The Door & Hardware Federation (DHF) is calling for a change in Building Regulations, and for the UK government to enforce the use of complete doorsets in fire compartmentation.
The body, which represents the interests of locks and building hardware, metal doorsets, timber doorsets and industrial doors, has said that following the Grenfell Tower tragedy, changes need to be made due to the risks of fires spreading in multi-occupancy buildings such as tower blocks and office buildings.
Fire compartmentation is the term used for the sub-division of a building into manageable areas of risk, to prevent the spread of fire and smoke, and provide adequate means of escape.
DHF’s recommendations come in the wake of a number of recent tragedies involving fire, particularly the Grenfell disaster which resulted in the loss of 71 lives.
DHF’s chief executive, Bob Perry, explains: “Fire doors are an integral part of the fire strategy for any building, designed to protect the occupants by maintaining compartmentation, essential to those who require speedy evacuation in the event of a fire.
“Properly installed and maintained, a fire door will hold back fire and smoke from 30 minutes to more than four hours.
“Fire doors can be subject to much wear and tear during their lifetime. For this reason, it is essential that they are properly and regularly inspected and maintained by qualified professionals, with any necessary repairs carried out immediately.”
