Part of the solution: Fireco’s Dorgard in action
Of these incidents 275 resulted in fatalities, while 47,500 were in buildings and 31,200 in residential dwellings.
Recommending adequate fire safety products and solutions should therefore be of paramount importance to installers.
Doors are one of the most important fire safety features in a building and also, sadly, the most commonly abused. Research carried out by Fireco showed that 64% of premises visited by the fire service found fire doors wedged open.
As an installer visiting premises, being aware of this issue and offering a solution could help keep building occupiers safe in the event of fire. It could provide the opportunity to offer additional services in the form of fire safety product sales.
High-risk buildings
Studies suggest that the greatest fire risks are found in multi-occupied properties which have three or more storeys – so hostels, managed or sheltered accommodation, houses that are converted into flats, purpose-built multi-storey buildings and flats above shops.
A high occupancy factor equates to a higher risk, due to multiple ignition sources (cookers, heaters, fires, smoking), potential for vulnerable occupants on site and lack of fire prevention measures. Although only about two-thirds of fires occur in dwellings, these account for over 80% of both fatal and non-fatal casualties.
Fire-safety legislation and repercussions
The Government standard Building Regulations 2010 Document B describes regulations for all buildings in England. The legal requirements for fire safety will depend on whether the building has been constructed in accordance with these standard regulations or to British Standard BS9999, which offers a ‘barter’ option, giving greater flexibility.
Once the building is occupied, The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 comes into effect. Designed to end prescriptive fire safety and hand control over to the ‘Responsible Person’ –the owner, employer or occupier – the Fire Safety Order (FSO) applies to all non-domestic premises in England and Wales.
The Responsible Person can nominate a ‘Competent Person’ who has ‘sufficient training and experience or knowledge to implement the requirements of the article’. The Responsible Person, either by utilising their Competent Person or using their own knowledge, has a legal duty to carry out a Fire Risk Assessment, implement fire safety measures to minimise the risk to life and property from fire and keep the risk assessment under review.
So if you spot a fire door wedged open and want to find the person to discuss possible solutions with, it’s best to ask for the person tasked with FSO responsibility.
Fire doors
According to Government building regulations, all fire doors should be fitted with a self-closing device. Fire doors are installed to protect the safety of building occupants by preventing the dangerous spread of smoke and fire, provided they are closed.
Thus, people have a protected route to exit the building, and limit damage to the building and its contents.
Wedging open a fire door can prove devastating, as the case of the Rosepark Nursing Home in South Lanarkshire showed.
A fire broke out at Rosepark in a cupboard on 31 January 2004 and ripped through the building. The Fatal Accident Inquiry (FAI) for this case listed a catalogue of precautions that could have reduced the devastation wrought by the fire. One precaution would have been to fit all bedroom doors with door closers and smoke seals.
Fire doors are integral to any building; they save lives and protect property. If you see a fire door being wedged open, I urge you to see this as an opportunity to discuss an easy-to-install, fully compliant solution.
The Fireco product Dorgard was actually mentioned in the case as a solution, as is the award-winning Freedor.
Installing a free-swing door closer such as Freedor on each fire door allows the door to be safely kept open, but rest assured the door will automatically shut when a fire alarm sounds thanks to Fireco’s patented acoustic technology.
Download the Fire Safety in 2023 eBook, keeping you up to date with the biggest news and prosecution stories from around the industry. Chapters include important updates such as the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 and an overview of the new British Standard for the digital management of fire safety information.
Plus, we explore the growing risks of lithium-ion battery fires and hear from experts in disability evacuation and social housing.
