New research has
revealed just how little action has been taken since the Grenfell Tower fire
tragedy, which killed around 80 people.
This Fire Door Safety Week (which runs until October 1), architects and builders are
reminded of the critical role of properly specified and installed fire doors in
the event of a fire.
The research found
that basic fire safety measures are lacking with four in ten (40%) renters
saying there is not a clear fire escape route displayed in their building, and
more than a third (39%) admit they have seen fire doors propped open.
More than two in ten
people (21%) have noticed damage to their building’s fire doors and almost a
fifth (18%) of renters have reported a fire safety infringement or concern to
their landlord but almost a quarter (24%) waited weeks for a response.
The majority of
tenants (55%) say they do not feel fully prepared on what to do in the event of
a fire and almost a quarter (24%) of adults surveyed feel more nervous/anxious
about living in a rented apartment since the tragedy and the issues it exposed with
regard to fire safety.
Fire Door Safety Week
is an important source of knowledge for architects and builders. This Fire Door
Safety Week, the British Woodworking Federation (BWF) has put together a free toolkit of resources
to help specifiers understand the importance of fire doors and what a good
specification should look like – in particular, the need for third-party
certification of doors and door sets. Further information and advice can be
found here.
The BWF’s free best practice guide to fire doors covers a range of topics including the regulations relating
to fire doors and the process involved in the supply chain, covering design and
specification, installation, inspection and maintenance of fire doors.
Hannah Mansell is
spokesperson for Fire Door Safety Week, as well as BWF technical manager, chair
of the Passive Fire Protection Forum and a trustee of the Children’s Burns
Trust. She says:
“Many people do not
realise that the real job of a fire door is to hold back fire, smoke and toxic
gases, delaying the spread around a building and keeping the vital means of
escape route clear. They only work properly if they are specified, manufactured,
installed and maintained correctly, and of course, closed when a fire breaks
out. This is especially important in high rise buildings, houses of multiple
occupancy and other types of shared sleeping accommodation.
“Checking
fire doors should be part of a regular fire risk assessment. This should
examine all aspects of fire safety management, including active and passive
fire protection measures, signage, means of escape and the specific fire plan
procedures.
“There needs to be crystal
clarity about the Responsible Person and a total
transformation of attitude towards fire safety of tenants in rented
accommodation. Our focus for Fire Door Safety Week in this pivotal year is to
ensure all landlords and tenants have the knowledge and resources they need to
stay safe.”
Dany Cotton, London Fire Commissioner who oversaw the
fire and rescue service’s response at Grenfell Tower, says:
“London Fire Brigade fully supports Fire Door Safety
Week. This is an important campaign which drives home the potentially
life-saving role that fire doors play in buildings, especially residential
buildings such as tower blocks. It is extremely concerning that the lives of
the public and our firefighters are still being put at risk by poorly
maintained fire doors and people acting irresponsibly by removing self closers
or by keeping doors wedged open.
“Good fire doors help stop fires from spreading. Fires
that spread put more lives at risk and I would urge everyone to check that
their fire doors are properly maintained and kept shut. Remember they don’t
just protect you, but everybody in the building.”
Paul Fuller CBE, chief
fire officer of Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service and chairman of the Fire
Sector Federation says:
"It is simple.
Proper fire doors save lives, but only if they are correctly made and
installed, and certainly not if they are wedged open or in disrepair. Too often
our officers walk into a building and see fire doors in an appalling state. We
do what we can to advise and enforce the responsibilities of a building owner,
but it is time for the Responsible Person to really step up. That's why we are
supporting Fire Door Safety Week - there can be no excuse, all the resources
you need to promote door safety are there on the website and free to
download."
Fire
Door Safety Week, a national
campaign now in its fifth year, is run by the BWF, the BWF-Certifire Scheme and
the Fire Door Inspection Scheme, in partnership with the Government’s Fire
Kills campaign. It aims to raise awareness about the role of fire doors in
preventing life changing injuries and the legal responsibilities of managing
fire door safety.
