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Hi would a spy hole in a door with no information require a new door as the integrity has been compromised? The spy hole has also been installed 1200mm in the door which is low down. This is hospital door set which is a leaf & half and double acting. The half leaf has a lock at the top which we are unable to open as no one has a key. Is a lock of this sort allowed on the half leaf.?

Thanks for your reply, which is very reassuring.

Your fire alarm service company, if competent, can arrange this. Protec are capable, but obviously are failing in the customer care side of things

No - it's outside and is a single private dwelling so outside the legislation. Worth getting rid of anyway as it could be an arson target

The final exit (door to the outside) does not normally require to be a fire resisting door set so would not need checking beyond that to see it opens freely and the internal opening mechanism works (which if everyday use would be quickly identified by residents.) The general public use the term 'fire door' in a colloquial way to describe the final exit doors from a building (often not fire resistant unless an external stair or similar passes by) rather than the fire resisting door-sets inside buildings protecting stairs, corridors and enclosing high fire risk areas

Unless you are going to have more than 60-100 people all checking the same area and needing that exit I wouldn't worry! Securing the doors is more important to prevent trespass that can lead to arson or accidental fire by squatters (commercial premises don't have the same protection that domestic premises now have against squatting so can be more popular as it's not criminal in these premises)

I’ve come across a similar issue in the past with roller shutters being used near or as fire exits. While they’re great for security, they can become a real problem if they don’t open quickly in an emergency. In my case, the shutter mechanism got stuck due to lack of maintenance, which highlighted how important regular servicing is. If you’re based around the capital, you might want to look into professional shutter repair in London. There are specialists who not only handle emergency breakdowns but also check compliance with safety standards, making sure shutters don’t interfere with fire exit regulations. Preventive servicing can save a lot of stress later on.

After 19 hours I was hoping that a moderator would approve my topic, as it’s still marked as needing approval.

I have a tenant that has just moved into a rented property who is supported by a care worker, when inspecting the property. We have found an old shed that is blocking the rear garden gate, is this classed as illegal (fire exit). Can anyone answer this please. Thanks Baz

I am helping a friend who is a responsible person for a vertical block of three flats, and we have come up against an unclear situation with regard to the external door. The block consists of three flats one above the other, each of which leads via a front door into a communal stairwell. At the bottom there is one door leading to the outside. Obviously the regulations applicable to each flats front door are clear, but the bottom door, I feel, does not need to obey the same fire regulations as it leads to the outside. Would this be a correct supposition: I have read so much from every angle on the internet, but no one says anything on this specific point.

is there a tolerance in leaf thickness 44mm fd30 , + or - 1mm

Thnks for replies. I am trying to look ahead as to what might be yet another section 20 placed upon us (£120 a pop for each leaseholder x34), just for issuing it.) Another nice little earner for the MA. My own thoughts are those of Neil, in that Windsor doors glazing is 10cm wide. In fact to show how strong that is, on one of the cross corridor doors (we have 24+side panels) about 4 years ago, an angry young man (not resident) pushed the door so hard that it slammed into a wall where there happened to be a lighting button, the glass was cracked but nothing fell out. (Joke is that despite having had 3 door inspections since then including Fire checks, the door still has not been fixed) This sounds like it could be difficult to defend with no real concrete legislation in place on the topic. (Bit like the fact that we are having flat door checks done by a company every year on a building that is only 3 floors tall , and under 11 mtrs, and yet no Fire Door instruction leaflet ever having been issued to occupiers, which I believe is the legal case in buildings under 11 mtrs)

You could take a general image of the area to show the general location, then a close image of the label details before you remove the labels

"As I have mentioned before we have Windsor Type doors with 10 panels per door, 5 at the bottom, up to 80cm x 10 cm wide." Difficult to see a safety issue with clear wired glazing in a door when the glazed panels are only 100mm wide.

Hi. Double door fire exit has one leaf out of order. The fire exit serves area of building that's disused but could still be used by contractors. Leads from disused auditorium. Is it better to fix the faulty leaf or ok to have one leaf out of action? Regs refer to occupancy factor going through exit and now the area is disused, only contractors and any staff that's gone into area in this area now.

Hi, How would I get hold of a zonal plan for a fire alarm system in a building I look after. I have already emailed the maker of the system with no reply this being Protec. Thanks Mick

Hi Thanks both for your replies, but I said infrequently used, not unoccupied. But would agree with curly wig statement LOL.

If complying with the guidance to establish a defence against an allegation of non compliance then yes - if willing to chance it in court (along with the assessor) then they need to ensure the FRA gives a reasoned argument as to why a lesser standard than the guide still provides an adequate level of safety and keep the status quo.

The issue is that two different legal regimes are in play - Building Regulations, which aren't retrospective and fire safety/health & safety regulations which are if the risk is too high. If an old way of meeting H&S regulations will still be tolerably safe based on the hazard, likelihood, occupancy, etc then it can continue in place, but if it's obsolete to the point of being unacceptably dangerous then it needs to be modernised. If the H&S Risk Assessment deems the glazing hazard too high (e.g if a child falls against it and risks being seriously cut) then that would be their justification and to take this to an FTT would be a 'battle of the experts' issue

Is this a gate from an external yard? The key words are RISK ASSESSMENT as oppose to auditing against perfect world text book scenarios and based on the measures already in place it shouldn't be too hard to find a risk assessed solution to meet both fire & safeguarding needs

It will operate a simultaneous evacuation policy where a detector will activate well before an escape route is affected and everyone be out in about 3 minutes. The single exit route is 'protected' from the effects of fire for up to 10 x this period and is intended to be free from combustibles, obstructions or significant ignition sources. People are expected to take some personal responsibility and the only threat to this protection are the occupiers themselves - if they choose to prop open fire doors, store and e-scooter in the stair, etc, etc then that is their issue. The design is not stay put as it is a single house, not a block of flats so built differently with different fire protection measures

Ideally not although it isn't 'prohibited'. You should check with the fire stopper to see if it could affect any warranty they may have given.

Just saying, "Andy" asked his question in 2023, he has never been back, so the best thing to do will be to change all of the smoke alarms to something like Aico, as they are easy to install, and are reliable, and when they do "upgrade" they are always backwards compatible.

There is no direct replacement for the deta 1151, so it is up to you which brand to have, personally I like Aico, as they are very easy to fit, and are reliable, you will have to change all of the detectors you have at the same time. Click me

Hi. A three storey student HMO with only one way in and out, windows with retainers, has been fire risk inspected by Manchester City Council and deemed safe. This goes against all my instincts but I understand that if robust mitigations are in place eg alarm systems, fire doors, emergency lighting and a “safe” corridor, it is still legal. Despite this the question remains as to how occupants escape if the single door is blocked - for whatever reason. So far GMFS and MCC have given me no answer. Can anyone advise what the students should do in this case? Please tell me the advice remains to be ”stay put” - surely not since Grenfell?