I am the health and Safety advisor at a social housing provider Prior to my engagement the company engaged a consultant to carry out fire risk assessment, as you would expect these assessments recommend that we fit closer on all doors that open on to the protected escape route. So our assets management team had door closers fitted. We now have a situation where some tenants cannot open their doors. On a recent audit conducted by our local brigade numerous doors were found to be wedged open. It was also observed that some tenants had removed closers. I am aware that you can get swing free closers and there are many differnt type of closer available that can be linked into fire alarm systems, could anyone inform me if there is a closer on the market that can be linked to an alarm system, that can then be opened to allow a eagress and then automatically closed in order that we do not hamper persons exiting the premises but also ensure we are able to maintain adequate fire seperation? Any advice would be gratefully recieved

If its any help I used to work in a care home with residents that couldnt open the doors. The fire doors were all fitted on a magnetic system so that as soon as the alarm was activated the doors closed. It worked fine and stopped the issue of doors that needed to close being propped open.

Phil beat me to it; if you want doors permanently open Dorgard is far and away the cheapest solution; we use quite a few of them and they are robust and reliable. They do need good management as part of a PPM regime though as they are battery operated, John

A few weeks ago we had a fire in a flat of a disabled tenant. This tenant was attempting to evacuate his flat, he managed to open the door but whilst exiting his wheelchair became lodged between the doop and the door frame, this not only put the tenant in a dangerous situation but it negated the fire seperation provided by the fire door. Fortunately their was a support worker in an adjacent flat who reacted and helped the tenant to safety. I am aware that you can get devices that hold doors open and I am aware that there are closers that you can link into the fire alarm, what I am looking for is a device that will close the door in the event of a fire activation but will allow a disabled person to overide the closer to make good their escape. Most closer that I have found do not allow this. As this cannot be a unique situation I was wondering how other have dealt with it.