Fire Doors News & Trends

Safe and seamless movement in our built environment hinges on accurately specified and installed door hardware, explains Russell Marks, managing director of Boss Door Controls. With millions of doors used each and every day, it’s important to recognize the details behind effective access and egress. Whether it’s the regular composite doors found in our homes, the electromechanical access points located in public settings, or the emergency exit fire doors that keep us safe in our wor...

The 2022 Building Safety Act, instituted in direct response to the Grenfell Tower tragedy in London, UK, has outlined a raft of new responsibilities that building owners and managers must adhere to, in line with many of the deficiencies identified post-2017.  With the UK’s building stock notoriously aging, many of us live and work in buildings that were built under outdated regulations and have not been updated for decades in some cases. As such there is an enormous amount of remedia...

Are people too passive when it comes to fire door safety? Research conducted by the British Woodworking Federation (BWF) in 2022 would suggest so, with a third of the British public stating they would not report a problem with a fire door, despite three-quarters of respondents believing a propped open fire door would not perform its role in the event of a fire. From schools and shops to shared areas of employment and accommodation, people are habitually - and sometimes unknowingly - kept safe b...

When fire safety fails, lives are put at risk. In all buildings, reasonable steps must be made to reduce the likelihood and impact of fire, yet, many people remain unsure and indecisive toward fire safety practices and the roles and responsibilities associated with fire door safety. In view of this, in October 2023, new fire safety legislation was introduced to non-domestic properties in England and Wales. Section 156 of the Building Safety Act 2022 (BSA) has made a number of amendments to the...

The performance and reliability of fire doors can be undone by inaccurate hardware installation.  Karen Trigg of Allegion UK explains the significance of installer competence and how responsible persons should approach fire door hardware fittings to ensure lives aren’t put at risk.  fire doors For a building to be considered fire-safe, it must have functioning fire doors. A crucial element of passive fire protection, fire doors are recognized as a legal requirement in non-dom...

Daniel May of Consort Architectural Hardware discusses the proposed standard change from BS 476 to EN 1634-1 and the impact it may have on door hardware and the built environment should it pass.  Building regulations Building regulations are designed to govern the methods and materials used throughout construction projects. For decades, modern regulations have developed to form a minimum standard and without them, many structures would be considered dangerous and risking the safety...

Working fire doors are a prerequisite for fire safety, but what differentiates them from regular doors Kirk Smith of Allegion UK outlines the technical features that form fire-rated doors as we know them. Research indicates there may be around 42 billion doors found throughout the world’s built environment. Every day, each of those doors plays a purposeful role toward the accessibility, safety and security of buildings and their occupants-but how many people truly recognize what they...

With new fire safety regulations around the corner and a renewed focus on responsible persons and coordination, Karen Trigg of Allegion UK discusses the significance of fire door hardware and why regular inspections and maintenance periods must remain high on the agenda. Fire doors and their hardware are often the first line of defense in the event of a fire. Working in tandem, they coexist as a core element of a building’s passive fire protection system, providing valuable protection and...

Across the globe, the decarbonization of our planet has become a focal point for construction. Between legislative requirements and market demand, industry pioneers remain under constant pressure to reach environmental targets, and upon exploring some of the more distinct routes, it’s important to consider what more can be done with construction materials.  Environmentally conscious products Research has shown that approximately 55% of extracted raw materials are used to develop th...

The fire risks associated with multi-occupied residential buildings remain high on the sector’s agenda, and the latest wave of fire safety reforms can help address key concerns, says Karen Trigg of Allegion UK. raising fire safety standards In recent years, high-rise and high-risk building environments have been the subject of much industry focus.  Where Grenfell was a catalyst for change, the incremental introduction of new reforms (such as the Fire Safety Act 2021 and Build...

The fifth anniversary of the Grenfell Tower disaster has passed, yet debate surrounding building safety best practice continues. Last year, the UK Government announced steps to further reform the building safety system with what it described as ‘the biggest changes in a generation’ to ensure the safety of residents in their homes. Within these new measures, mandatory sprinkler systems and consistent wayfinding signage were announced in all new high-rise blocks of flats over 11 meter...

Under guidance from the Architects Registration Board, architectural students are set for a change in curriculum. Karen Trigg of Allegion UK explores this decision and why industry collaboration is central to improving fire safety education and paving the way to a safer future. In evolving construction industry, the approach to building design is ever-shifting. Yet, as the complexity of projects intensifies, safety and sustainability remain fundamental areas of focus, and according to architect...

As the holidays approach, how can temporarily vacant buildings remain fire safe and secure? Allegion UK outlines the best practices. Security concerns The holiday period is synonymous with festivity, family, food, and fun - but it’s also a time rife with empty buildings and heightened security concerns. As most of the nation winds down for a stint packed with celebration and enjoyment, schools, workplaces, and commercial facilities momentarily shut their doors, but in doing so, invite po...

The UK Fire Service is called out to extinguish fires in approximately 1,500 UK schools per year. Regardless of their size, these incidents disrupt the education of around 90,000 students each year, not to mention the economic strain caused by building damages. But most significant of all, these fires compromise safety. The government recently opened a consultation on proposed revisions to its non-statutory fire safety guidance in schools. Building Bulletin 100 The Building Bulletin 100 (BB10...

“Luckily, today fire safety is a topic not only experts and constructors, but also the end-consumer is interested in,” said Marc Husband, Purchasing Director at Leader Doors, one of the UK’s renowned door manufacturers and retailers. Over the last few years, there have been many changes in building regulations for flats, apartments and offices for fire safety. Any building with more than three floors needs to be equipped with FD30 rated 30-Minute-Fire-Doors, to ensure that in t...

Fire safety doesn’t happen by accident; it requires universal attention. With that, Karen Trigg of Allegion UK explores why the importance of working fire doors is often overlooked and why now is an opportune time to bridge the gap between fire safety education and action. Improving fire safety within UK buildings is a challenge we are all continuously facing. Irrelevant of the sector, it’s of the highest importance for any building type - from schools and hospitals to high-rise res...