What Is The Purpose Of A Fire Door In Passive Fire Protection?

Passive fire protection plays a fundamental role in the realm of fire safety and one crucial element of passive fire safety is fire doors. Featuring fire-resistant materials, fire doors are a vital component of any compartmentalisation strategy, but do you know their exact purpose and how they contribute to your overall fire safety measures?

In this blog, we delve into the importance and function of fire doors in containing the spread of fire and how they help to protect occupants and safeguard your property. Understanding the purpose of fire doors and how they work is key to ensuring the safety and compliance of your building. First, let’s take a quick look at what passive fire protection is.

What is passive fire protection?

Passive fire protection refers to the built-in safety measures within a building’s structure which are designed to limit the spread of fire and smoke. Instead of actively suppressing a fire, passive fire protection focuses on slowing the spread, allowing occupants more time to evacuate and minimise potential damage.

These measures are normally implemented into a building’s structure during the design and construction phases, meaning building owners are adhering to specific building regulations and fire safety standards right from the start.

Examples of passive fire protection include:

• Fire-resistant walls, floors, and ceilings
• Fire doors
• Intumescent sealants
• Fire barriers and cavity barriers
• Fire dampers

All of these elements work together to create fire compartments, which are self-contained sections within a building that restrict fire and smoke from spreading beyond their boundaries.

How do fire doors work?

As we’ve mentioned, a fire door acts as a barrier against the spread of fire. Unlike regular doors, fire doors are specifically engineered and tested to withstand fire for a certain period, usually 30 minutes or more. This allows people in the building more time to evacuate and prevents the fire from spreading quickly. It also gives firefighters a better chance to control and put a fire out.

A fire door also has the ability to limit the spread of smoke. As smoke inhalation is one of the leading causes of fire-related deaths, fire doors effectively reduce the risk of smoke inhalation for people within a building by tightly sealing gaps around the door which minimises the passage of smoke into other areas of the building.

The resistance of a fire door is achieved through a combination of materials and design features. Engineered with fire-resistant materials, such as gypsum, vermiculite, or solid timber, these cores are usually encased within a timber frame to provide structural integrity and further enhance the door’s fire resistance. Certified fire doors often come with a fire rating which determines how long they can withstand a fire. For example, an FD30 door can offer protection for 30 minutes.

As well as this, fire doors have an intumescent strip fitted around the edges of the door or door frame that expands and closes the gap between the door and the frame in the event of a fire. They should also be self-closing and be fitted with a closing mechanism for maximum effectiveness in containing a fire.

What is the purpose of a fire door in passive fire protection?

Fire doors are the silent guardians in the face of danger and their effectiveness in saving lives during a fire cannot be overstated. When a fire breaks out, every second counts. A fire door’s ability to resist fire for a designated period, potentially makes the difference between life and death. This is especially crucial for individuals with mobility issues or those unfamiliar with the building layout.

Fire doors are a vital aspect of compartmentation and the strategic placement of fire doors throughout a building allows for the creation of these fire compartments. Each compartment acts as a barrier and prevents a fire from spreading rapidly throughout the structure.

These precautions not only protect human life but also help to safeguard property and minimise the overall impact of fire damage. By slowing down the fire’s progression, fire doors provide firefighters with a tactical advantage, allowing them to control and extinguish the fire more effectively.

Where are fire doors needed?

The location of where fire doors are placed in a building are determined by building codes, fire regulations, and the specific fire safety strategy of the building.

For example, communal areas in a multi-occupancy building, such as an apartment block, are prime locations for fire doors. Doors leading to hallways, stairwells, and escape routes should always be fire-rated to provide residents with a protected means of escape. Similarly, internal fire doors are usually needed in commercial buildings to separate different areas or floors to limit the potential spread of fire.

Public buildings like schools, hospitals, and shopping centres use fire doors extensively as they’re vital in areas where large groups come together or where hazardous materials might be present.

In terms of residential fire doors, which are commonly found in homes, apartments, and houses of multiple occupancy (HMOs), these doors must meet specific building regulations and fire safety standards for residential properties.

Want to learn more about fire doors?

It’s clear to see that fire doors play a crucial role in passive fire safety by containing and preventing the spread of fire and smoke, which ultimately save lives and protects property. Understanding the key functionality and purpose of fire doors allows you to create a safe environment in a commercial setting.

Here at Asco, we supply and install a wide range of fire doors for businesses across Glasgow, Edinburgh, Midlothian, Aberdeen, and across Scotland. We also offer nationwide coverage with the help of our partner brands and with the backing of the LS Fire Group. So if you’d like to learn more about the design, installation, or maintenance of fire doors, don’t hesitate to contact us for expert guidance and support.

Fire door FAQs

What makes a door a certified fire door?

A certified fire door is one that meets British Standards, in particular BS 476-22, which sets the standards for testing the fire resistance of fire doors of non-loading bearing elements. It should have a label or marking indicating the fire rating and the date of manufacture, which is normally found on the top edge of the door or the hanging edge.

How often should fire doors be inspected?

Regular inspections and maintenance of fire doors are key to guaranteeing they remain in good working order and will function properly in an emergency. At a minimum, fire door inspections should be conducted annually. However, depending on the door’s location and usage, more frequent inspections by a competent individual may be necessary to ensure they remain efficient.

Can I paint over fire door labels?

Painting over fire door labels is highly discouraged as they contain vital fire safety information. It’s the responsibility of the ‘responsible person’ – usually an employer or building owner – to ensure these labels remain clearly visible. If a label is damaged or painted over, it must be replaced or reapplied to maintain compliance with fire safety regulations and allow for a proper fire risk assessment.

What should I do if a fire door is damaged?

If a fire door is damaged, it’s important to address the issue immediately. Depending on the extent of the damage, this may involve repairing or replacing the door to reinstate its fire door rating and ensure the effectiveness.

Why do some fire doors have windows?

Some fire doors have windows to improve visibility and natural light in corridors or stairwells. These windows are typically made with fire-resistant glass that complies with fire safety standards. Having windows in fire doors is allowed as long as the glass meets the required safety standards and doesn’t compromise the door’s ability to prevent the spread of flames.