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Lee_hall76  
#1 Posted : 03 February 2011 16:34:08(UTC)
Rank: New forum user
Lee_hall76

I was hoping for a sanatey check on this!! Whilst conducting a FRA I have identified that smoke seals and intumescent strips are missing from a number of fire doors situated within the building, The doors are clearly marked, with the correct information on the certificate situated along the top edge of the door, they have signage, door closers as well as fire resistant hinges, however the walls are not fire resistant nor are the ceilings.....So my question is should the issue of no smoke seals/intumescent strips be indicated as a hazard? as the doors would not serve any purpose due to the fire being able to breech through the walls and ceiling!! Thanks in advance :-)
PhilBeale  
#2 Posted : 03 February 2011 16:47:27(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
PhilBeale

I think you would need to identify if the corridor needs to be fire resisting. what make you say that it isn't as most building are divided with plasterboard so long as thew wall has plasterboard each side then it is fire resisting. The fire doors may be older and not up to current standards you need to make a decision if smoke seals and intumescent seals are required. if they have fire detection in the corridors then possible not. if it is sleeping premises then i would look for smoke and intumescent seals as well. these can be retro fitted to doors so no major issue. It would be expensive to replace fire doors every time the standards change so you need to decide if they are suitable and sufficient in context of the use and layout of the premises. Phil
Paul Duell  
#3 Posted : 03 February 2011 17:11:57(UTC)
Rank: Forum user
Paul Duell

I had exactly this issue with one of my buildings - actually a suite of offices in a large multi-occupancy office park. It turned out on investigation that fire door sets had been specified, ordered and delivered - but the builders had taken the doors out of the supplied frames (which had the int strips etc) and hung the doors in their own frames because it was easier than fitting fire sets! I kicked it back to the landlord, who said if we'd found it during snagging at fit out, they'd have done something about it (I wasn't in the company then!). In theend we got in a specialist firm of fire door contractors who retro fitted the strips for us. PM me if you'd like the name of the firm we used (usual disclaimer)
firesafety101  
#4 Posted : 03 February 2011 17:12:59(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
firesafety101

This is what fire risk assessment is all about - nothing standard but it all depends on your assessment. Are you saying the doors are fire doors but fitted in a non fire resisting compartment? If the ceiling is not fire resisting can you look above to the wall over the doors to see if it does form a compartment? If the doors are not fitted in a fire compartment they will not need to be fire doors as in fire resisting.
MaxPayne  
#5 Posted : 04 February 2011 07:46:57(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
MaxPayne

There is some really useful information about fire doors etc on this site: http://www.bwf.org.uk/firedoors/
Safety Smurf  
#6 Posted : 04 February 2011 09:34:53(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
Safety Smurf

This issue is frequently the bain of my life! In a lot of situations I have found that fire doors have been used (but not fitted to spec) purely because they are substantial doors.
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