Where do I need fire doors in commercial buildings

Fire doors save lives; Fact. It is also a known fact that many people tend to prop fire doors open as they find their weight and automatic shutting mechanism to be a pain on a day-to-day basis; and some even block external fire doors with furniture. But the truth of the matter is, having a heavy weighty door automatically close behind you in a workplace can be the difference between life and death.

Their purpose is to isolate a fire, offering you and your colleagues time to safely evacuate the building. They are an essential element in keeping a fire contained, and in some instances, stopping a fire. Commercial buildings are required by law to have fire doors subject to the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order: 2005; also known as RRO or FSO.

If you are found responsible for not having fire protection doors in a commercial building, or even found to be propping them open, you are liable for prosecution for endangering life. This can result in a fine and even imprisonment for breaching fire health and safety laws.

So, what do you need to consider when adding fire doors in commercial buildings?

Let’s take a look:

Fire protection depends on the building type and design

To determine which fire protection doors are required is dependent on the design of the building, the nature of the business, and the location of the fire door in the building. The primary consideration is always the protection of life, so you need to be sure people can exit the building quickly and efficiently.

Fire safety regulations are divided into separate sections for horizontal and vertical escape routes, which will need to be considered if your building is over multiple floors. Further fire safety regulations relating to fire doors can be found in the Governments Approved Document B.

If you need help determining which fire doors are required and where, our team of experts at Enfield Specialist Doors are always on hand to guide you and give you sound and pragmatic advice based on years of experience and successful installations. Please contact us and we will be happy to help.

The door type depends on the time needed to evacuate

As stated above, the length of time deemed sufficient to evacuate a site will in turn decide which fire door needs to be fitted. The two most common fire door categories are the FD30 – providing 30 minutes of fire protection; and the FD60 – providing 60 minutes of fire protection. At Enfield Doors, we also supply FD90 and FD120 fire doors (providing 90 minutes and 120 minutes fire protection respectively). In most cases a 30 minute fire door is deemed sufficient.

For more information, check out our Ultimate Guide to 30 Minute Fire Doors.

Fire doors require the correct signage

The appearance of a fire door is just as important as the positioning. Fire doors are required to have the correct signage on both sides indicating that the door is a fire door, including any further instructions such as ‘keep closed’. The finish must also visually contrast with the surrounding wall so the fire door is clearly identifiable.

At Enfield Specialist Doors we supply veneer facings in a very broad range of timber species, as well as three paint grade options to provide the best finish for your fire door as well as laminate facings that offer a tough and easy to clean surface.

We also provide glazing options using appropriate glass for integrity and insultation, should you need to be able to see through your fire doors.

Meeting fire safety regulations

The best way to safeguard yourself and the building is to entrust your fire risk assessment to accredited and professional fire risk assessors. Fire door regulations and specifications can be complex so whatever you need to know, our friendly team have all the advice and answers. Just call us on 020 3199 5875 and we’ll make sure you get exactly the right fire doors for your needs made to exact measurements.