Demystifying Doors: An insight into fire safety doors for care home settings
When it comes to fire safety in care homes, there is a lot to consider, and lots of regulations to adhere to – and with a lot at risk, it can be an understandably daunting task! Chief Executive of Sentry Doors – the UK leader in timber fire safety doorsets – Ty Aziz, shares some of the key considerations when it comes to putting fire doors in place.
Fire doors: the first line of defence
Under the Care Home Regulations Act (2001), care homes are legally obliged to create and maintain environments that are not only comfortable and efficient in delivering care, but that also ensure the safety, wellbeing and protection of residents.
Adherence to fire safety regulations is an essential part of this and – as a crucial part of a buildingās passive fire system – fire doors have a big role to play. Fire doors help to slow down the spread of fire and smoke as well as creating āfire sterileā areas, giving residents, staff and visitors the time and safe pathways to exit a building in an emergency – something which can be especially challenging in a care home environment due to potential dependency or mobility impairments of residents.
So, if you are responsible for a buildingās fire strategy, you will need to ensure that you have the right types of fire doors in the right places. And once a fire door is installed, you also need to make sure it is regularly checked and maintained, with any defects recorded and resolved.
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What types of fire door are there?
Fire doors are classified by the amount of fire and smoke protection they offer – for example, an āFD60Sā would offer up to 60 minutes of fire and smoke protection. In a medical or care home environment, there may also be a requirement for other functional features such as hold-open hinges, observation vision panels, antibacterial finishes and staff override locks.
We can work with your contractors to ensure the right specification door in each required location. But itās not just about choosing the doors. You also need to choose the right supplier so that you know your fire doors are compliant with the relevant regulations and really have been made to do what they say they will.
At Sentry, we have a robust and industry-leading certification portfolio so that you can be assured of compliance. Our doorsets hold BM TRADA Q-Mark and IFC certifications, demonstrating that they are manufactured to, and compliant with, all the latest fire legislation and tested to world-leading standards for fire protection and enhanced security. Our doors are also all data-tagged to comply with the Building Safety Billās āGolden Threadā digital information recording. As well as the essential technical and safety compliance elements, we also know that care homes need to look and feel homely and welcoming.
Our fire doors are available in a wide range of styles and colour finishes with various glazing, handle, hinge, lock and closer options and we can even match existing heritage styles to meet the most specific project requirements – so you can be sure of compliance without compromising on the look you want.
Ask the experts
Whether you need 20 fire doors or 200, we can help you plan and specify your fully compliant fire door project. Contact us today to discuss your requirements.
