Fire door signs

[roger staynton]

Hi, I am wandering if anyone can help me! I have been putting metal fire doors signs on my fire doors with the screws provided. I was told by a friend that screwing the signs into the door will actually reduce its integrity and voids its "fire door" status. Is this correct?

Than you

Rog

[Tom Sutton]

I wouldn't think so, a fire door is full of screws and although they are in place when the fire door specimen is tested I am sure a couple of 12mm screws holding on a sign is not going to affect the integrity of the door to any great extent. If you have certified fire door, the attached documents would indicate what is acceptable and what is not. I cannot see any enforcing authority objecting to your proposals.

[Gen3sis]

I have a similar question relating to other door furniture.

I have a door closer and retainer fitted to my fire door and now this question has been asked I am worried that the integrity of my door could be compromised by all the holes that have been made in it for fitting these items.

The door was fitted by a joiner and i have no paperwork for it, should I legally have documentation for my door and how would i find out about its integrity without it?

[Tom Sutton]

Is your door a certified fire door, been certified by a third party, like the British Woodworking Federation Certifire fire door scheme, if not, it is a nominal fire door and you will not have documented proof.

Check out http://www.firesafe.org.uk/fire-doors/

[roger staynton]

I can't find the paperwork for the door, that was fitted a year or so ago. I want door signs but maybe self-adhesive ones would be better. Can you have test on fire doors to see if they still comply?

[Tom Sutton]

First of all only mandatory fire warning signs should be fitted to the door fire escape signs should be fitted preferably above the door, check out, http://www.gai.org.u..._Section_10.pdf.

If you are concerned about using screws then by all means use adhesive. Testing the fire door is a non starter because the test is a destructible test and the cost would be very expensive. You need to understand how fire doors are tested check out http://www.firesafe.org.uk/fire-doors/ and

[roger staynton]

Thanks for that, I will have a look for self-adhesive steel signs, I think. I've seen them on Safelincs site and they are a pound or two more than the ordinary screw-on types.

Cheers

[roger staynton]

Just a quick secondary question (not really important), but do the makers of fire doors then have checks to make sure the doors are still up to scratch? If not (and as you say the "test is a destructible test and the cost would be very expensive") how do you know that they all doors are made to the "tested" standard?

Cheers

[Tom Sutton]

The organisation who administers the certification scheme conduct regular inspections of manufacturers, installer, retailers and those that modify the doors to ensure they conform to the rules and the fire doors are being manufactured to the original specifications.

What would we do without BS EN ISO 9001.

[roger staynton]

Thanks for all the help Tom. You seem to be a bit of a whizz with fire doors!

Take care

[Tom Sutton]

Thanks Roger for your compliment but it is only about knowing where to look and hopefully applying some common sense.

[Guest Bea]

Hello,

Do fire doors have to have a fire door keep shut sign on BOTH sides of the door?

Thanks

[Tom Sutton]

Yes the british standard requires it, I think it's because you need to see the sign as you approach the door, no matter which direction you are travelling because it is unlikely you will look back or to the side, as you pass through the door.

[Guest Signage and closers]

Hi. I like to ask if fire door signage (keep shut)  is required on a door such as an electrical riser. Only our technicians have access to the rooms which currently has signage on the outside. As they these doors are locked when not in use i am not sure if the additional signage is necessary? If the door has a self closer fitted does the door still need to have the signage saying keep closed, it will close itself after all?  Sorry if these seems a silly question we have a very large building with hundreds of doors.

 

Thank you

[Neil Ashdown MAFDI]

Hi, 

Not a silly question at all. The doors you described are designated 'Fire Door Keep Locked' and do not usually have self-closing devices but it is a requirement that they are kept locked. They must be unlocked only for the short period when access is necessary.

These doors must be signed with the blue/white or blue/silver "FIRE DOOR KEEP LOCKED"signs. Signs must be prominent and clearly readable on the outside face of the door leaf at about 1500mm from floor level.  

[Guest @AisJoe]

Interesting thought Neil; but can 'Fire door signs' when used inappropriately give FRA's misleading information? 

Joe Cilia 

Technical director 

FIS 

[Tom Sutton]

They can be wedged open and to and insult to injury they often use fire extinguishers.