Neil Ashdown MAFDI

Are you looking for Third party Certification for fire door installation work for your business OR are you looking to have a site manager trained on how fire doors should be installed, inspected and verified as compliant? You might need both, depending on your clients' requirements.

The purpose of a smoke seal is to restrict the spread of cold smoke. The dimensions of the seal is not related to the fire rating of the door. Refer to Building Regulations Approved Document B, Appendix C 'Fire Doors' for the requirements. See Table C1 and Notes 2 There is also useful information about smoke seals at https://www.ifsa.org.uk/

Yes it is. If you are using softwood (redwood or whitewood) for the door frame you can use the same materials for the packers / folding-wedges. But obviously, hardwood or hardwood plywood is more resistant to compression.

Becca, from what you say it seems the door is a composite flat entrance fire door? You were wise to consult the door-set manufacturer and it would be good to keep the correspondence from them in case any issues or questions of any kind arise in future.

If the mag-lock releases when the alarm sounds then the locked cupboard door would be open? Applying the best practice guidance, the lock should be CE or UKCA marked to BS EN 12209 - the mag-lock will not comply.

Section 6 of the document 'Code of Practice: Hardware for Fire & Escape Doors' at http://firecode.org.uk/Code_of_Practice_hardware_for_fire_and_escape_doors.pdf states that locks must be suitably fire rated for the purpose. Critical recommendations (see below) can be found on page 61

2018 is very recent in terms of timber-based fire door Standards. It may well be the case that the door manufacturer's fire performance certification requires that the hinges be UKCA or CE marked to the correct fire rating and durability rating in accordance with BS EN 1935: 2002. Similarly, the same door certification may require that the lock/latch-set has intumescent protection and the security viewer too. Contact the fire door surveyor, they should be able to provide the product certification details for the door and the specification for the hinges and intumescent protection gaskets.

Change for a metal heavy duty fire door-set. Some have reinforcing channels built into the doors and door frames.

Remove the door assembly and line the opening completely with solid timber of the same type as the door frame. Then fit the door assembly into the new subframe. Refer to BS 8214: 2016 for linear gap requirements in terms of dimensions and sealing.

Whilst there is currently no legal requirement for fire door installers & maintainers to possess a dedicated qualification, competence is necessary. The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 requires those that provide fire safety related services to be ‘Competent Persons’. Regulation 7 of the Building Regulations covers workmanship and materials. Subsequent to the Hackitt Report there are industry led working groups looking at what competence should look like in the future and you may find the report ‘A Higher Bar’ interesting at https://www.cic.org.uk/shop/a-higher-bar-achieving-a-competence-led-built-environment It is expected that in future regulated qualifications may become either a mandatory requirement or at least a strong recommendation. However, there is currently no mandatory requirement for fire door installer & maintainer training but many clients such as housing associations, healthcare organisations and education providers now require that those that install or maintain fire doors have a qualification or certification as proof of competence to perform those works.

You may find this guidance document useful in making your decision https://www.ggf.org.uk/download/20-1-guide-to-best-practice-for-fire-resistant-glazing-systems-pdf/

A suitable repair by a competent person is required.

Are the doors rebated at their meeting edges? If so, a door selector is required. If not, a repair is required.

Assuming your hinges date back to 2002, then they pre-date the CE marking requirement.

Interesting and difficult in some circumstances.