to be opened, closed, or locked, on demand. Centralised systems will then dictate what to do in the event of a fire, or an emergency.
Leveraging the benefits of these technologies opens up a plethora of possibilities, whilst also complying with UK fire regulations.
Future blog posts and videos will expand on these topics. For the time being, here is a summary of the benefits of integrated Fire Doors.
1. Being hard-wired
Being hardwired into wider emergency and fire systems ensures a sure-fire connection with any critical systems.
Mains power reduces the need for battery replacements and can leverage a broader array of door technologies.
2. Powered door closers
Fire Doors can be very heavy. This is especially so for security-rated steel doorsets!
Powered door closers can be helpful here, as they can be told to open, and hold open for a set period of time.
In addition to this, they can also be set to hold open for certain periods of the day. This is advantageous when sites see large influxes of users.
3. Door Wear
Fire Doors are known to take significant damage due to misuse.
In hospitals, and warehouses, it’s quite common for trolleys or heavy goods to barge the doors open.
This causes significant damage to various aspects of the door hardware, including the hinges, closers, door leaf and ironmongery.
Utilising technology in these instances ensures the Fire Doors stay in a compliant state, throughout the lifecycle of the door.
4. Ventilation & Isolation
Utilised throughout the building, Fire Doors provide a barrier from one environment to the next.
That being said, they can also be utilised to aid airflow, if adjoining doors are left open.
It is therefore safe to say that Fire Doors play a critical role in controlling smells, sounds, and ventilation in general.
On sensitive sites, they also play a critical role in controlling airborne contaminants.
5. Access Control
A commercial site normally has areas that are more sensitive than others.
Server rooms, c-suite offices and hazardous areas all require levels of control, not just for security but also for safety.
Being able to control who goes where, and at what time, can be beneficial for the safety and security of all inhabitants.
Linking Fire Doors with an Access Control System, not only enables who can go where, and at what time, but also provides a level of transparency as to what is going on in the site at large.
6. High-security applications
Government buildings, and sites of a high-security nature require building managers to factor in strict safety and security protocols.
For instance, if a site were to be under threat of arson, opening all doors, to all types of users, would void both the security and safety protocols.
Integrated systems therefore play a critical role in keeping people, and assets safe and secure.
Summary
To summarise, a Fire Door should not be wedged open.
It is illegal, and significantly decreases the effectiveness of the fire and security protocols of a commercial building.
Both budget, and comprehensive solutions will fix the task at hand. Ultimately the user needs to understand what solution provides the best overall value. In some instances, budget options will tick all the boxes, in other instances more comprehensive solutions will save money, and maintain the doors to a compliant level, throughout the full lifecycle of the door.
Whilst this task might seem daunting to some, we maintain thousands of Fire Doors every year, and have been certified by Q-Mark to do so, for over a decade.
Are you a commercial building owner, or responsible for a commercial premise, with over 100 Fire Doors? If so, please don’t hesitate to contact us for further assistance.