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The UNION CE3F door closer for compliance and confidence
UNION Product Manager for door closers , Alison Aston , discusses the fire safety issues locksmiths should consider when fitting door closers .
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FIRE SAFETY LEGISLATION IS SET TO become increasingly complex and more deeply embedded into the design of a building . Most property owners and facilities managers will want a building they are responsible for to be safe and fit for purpose ; safeguarding lives in the event of a fire is being taken more seriously than ever and the penalties for flouting fire safety regulations are severe . So the use of door closers is coming under increased scrutiny , ensuring they are specified correctly and work as intended .
It really is essential that you have a good level of detailed , current knowledge if you are going to specify door closers , particularly having a good understanding of the legislation covering fire safety in order to offer valuable insight and experience . For example , Certifire has recently tightened its criteria for approval of closers on uninsulated metal fire doors ; many door closers have had their certificate refreshed in recent months to reflect the change in the type of metal fire door they can be specified for .
Fire doors play a vital role in the fire safety of buildings , and their correct specification , installation and maintenance is paramount to the safety of all those who use the building . Quite simply , if they do not close properly , they are unsafe and not fit for purpose .
To help ensure buildings are ‘ fire safe ’, compliant door closer products meeting EN1154 , 1155 or 1158 should be used . It is important that all products be CE marked and have passed a fire test on the door type to EN1634 standard .
Locksmiths must check test time , door type and power and fixing positions evidence , to ensure they are 100 per cent safe . Crucially , the door closer must be
‘ correct specification , installation and maintenance is paramount to the safety of all those who use the building ’
certified as meeting BS EN 1154 in the mounting position you want to use – not all door closers are . Frustratingly , this information can often be hard to find . As a result , locksmiths can be assured peace of mind with the CE3F , which is fully compliant and transparent .
With good , detailed knowledge , a locksmith can give valuable advice to a property owner or facilities manager , helping them to avoid using door closers that do not meet the necessary standards – with potentially serious consequences .
As an example , CE3F is the only door closer in its class that is CE marked in all three positions and fire rated for timber and metal fire doors . This is a legal requirement , underscored by Certifire approval . The resulting certificate is available to view on the Exova website and clearly details the door closer is suitable for use in all positions as well as on timber , uninsulated and fully insulated metal doors .
Not all door closers are as simple to understand or install as the CE3F ( or other UNION door closers ), which makes it the perfect starting point when looking for a door closer , for new installations or as a retro fit . Which of course is vital when you need to be confident in what you ’ re recommending and fitting .
LOCKSMITHJOURNAL . CO . UK | MAR / APR 2018 Sponsored by Lockex 2018 - Security & Fire Safety