Door Fire Safety Standards Explained
Doors are often the first line of defence for concealing certain workplace risks, such as fires. As such, they fulfil an important purpose in keeping your property and team safe. This risk means that extensive testing must be carried out regardless of the door type, be it automatic doors or steel hinged doors.
When choosing a commercial door, it helps to understand what testing it has already been through. Not only does this reinforce confidence in your decision, but it reassures you of its effectiveness, should you ever need to rely on it.
In this post, we’ll dive deep into the world of door fire safety testing. We’ll cover how doors are tested, as well as what laws and policies are in place to regulate said testing.
Door Fire Safety Standards
As per UK fire door regulations, commercial and residential doors are meant to meet certain requirements.
British door safety standards are denoted with the letters ‘BS’, with there being several door testing standards that affect how they are built and used:
BS 476-22:1987: This covers the range of fire resistance testing undertaken on buildings and non-load-bearing structures, including doors. Within this, doors are able to be classified based on their conformity to tests. It’s worth noting that this standard is due to be withdrawn as of September 2029, and replaced with the European standard BS EN 1634.
BS EN 1634: As a more door-specific standard, this focuses on the level of fire resistance witnessed on doors and shutter assemblies, as well as certain types of windows.
BS EN 1363: Although not a test or regulation in and of itself, this standard outlines the general requirements to determine the level of fire resistance of certain construction elements. This helps establish the pass/fail criteria for the tests that are conducted.
BS EN 13501: This British standard is in place to synchronise with wider European standards for fire performances of building elements, including doors.
BS 8214:2016: This is a British code of practice which offers guidance on how timber-based fire doors should be specified and installed.
How Are Doors Fire Tested?
Testing and maintenance is a core part of ensuring that fire testing standards are being followed.
To prove their effectiveness and conformity to door testing standards, commercial and residential doors are put through a rigorous process. This not only provides peace of mind to those who invest in them, but also ensures that they pass certain EU and UK legislation.
Simulation Testing
Encapsulated in a perfect environment, doors will often undergo a first round of fire testing within a laboratory environment. These tests can be used to simulate dangerous on-site scenarios, with fewer risks of injury to employees.
Inspection
As well as isolated testing, doors can also be tested after they’ve been installed. For the safety of the business and its employees, on-site testing will usually focus on specific attributes of a door, rather than simulating full-length scenarios. This primarily follows a visual inspection of the locks, hinges, signage, clearances, and seals.
Functional Testing
As a more practical test, functional testing will see the various aspects of a door put through its paces. This considers how the door opens and closes, whether there are any risks that could affect its functionality over time, and the performance of any additional features like soft-shutting hinges.
As part of our installation service, our engineers will conduct a short on-site inspection after your door has been installed to ensure it’s functioning properly and as expected. You can learn more about how our doors are tested and maintained in our article:
The Ultimate Automatic Door Maintenance Checklist
How Are Door Fire Ratings Measured?
Depending on the results of their tests, doors are then provided with a rating. These are often issued depending on the length of their exposure, which is measured in minutes.
Alongside this, many doors will also be accompanied by a test report and certificate upon completion. From time to time, manufacturers may change or reinvent their processes, which can alter the results of doors built in the future.
In the UK, ratings are prefixed with the letters ‘FD’, meaning Fire Door. After this, a number is used to denote how long they have been tested for. FD30, for example, means 30 minutes, while FD120 would mean two hours.
Fire-Resistant Doors for Commercial and Residential Settings
Fire safety is such an important aspect to consider when choosing your next commercial door. Whether it’s a steel hinged door or even a roller shutter, controlling the spread of fire is key. If you’re in need of a new door for your business, we at NOVA Door Systems can help. Not only do we design high-quality fire-safe doors, but we also offer an installation service.
To talk more about your fire/commercial door needs, contact us today.