Introduction to Fire Safety Management

Table 9.2 Examples of the marking regime suggested in BS 8214:1990
Core colour Background Fire resistance Colour code meaning
colour in minutes
permanently marked with their fi re resistance rating at
the time of manufacture. This marking confi rms that that
particular door (and associated assembly) has passed
the necessary BS 476 test. The marking should indicate,
not only that the door provides a degree of fi re resistance
but also whether or not heat activated (intumescent)
seals need to be incorporated when the door is installed
to enable it to achieve the require period of resistance.
It can be seen that doors indicated with a blue core
on a white background can serve to provide either 20
Fire protection in buildings
Red White 20 Intumescent seals are required as part of the
Yellow 30 door assembly at the time of installation
Blue 60
Green White 20 No additional intumescent seals need to be
Yellow 30 fi tted when installed
Blue 60
Blue White 20 No additional intumescent seals need to be
fi tted when installed.
White 30 Intumescent seals are required as part of
the door assembly at the time of installation.
minutes’ fi re resistance if installed without additional
intumescent strips or 30 minutes if additional strips are
added.
Once fi re doors are installed within a building it is
necessary to manage their continued effectiveness. The
inspection of fi re doors is a key component of all fi re
safety management systems. Those who fi nd themselves
responsible for managing fi re safety in buildings will need
to be aware of the common requirements for fi re doors
which are summarised below.
Fire Doors should display evidence of conformity to BS 476, normally by the inclusion of a colour coded plug in
resistance compliance to BS 8214.
In general all fi re doors and their assemblies must be capable of resisting fi re for 30 minutes.
The notable exception to this is for fi re doors that have been provided to break up a long (over 12 metres) corridor,
and doors protecting dead ends, in which cases only 20 minutes’ fi re resistance is required.
Any glass fi tted in the door should be similarly fi re resistant and should be securely fi tted with fi re resistant beading.
Fire and The vast majority of fi re resisting doors are required to have both fi re and smoke stopping capability. Fire
smoke stopping is achieved by fi tting intumescent strips either to the door or the frame. When the door assembly gets hot
stopping the strip expands and forms a seal which prevents the passage of fi re. Smoke stopping is achieved by fi tting
Neoprene strips to the door. These will prevent the passage of ‘cold’ smoke through the door assembly prior to the
action of the intumescent strip.
Notable exclusions from the requirement to have cold smoke seals are doors to external escape routes and an
unprotected lift shaft.
Well fi tting All fi re doors are tested in their assemblies and as such when in situ should be well fi tting. Fire doors that develop
gaps between them and the door frame will not perform their functions.
Self-closing All fi re doors should be fi tted with self-closing devices that are maintained so that the door closes positively against
the door stops and where appropriate latches effectively.
The notable exceptions to this are those doors that are normally kept locked shut, e.g. doors to cupboards or
service ducts.Where it is considered a hindrance to have a fi re door closed at all times it may be held open by an
automatic release mechanism that is actuated by an automatic detection and alarm system.
Door Hinges that a fi re door is hung on should display a CE mark and should normally be made of a material that has a
furniture melting point above 800ºC.
Locks handles, etc. should not be so fi tted as to compromise the integrity or stability of the door assembly.
Signage All fi re doors in places of work must be suitably indicated, on both sides, with signs that comply to the Health and
Safety (Safety Signs and Signals) Regulations 1996, or BS 5499 Part 1, indicating either:
● That they are to be kept closed when not in use
● That they are to be kept locked when not in use
● That they are held open with an automatic release mechanism – keep clear.
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