With the latest figures showing that three-quarters of fire doors inspected in the UK fail to meet basic safety standards, UK fire door manufacturer JELD-WEN is calling for greater focus on fire door maintenance.
According to the Fire Door Inspection Scheme (FDIS) 75% of fire doors inspected failed checks with nearly a third (31%) being incorrectly installed at the outset.
RW Joinery, which runs the Doorassure fire door inspection service and carries out thousands of checks each year, reports this could be even higher, stating that 85% of doors inspected last year failed to meet British Standards.
In response to these statistics, and following on from the raised awareness of Fire Door Safety Week, JELD-WEN, one of the UK’s largest door manufacturers, is calling for the industry to focus on competency across the entire value chain from design and specification to installation and maintenance.
“These findings make for sobering reading,” explained Lisa Ward, Senior Manager – Product and Marketing at JELD-WEN.
“Too many fire doors are not fit for purpose, due to a combination of factors including inaccurate specification, poor installation and ineffective maintenance. But it also points to a concerning lack of knowledge of fire safety responsibilities and understanding of the critical role fire doors play in protecting occupants.
“As a manufacturer we take our responsibility seriously and are investing in systems and products that support the drive to increase competency and transparency from specification through to installation and maintenance.”
One example of this is the Door Data Pin, which provides instant, NFC-enabled access via a free app to every Certifire fire doorset specification, certifications, installation guide, maintenance history and inspection data.
The data pin supports compliance and provides a reliable ‘golden thread’ of traceable data for specifiers. It also helps streamline the installation process and enables proactive maintenance planning while increasing transparency across the entire supply chain.
Effective planned maintenance, along with raised awareness of the need to keep fire doors closed, is essential to allow fire doors to carry out their function in preventing the spread of a fire should the need arise. The data pin allows maintenance schedules to be embedded in the door to support that vital aspect.
The company is an advocate for continuous training and development of fire door safety. Having recently supported members of their sales force to achieve the FDIS Fire Door Diploma, which helps ensure the correct specification and application of fire doors.
Lisa added: “The industry needs to focus on best practice not just in terms of installation and maintenance, but everyday use of fire doors to ensure they fulfil their purpose as a potentially life-saving system.
“A fire door can only perform as intended if it is used as intended, which means reminding occupants not to prop doors open, ensure they remain closed, and have a maintenance schedule in place.”
To find out more about JELD-WEN’s fire doorsets, visit: https://www.jeld-wen.co.uk/
