Product compliance guide devised for fire door manufacturers

Developed over the course of more than a year through collaborative working between the two organisations and the Office for Product Safety and Standards, this document addresses a crucial area of fire safety and product compliance.

It has been specifically created to help manufacturers, distributors and those applying their own branding to ironmongery products in understanding their obligations and provide the information necessary to support safe and effective product selection, installation and ongoing maintenance.

Duncan Johnson, deputy director for construction products regulation at the Office for Product Safety and Standards, said: “I welcome engagement with the Office for Product Safety and Standards from both the Guild of Architectural Ironmongers and the Door and Hardware Federation, which is aimed at supporting businesses in understanding and meeting regulatory requirements.”

Johnson added: “Businesses must comply with the regulations that apply to them. Industry-led initiatives such as this Best Practice document can help them achieve this goal in a practical and effective way.”

Essential product information

The guidance document outlines in detail the essential product information that manufacturers should provide for ironmongery components used on fire resisting door systems, particularly so timber fire doors.

It offers clear recommendations covering marking and labelling requirements, installation instructions, supporting test evidence, third party certification and care and maintenance information.

The document also provides guidance on the provision of intumescent protection details where applicable, while encouraging manufacturers to make accessible and up-to-date product information available through a range of digital and printed formats.

One of the key features of the document is its categorisation of door hardware based on the extent to which installation affects the door’s integrity, providing tailored guidance for each type. It classifies hardware into three categories, from those requiring significant material removal from a door leaf or frame through to those with minimal or no intrusion.

This approach recognises that the level of risk posed to a fire door increases with the volume and location of material removed and ensures that appropriate levels of product information and test evidence are supplied in each case.

Meeting expectations

Douglas Masterson, technical and training director at the Guild of Architectural Ironmongers, observed: “This publication has been carefully designed to help manufacturers meet both their legal responsibilities and the expectations of those specifying and installing fire door hardware.”

Masterson continued: “By setting out clear and practical recommendations on what product information should be provided – including marking, installation instructions, test evidence and certification details – this document will help to improve product safety, regulatory compliance and, ultimately, life safety.”

Michael Skelding, general manager and secretary of the Door and Hardware Federation, explained: “This collaborative guide strengthens the industry’s ability to consistently deliver safe and compliant fire door solutions. It recognises the complexity of fire door assemblies and the critical role that properly specified, installed and maintained hardware plays in ensuring fire and life safety.”

Skelding concluded: “We are proud to have worked on this project alongside the Guild of Architectural Ironmongers and the Office for Product Safety and Standards and encourage all hardware manufacturers, distributors and specifiers to adopt this guidance as standard practice.”

*Copies of the Ironmongery Manufacturers’ Guidance Document are available online