Neil ashdown

There are jamb concealed self-closer devices that may be suitable such as the Powermatic R100. However, you must check that the door leaf is suitable for that type of device and this will depend on the door core construction type. Check the certification data sheet, technical manual, evidence of performance etc. for the door leaf.

Fire safety is risk based. The Fire safety Order requires the RP to carry out a fire risk assessment. In the case of mental healthcare the RP has to have regard for the risk to relevant persons both in terms of fire and self-harm.

I have encountered such a situation at a mental health unit for a large primary healthcare trust. The trust's fire safety officer allowed fire resisting doors to patient bedrooms to be non-self closing. This link may be useful? https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/suite-of-guidance-on-fire-safety-throughout-healthcare-premises-parts-a-to-m

Check the product has evidence of fire performance and suitability for the doors in question https://www.safelincs.co.uk/fire-door-seals-surface-mounted-intumescent-fire-and-smoke-seal-kit-product-1/

The fire rated glazing will have been fire performance tested in a furnace using a suitable beading and gasket system for the retention of the glass in a fire situation. From that test a fire resistance report will have been written and within that report will be stated the requirements for gasket materials, beading materials and fixing pin or screw requirements. The manufacturer of the FR glass will be able to advise you on the particular requirements for that FR glass product. It is not uncommon for some contractors to install FR glass using non-compliant gasket/retention systems! I recommend that you seek advice from the manufacturer / supplier of the glass.

No recent changes to gap requirements. These should be in accordance with the door leaf manufacturers installation instructions, product data sheet or technical manual. Usually, that means the gap between the door leaf and door frame at the vertical edges and top edge should be minimum 2mm and maximum 4mm. At the threshold the gap between the door bottom edge and the floor covering or threshold plate should be 3mm maximum where cold smoke protection is a requirement. Clearly, HMOs will require cold smoke protection. Where a max 3mm gap cannot be achieved it is permissible to fit a threshold smoke seal to fill the gap, but the gap between the door bottom edge and the floor covering or threshold plate should not be more than 10mm. Where cold smoke protection is not a requirement the bottom gap should not exceed 10mm.

Just to correct Tom on one point. Fire Doors Complete Ltd is not the parent company for FDIS but as part owner of Fire Doors Complete and as a fire door inspector I am qualified with FDIS as well as with BRE.

The installation instructions or product data sheet for the fire door leaf will advise which fire seals are necessary. Be careful to adhere otherwise performance certification may be void. BS 8214:2016 Timber based fire door assemblies Code of practice provides further guidance also check out the website of the Intumescent Fire Seals Association at https://www.ifsa.org.uk/ for best practice guidance.

Your fire risk assessment and escape strategy should identify which doors need to be fire resisting.

Purchase a fire rated door blank with suitable evidence of performance. The blank can be cut to size and at the edges and lipped with suitable hardwood. Follow the technical manual for the door blank with regard to sizing and installation. Alternatively order a custom-made fire door to the size you require and install in accordance with the door leaf installation instructions/product data sheet.

Page 19 of the document 'Code of Practice: Hardware for Fire & Escape Doors' at http://www.firecode.org.uk/Code_of_Practice_hardware_for_fire_and_escape_doors.pdf provides guidance.

I would advise you to consult the following local government document on this subject....."Fire Safety in Purpose Built Blocks of Flats" at https://www.local.gov.uk/sites/default/files/documents/fire-safety-purpose-built-04b.pdf

You don't have to be accredited to install, maintain or repair fire doors. But you do need to be competent. The main issue is that there is little in the way of standardization when in comes to installing the different makes/models/types of fire doors. Different makes and models of fire door may well have different requirements for intumescent seal sizes, hinge positions and lock case sizes for example. All fire doors should have technical data sheets or installation instructions and these must be followed in their entirety. If not then, the performance certification is void and the fire performance may be jeopardized. So if you are installing a new fire door leaf into an existing frame, you may for example find that the required hinge positions are incompatible with the existing frame.

Some housing associations specify the self-closer be fitted to the outside so that the fire safety officer can check residents have not removed the device. Where a self-closer is fitted to the push side it must have fire test evidence for that configuration, sufficient power-size to BS EN 1154 and be installed using the correct parallel arm bracket.

There are competent persons that have the credentials to inspect fire doors, even where no evidence of performance is held by the building operator. The fire door inspector should provide a report detailing which doors are compliant and including a description of the work necessary to bring non-compliant doors to the required standard.