Stephen English

[Guest Fire door Survey recommend]

Hi I am an Estate Manger who recently had a survey for Fire Doors in 3 buildings consisting of 4 flats in each block with a single staircase, and we have a stay out policy in play.

The survey recommends remedial works for them to qualify as nominal fire doors, and the company who submitted the report who are FIRAS Registered maintain the world must be completed by a fully qualified individual otherwise they refuse to certify. I maintain as they are existing nominal 30 mins FD the remedial works could be done by a skilled and competent joiner/carpenter.

Am I right to make this assumption? I cannot find a definitive answer other than relating to a new door set must be installed by qualified installer.

I believe the company who completed the survey are trying to exploit the situation for financial gain!

Any advice with evidential support would be extremely grateful.

 

 

[Mike North]

Yes, anyone can maintain the doors.  Who are you going to get to sign them off? As I suspect that the firm you hired to inspect them wont.

By the way, why did you go to a FIRAS Registered company to inspect the doors if Joe Blogs are going to maintain them

[Neil Ashdown MAFDI]

Whilst there is currently no legal requirement for fire door installers & maintainers to possess a dedicated qualification, competence is necessary. The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 requires those that provide fire safety related services to be ‘Competent Persons’.  Regulation 7 of the Building Regulations covers workmanship and materials. Subsequent to the Hackitt Report there are industry led working groups looking at what competence should look like in the future and you may find the report ‘A Higher Bar’ interesting at   https://www.cic.org.uk/shop/a-higher-bar-achieving-a-competence-led-built-environment  It is expected that in future regulated qualifications may become either a mandatory requirement or at least a strong recommendation.

 

However, there is currently no mandatory requirement for fire door installer & maintainer training but many clients such as housing associations, healthcare organisations and education providers now require that those that install or maintain fire doors have a qualification or certification as proof of competence to perform those works.