Large Student Accommodation. - Fire Doors

[Tommy]

Hi all, 

I am responsible fire safety in a large student accommodation building, 137 self contained flat clusters (4 sleeping rooms in each) and 77 studio flats.

My enquiry is regarding the individual flat clusters, the configuration is 4 flats, 1 electrical kitchen/common room. The evacuation strategy is 'Stay Put' so no audible alarm in the common areas of the building, each flat is provided with independent fire alarm systems with AFD in the common hallway and kitchen (Heat). 

The flat entrance doors are FD60s self closing fire door sets and with an FD30s self closing fire door set at the kitchen entrance, however each sleeping room door is not fitted with intumescent strips and smoke seals nor are they self closing. 

ADB appears to recommend that these doors should be self-closing fire door sets, can anyone shed some light as to why this is not the case?, I am pretty sure it is compliant however I have only come across this configuration in small HMO's 

Additional info

• Built - 2008 
• AOV in place
• Lobbied Stairwells

Kind Regards. 

 

[AnthonyB]

A lot of these developments are deliberately put forwards as the same as a block of purpose built flats for planning and building regulation purposes rather than commercial sleeping risk - treated as a dwelling they wouldn't need closers to bedrooms and only FD20 doors which is often achieved by using a FD30 blank but not adding strips. Makes the build cheaper & more flexible.