Fire safety across domestic and commercial properties is a paramount concern, and the certification of fire doors plays a pivotal role in safeguarding lives and property. Accreditations and certifications are essential for complying with strict fire door regulations. Whether you are a building owner eager to enhance the safety of your premises, or a curious investor looking for clarification on fire door certificates; let us delve into the intricacies to give you a clear understanding of UK fire door certification and accreditation.
What we’ll cover in this article:
Importance of Fire Door Certification
Fire doors must be certified to provide an efficient passive fire protection strategy. Certification proves a fire door has been tested and approved to meet government regulations and necessary standards. Meeting regulatory requirements is essential for many reasons:
Protection
Fire doors are an essential part of a passive fire protection system. They play a vital role in compartmentalising a fire to a limited area, reducing the spread of fire and smoke throughout a building. Fire doors increase occupant and building safety, providing valuable time for occupants to evacuate and for emergency services to arrive. Fire door accreditations offer extra assurance that the door is certified to protect against a fire outbreak.
Compliance
As per fire regulations set out by the government, fire doors must be installed in all non-domestic properties and domestic dwellings with at least 3 storeys. To comply with the regulations, fire doors must have a certification establishing the door's fire resistance level. A fire door should contain a label that details the manufacturer and fire resistance rating to ensure that anyone on the premises can identify a fire door.
Legal Responsibility
As outlined in The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, building owners or site managers are legally responsible for ensuring the premises meet fire code requirements and are referred to as the Responsible Person. If, following a fire, the fire doors and other fire-stopping equipment are found to have been inadequately fitted or maintained, the responsible person is liable for any resulting injuries or property damage. Accreditation documents can prove that fire doors have been manufactured and tested to meet legal standards, whereas certification schemes show that fire doors have received regular inspections and maintenance.
Regulations for Fire Door Certification
Once manufactured, all UK fire doors must be independently tested to BS 476 Part 22 or the European equivalent BS EN 1634 Part 1 to ensure they meet relevant standards. The testing should be undertaken at a UKAS-approved test site by qualified and experienced engineers. After the test, a report detailing how the fire door was tested and the results achieved will be produced.
Fire doors must offer at least 30 minutes of fire resistance, giving occupants enough time to evacuate the premises and for emergency services to arrive. FD30 and FD60 doors are manufactured and tested to rigorous standards, offering 30- or 60 minutes of fire resistance, respectively.
Fire Door Accreditation and Certification
Achieving fire door certification requires third-party verification. Third-party verification increases confidence that fire doors have been tested to specific standards and are, therefore, fit for purpose in the event of a fire. In the UK, various organisations provide certification, including the government and independent accrediting bodies. Below are some examples of third-party verification bodies:
BM TRADA Q-Mark Fire Door Manufacturer Scheme
The BM TRADA Q-Mark fire door manufacturer scheme provides reassurance that fire doors can resist the passage of fire through ongoing compliance with the product specification. This scheme allows manufacturers to prove that their doors are fit for compartmentalising a fire for some time. Building owners and landlords can rest assured that their fire door manufacturer consistently produces quality products if they are a BM TRADA Q-Mark scheme member.
FIRAS Installer Certification Scheme
FIRAS is a third-party certification scheme that promotes good practices for installing and maintaining passive fire protection products such as fire doors. The scheme requires installers of fire protection products to use quality assurance methods across procedures and documentation, ensuring that the certified company carries out the necessary quality control. With a FIRAS certification, building owners can have peace of mind that their fire doors will be correctly installed and maintained to specific standards.
Secure by Design
Secure by Design (SBD) is the official police initiative working to improve the security of buildings, ensuring that they are safe places to work. SBD fire doors are designed and manufactured to enhance security performance by meeting meticulous standards as set out by the police. To achieve SBD approval, manufacturers must ensure that their doors go through independent UKAS-approved testing, giving individuals increased confidence in their fire doors' ability to protect their premises against fire and external threats.
BWF Fire Door Alliance
The British Woodworking Federation (BWF) was established in 2018 to bring together the FIRAS and BM TRADA Q-Mark schemes to promote the importance of installing third-party verified fire doors. The BWF scheme ensures that manufacturers operate strict, audited control and supply systems and frequently test their products to ensure that they provide the advertised level of fire protection. With a BWF certificate, the responsible person can be confident that their fire doors are robust and will perform successfully in the event of a fire.
Identifying Fire Doors
Third-party certification offers proof of performance, quality, safety, and traceability. As a responsible person, you must identify whether the current doors in your premises are fire doors and whether they have third-party verification.
Although there will be some variation in how manufacturers display their certification, a label can usually be found on the top of a fire door. If there is no certification label, responsible persons cannot be sure that their door is a fire door.
The label will contain information such as:
Manufacturer name and contact information
Year of manufacture
The third-party verification
Certification number
Unique serial number
Fire-resistance rating
Fire Door Certificates FAQs
What is the certificate number on a fire door label?
The manufacturer provides the certificate number for the particular fire door design. This certificate number can be checked to ensure the door has been designed and installed to provide adequate fire protection.
How do I know if my fire door is compliant?
Firstly, check if a label on the door includes the manufacturer's details and whether a third-party accrediting body verifies it. Check the gaps around the tops and sides of the door, as fire door gaps should be consistently less than 4mm when closed. The sealant that should be present will fill the gaps in the event of a fire. Fire doors should also have at least 3 hinges made of either steel or brass. If you require further confirmation of your doors' compliance, hire a fire door inspector to conduct a survey and produce a report.
How often should fire doors be inspected?
Fire doors should be inspected at least once every 6 months to ensure that it continues to meet standards. In public areas with a lot of footfall, fire doors should be checked monthly by the responsible person for any signs of wear and tear.
Boost Your Fire Door Confidence with LFS
At LFS, protecting lives and property is at the heart of everything we do. We have several accreditations that enable us to design, manufacture, test, install, and maintain fire doors to the highest standard. Your fire door will comply with all legal regulations and offer you complete peace of mind in its fire protection capabilities. Our experienced team dedicates themselves to improving fire safety across all aspects of passive fire protection methods. Place your trust in LFS; we will not let you down. Contact us today for more information.
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