When it comes to the building design and maintenance of a property, good fire safety is critical. There are various fire safety measures to consider. For example, fire alarms, smoke alarms, fire extinguishers, emergency lighting and more. Another fire safety measure is fire doors. In this blog post we look at the importance of them and how long fire doors last.
The proper installation of fire doors is hugely important. This is because a fire door isn’t like a normal door. It is a specialised door that acts as a barrier against the spread of fire and smoke. Well installed and properly maintained fire doors will give those within the building the much-needed time they need to escape the building safely.
It is important that you understand what these doors do, how long fire doors last and their different ratings. This will help you ensure that you have the correct fire measures in place. By understanding how long fire doors last, you will be better informed to make a decision that will protect your premises and those within it.
Fire doors are classified on their ability to withstand a fire. They are then given different ratings based on this. The four most common fire door ratings you will come across are FD30, FD60, FD90 and FD120. An FD30 rated fire door will offer 30 minutes of protection against fire. An FD30 rated fire door will offer 60 minutes and so on. Each rating states the length of time that the door can contain the fire and smoke. This is the amount of time it can delay the fire and smoke from spreading to other areas of the premises.
These fire door ratings play an important role in deciding which fire doors you need within your premises. Based on the business, the premises layout and the materials within the premises, you can decide which fire door rating best suits your fire safety requirements. You will also need to take into account any potential fire hazards as well as the time required for occupants to safely exit the premises in case of a fire. These are all things that our fire safety engineers can advise you on.
