54 • HARDWARE&SECURITY
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A Vital key to fire safety
»»Fire doors are a vital part
of a building’s fire safety and
ultimately can save lives. However,
it is just as important to think
about the additional hardware
components that are required to
ensure the door is fit for use and
will enable it to function correctly
in the event of a fire.
Martin Smith, product manager
at IronmongeryDirect, explains the
importance of locks and additional
hardware that need to be considered
to ensure the door operates
effectively in the event of a fire.
Locksmiths have an important
role to play in the supply,
correct installation and ongoing
maintenance of fire doors and their
accompanying hardware to ensure
they are fit for purpose, meet the
required standards and most
importantly provide protection to
the occupants of the building.
First and foremost, it’s important
for locksmiths to keep up-todate with the latest fire safety
legislation and standards to be
able to recognise when fire doors
and hardware don’t meet the
required standards so they can
rectify this and provide guidance.
In addition, by understanding
what is expected, locksmiths can
recommend and install the right
hardware and ensure the fire door
complies with regulations. Failure
to fit and maintain fire doors and
accompanying hardware correctly
could put lives at risk and lead to
potential legal implications so it’s
important that locksmiths get it
right.
‘Fire doors
are a vital
part of a
building’s
fire safety
and
ultimately
can save
lives’
Hinges, locks and latches
Hinges, locks and latches
are all equally important
when considering the
different hardware
components that make
up a fire door. If these are
not regularly maintained
or replaced when broken
the risk of the fire door not
doing its job correctly during
a fire is extremely high.
locksmithjournal.co.uk | SEP/OCT 2015
Sponsored by TradeLocks
When it comes to hinges, fire
doors need at least three to operate
correctly. These should be fitted
with the correct amount of screws
at the right size and marked
with a CE stamp. They should be
routinely checked for wear and
tear and should be treated if they
are showing any signs of rust or
corrosion.
It’s also important to install a
high quality lock as they help to
ensure a door remains closed
within its frame. A good example
of a quality lock is the Altro
Euro Profile Sashlock which
boasts a 60 minute fire
rating, meaning it will
withstand the effects of a
fire for up to an hour.
In order for the locks
to be compliant with
the fire regulations, they
must be fitted with a
suitable intumescent
lock kit. Once the
intumescent strips are
attached they help to