Five Fire Door Safety Stats You Can’t Ignore
As Fire Door Safety Week 2024 approaches (23–27 September), here are some of the most compelling stats that those with fire safety responsibilities can’t ignore.
Research conducted by The British Woodworking Federation in 2022 and 2023 has revealed five startling truths about fire doors and the public’s perception of them.
More than half (57%)of those surveyed can’t spot issues with fire doors, such as damage to the door’s integrity, cracks in the glass or gaps in the frame.
Three-quarters[1] of those surveyed know that propping open a fire safety door prevents its effectiveness—yet almost half[2] of people wouldn’t report that issue, and just over a fifth[3] wouldn’t report a problem as they don’t think anything would be done to remedy it.
Ryan Quinn, Operations Director at doorassure – RW Joinery’s maintenance, repair, and inspection division, said: “Following the fire tragedies of recent years, the public has become savvier about the issues affecting their safety, but these figures show that even when people know there’s a problem, it doesn’t mean they’ll act or know who to contact.”
Important lessons
For those with fire door safety responsibilities, the figures reiterate the importance of creating a culture of openness and action to encourage building users to report issues. They also show why regular inspection of fire doors is crucial.
Ryan added: “It’s not just the public that can’t spot issues with fire doors; we see it among building, estate and facilities managers, too. On average, 85% of the fire doors we inspect fail to meet British standards, and in some settings, such as healthcare, failure rates have been as high as 100%.
“Fire doors aren’t something to install and forget about. They need regular maintenance and inspection every six months to keep them performing at the highest levels. Many clients don’t know they are responsible for the integrity and performance of the doorsets and, crucially, the risk associated with their non-performance and compliance. Greater education of those with fire door safety responsibilities is needed urgently.”
Fire doors are a legal requirement in all non-domestic properties, including commercial premises, public buildings, blocks of flats, and houses of multiple occupancy (HMOs). Under the Fire Safety Act 2021 and Regulations 2022, formal regulations now govern the installation and performance of fire doors and require responsible parties to undertake more regular inspections and maintenance.
As many as 75% of failed fire doors could be repaired, and almost all failures could have been avoided if a regular maintenance programme had been in place.
Ryan concluded: “It’s only through regular maintenance, repair and inspection that the responsible person can be sure they’re fulfilling their obligations and keeping their building users as safe as possible.
“While it’s certainly not realistic for busy FMs and estate managers to know the state of every door all the time, they should have the assurance of a BM Trada accredited partner who regularly inspects, maintains, and tests their doors. They will be able to identify potential issues, carry out repairs and replacement as necessary and ensure all aspects of compliance are achieved. The support and the peace of mind that secures is invaluable.”
