Flat fire doors - under 11m

[leew]

any help appreciated - as others have said regs are not clear..im not inclined to spends 100s or 1000s if we dont need to..

 

Q - will a fire door 43 mm thick be compliant - is there leeway on the 44mm rule...? What is the min a fire door must be thick ?

Q - do flat front doors need checking every year ? can anybody perform the check or do you have to hire in 'fire door inspectors..'?

thanks

[Neil ashdown]

The thickness of the door depends on the relevant certification / evidence of fire performance for the door.

Also see   

Also see  https://www.howdens.com/joinery/doors/howdens-spey-35mm-plywood-flush-fd30-fire-door-obj-sku-family-25409973   

Refer to the relevant UK Gov fire safety guidance for the type of resirential block inn question eg:  https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/fire-safety-in-purpose-built-blocks-of-flats     https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/making-your-small-block-of-flats-safe-from-fire  

[leew]

so the 44m rule isnt the final say in effect ? You can buy a 35 mm fire door per your link ? Our installer says our door needs replacing despite them passing previous year..they are 42.5 /43mm thick.

 

What about the check being annual - not what im reading in gov advice yet we are told they need doping annually. 

[Neil ashdown]

So, has the Installer said why the door needs to be replaced? 

At residential blocks below 11m in height, there's no statutory requirement to inspect fire doors to a particular schedule but there is (under Article 17 of the Regulatory Reform Fire Safety Order 2005) a legal obligation, as you would expect, to ensure fire doors "are subject to a suitable system of maintenance and are maintained in an efficient state, in efficient working order and in good repair". 

 

See https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2005/1541/article/17    

 

 

[leew]

The installer advised building management the door is under the required 44mm thickness (its 42-43mm) and needs to be replaced. Even though the previous year it was deemed to be fine but had a couple of minor adjustments! And they insist on annual checks. Thanks Neil. I believe they are wrong on both counts.

[Neil ashdown]

If the installer says the door is non-compliant due to the thickness being 42mm or 43mm (rather than 44mm) and requires replacement, they should back that up with the relevant documentation (guidance/certification/product data sheet etc). 

If they can't, then what basis do they have for making that recommendation? 

[leew]

more info on my door - its a notional door 42.8 mm thick was brought up to compliance in 2022 (strips/gaps etc). Now im being told as its under 44 its not thick enough and needs replacing -  Im just wondering how they can go from its ok in 2022 to now it being to thin. ?!

[Neil ashdown]

If that's the only reason why the latest inspection has found the door to be unsuitable, the inspector would need to back up their finding with the relevant documentation.