fire door closer standards

[Guest TonyJone]

Hi Guys what is the minimum spec for fire door self closers My local council advised on bsn1134:1997.

But I have seen self closers with this spec

BS EN 1634 or

Are they both fine, are are is there a big difference?

My tenants don't really want a the overhead style ideally they want something less obstrusive like a perko. The prices vary greatly . I have seen some chain style perkos for £15-£135. I am really confused as to the above standards are they both fine?

[Tom Sutton]

The standard for door closer is BS EN 1154:1997 and EN 1154:1996 is the European equivalent. Check out http://www.firesafe.org.uk/fire-door-fitting-and-ironmongery/ for more information.

I far as I am aware the Powermatic Hydraulic Closer by Perko is th only perko that is CE marked to BS EN 1154:1997 and an overhead door closer should be cheaper but needs to meet the above standard.

BS EN 1634 is not for closer's its for Fire doors and Shutters.

[Guest LucySa]

Hi

we are going to be renting out our 2 bed flat. We are looking into everything that needs to be done and wondered about fire safety. All the doors in the flat are heavy doors so I guess are fire doors but all the self closing devices had been removed when we purchased the flat and with two young children didn't want to put them back but now am wondering if they need to be made into self closing doors again for renting? I have looked at lots of different websites and none are clear about it. Any help would be great.

Kind regards

[Tom Sutton]

Front doors to flats need to be fire-resisting and self-closing and doors opening on to the hall and kitchen need to be fire resistant but not necessarily self closing. The flat (domestic premises) is not covered by the fire regulations but the common areas are, this is why the front door to your flat needs to be fire resistant and fitted with a self closing device. Therefore if you have removed the self closing device from the front door it should be replaced but the other doors are acceptable and self closing devices would not have been required when the flat was built in accordance with Building Regulations.

If you live in a purpose built block of flats the guidance is Publications | Local Government Association and If you live in a building that has been converted to flats then your guidance is Guidance on fire safety provisions

It depends on the type of property you live will dictates what other fire safety provisions is required and without a lot more details to be able to give a definitive answer.

[Guest ScottLeg]

Hello

can you please clear something up for me I have been advised that certifire approval is no longer a requirement on fire door closers in the uk, is this correct?
One of our suppliers are now pushing this global certification which I'm not sure about.

[Tom Sutton]

Fire door self closer do not need to be certifire approval they need to conform to BS EN 1154:1997 Building hardware. Controlled door closing devices. Requirements and test methods and CE approved.I am not sure what this global certification is all about.

[Guest Tony]

Been trying to find out if a kitchen door closer can be fitted kitchen side where it pulls the door shut? Fitting the other side, where it would push, means the closer hits the wall and restricts the door opening. If not it means turning the door around which I would like to avoid if not necessary. This is in a HMO. Thx in advance.

[Safelincs]

Hi Tony, you need a figure 61 or figure 66 door closer. Many door closers can be used in this setup. For an overview about the different fire door closer setups and an explanation of the figures (follow links), visit this overview

Harry

[Guest NHS]

https://www.dhsspsni.gov.uk/sites/default/files/publications/dhssps/EFA-2015-006%20-%20Fire%20door%20self-closing%20devices.PDF

Any thoughts.

Mine would be to change Sop of PPM to set closure speed to 7 seconds and have newton for close at 20Nm across all doors 

advise please 

[Tom Sutton]

The closing speed of the door has no bearing on the incident in question it would depend on the location of the person when the hold open device actuated, consequently I would simply calculate the closing time by opening the door to 90 degrees then release it and time it to fully closed position. To calculate this time I would use risk assessment by monitoring the door in question and time the individuals in the target group take to pass through the door safely selecting the longest time, then you would have the time for all similar doors.

I would think that the closing force would be more of a problem and most closing devices should have to meet the requirements of disabled people, which in hospital they most probably are. BS EN 1154 states that door closers for use on fire doors must have a minimum closing force of 18 Nm (size 3) so a closing force of 20 Nm is the best you can achieve without using swing free, and in most situation would be acceptable. Cam action door closers could be considered. 

With lower closing forces you also need to consider differential wind pressure on the building it may prevent the door from closing fully so it needs monitoring.

 

[Guest NHS]

quick reply thank you Tom 

[Guest paul]

Hi can i use a old victorian closer which spans the central door in order to close

 

[Tom Sutton]

All self closer are required to meet the standards of BS 1154 and are awarded a classification code of six numbers which indicate the type of fire door they should be used on. It is very likely that your victorian self closer will, therefore you cannot determine if the self closer is suitable for the fire door it is being used on.

Check out http://www.firesafe.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/docs/guide1935.pdf the guide is for Single Axis Hinges but it is similar system for all door furnishings including self closers.

[Neil Ashdown MAFDI]

When selecting a self-closing device for a fire door consult the document 'Hardware for Fire and Escape Doors' at http://firecode.org.uk/Code_of_Practice_hardware_for_fire_and_escape_doors.pdf  Also be mindful that concealed self-closing devices are not suitable for some type of timber based fire doors. It depends on core construction.