DOORS, WINDOWS & BALUSTRADES
FIT FOR A SAFER FUTURE Dave Walker – Technical Director of Distinction Doors, stockist and distributor of the fds (fire door systems) brand – details the progress being made in the manufacture and supply of GRP composite fire doors, and offers key considerations for fit-for-purpose performance, including installation and maintenance.
32
the many vital A mongst responsibilities of landlords and providers is building maintenance. Nowhere is this more critical than with risk to life products such as fire doors. Post-Grenfell, there have been significant advances in the fire door industry, most notably with glass-reinforced polyester (GRP) composite fire doors, including testing, thirdparty certification and supply chain transparency. At the heart of this overhaul is robust testing. Under ‘Appendix C: Fire doorsets of the latest version of Approved Document B’: “The requirement is for test exposure from each side of the doorset separately”. One GRP composite fire door system supplier has raised the bar, satisfying not just the British Standard (BS 476-22 Fire resistance and smoke control tests for door and shutter assemblies, openable windows and elements of building hardware), but also the more demanding European test method standard BS EN 1634-1. The company subjected 44 doorsets to 22 bi-directional fire tests. The tests were conducted in three countries, using three variations of
supporting wall construction – 150 and 225mm rigid aerated block and flexible steel stud construction. The test specimens included solid- and glazed-door leaf options, either with or without overhead fan lights and all doorsets were tested with letterplates, viewers and door closers included. All featured auto-throw locks. Every fire test was filmed. The system achieved an average of 45 minutes integrity. This level of commitment and robust testing has sent a clear message to the UK construction industry; you can achieve consistent fire resistance, compliance and peace of mind with GRP composite fire doors. It also proves that we can meet recommendations outlined in the Building a Safer Future – Independent Review of Building Regulations and Fire Safety: Final Report: Recommendation 7.1: A clearer, more transparent and more effective specification and testing regime of construction products must be developed. This should include products as they are put together as part of a system.
