ASSA ABLOY Door Group calls for higher standards on fire door inspections

Brian Sofley, managing director at the Door Group, explained: “Fire doors are one of the most important safety features in a building. While providing access around the property, they’re also a critical part of the fire compartmentation requirement. We understand that the building industry is under constant pressure to drive down costs and deliver services quicker than ever before. However, specification errors, unresolved installation issues and poor maintenance of fire safety products can have devastating consequences.”

Dame Judith Hackitt’s Independent Review of Building Regulations and Fire Safety suggested that there’s a degree of fragmentation within the industry, which has consequently led to ambiguity over where responsibility lies.

Therefore, it’s imperative that those responsible for a given property ensure life safety products have been independently verified, are regularly audited or certified and have been manufactured and installed by competent companies or individuals. It’s only then that building and facility managers and those buildings’ occupants can have total peace of mind.

Sofley added: “We take the view that, at each and every stage of a project, suppliers and manufacturers have a Duty of Care to their customers to offer a solution that’s properly and unambiguously safeguarded by certification.”

Further, Sofley stated: “Every individual involved in a project should be aware of the responsibility imposed on them and treat this as an opportunity to showcase their talents in delivering a quality service. Collectively, we need to ensure that fire safety is carried out on an holistic footing. There must be thorough due diligence, including from end users.”

Safety commitment

As part of its commitment to fire door safety, Door Group provides a fully comprehensive inspection service which can be carried out every three, four, six or 12 months to suit specific requirements.

Following on from inspections, Door Group offers detailed reports containing advice and recommendations on necessary improvements, with the knowledge that identifying any potential issues that could impact safety and product performance may be a life-saving process.

If any issues do occur, a tailored repair proposal is issued to include anything from replacement doors through to a regular maintenance programme. Door Group inspectors are Building Research Establishment-certified and will ensure that all fire doors inspected meet all of the necessary standards and regulations.

*For more information on ASSA ABLOY Door Group visit https://bit.ly/2YnuyTt

**Door Group is running a free webinar on the importance of fire door safety through its product compliance and inspection services. This takes place on Wednesday 29 September at 1.00 pm. To register for the webinar visit https://app.livestorm.co/assa-abloy-opening-solutions/fire-door-inspections-webinar-by-assa-abloy-door-group?type=detailed