Fire doors may be the most important and effective part of your passive fire protection system. Automated fire-alarm systems had been lauded as a major contribution to the safety and security of industrial plants and business premises. Unfortunately this seems not to be the case. Statistics gathered between April 2009-June 2010 by Essex County Fire & Rescue Service showed that 97% of calls received were false alarms, set off by design faults, adverse monitoring conditions or other third party factors. The upshot of this statistic is that some are claiming that automated alarm calls will go unattended.
Fire doors slow the progress of fire and smoke drastically. This is crucial when fire services must travel through urban traffic or across country in order to reach a fire once the alarm has been raised. This can be even more crucial in an industrial situation where flammable or incendiary materials may be stored or used in manufacturing processes.
Firedoors incorporate self-closing mechanisms and may be constructed from multiple materials laminated into layers which combine to halt the movement of fire for as long as possible. Any glazing incorporated into a fire door must be specially created to be fire resistant. Fire ratings are given by the number of minutes for which the closures can prevent that movement, usually at least 30 or 60 minutes and up to 4 hours or more is possible.
Laws in the UK require fire doors to be fitted in many situations, even in domestic situations. Industrial premises are even more tightly regulated to protect staff. Choosing a suitable fire-door is easy with B & L in Birmingham. Our expert staff can help to guide you towards the best choice.