The government has released a number of regulations that buildings, from construction down to operations, need to follow. Aside from permits, one of the most important yet often a neglected rule is the existence and maintenance of Fire Door Assembly.
Fire Door Assembly is defined as a combination of fire rated doors, frame, hardware and other necessities that can provide protection to the opening. Fire exit maps might exist, but how functional are those doors?
How important is maintenance?
Experts found that a majority of fire casualties and accidents were due to faulty doors that do not latch or open. Such incidents could have been avoidable if only fire rated doors were properly maintained. Therefore, the government has released a guideline for both public and private establishments to follow.
A huge portion of this guideline lies in the importance of maintaining every floor’s Fire Door Assembly, and for obvious reasons. Nobody knows when a fire will strike and it would be of great importance to have a fully functioning Fire Door Assembly.
Maintaining your doors
Fire rated steel doors are easy to maintain. However, there is still a need for annual testing and inspection to make sure screws and hinges are intact and working well. Fire doors should be able to close and open properly whenever there is a need to. Keep doorways clear of obstacles (i.e. doorstoppers) and should have a well-maintained area for easier access.
Some establishments have automated fire doors. Aside from these manual inspections, tools, and software included for automatic doors and devices should properly be maintained as well. A list of complete guidelines from different government agencies is open for the public’s access.
The maintenance of every establishment’s Fire Door Assembly is something you shouldn’t compromise. It can be the only thing that can save people in the most unexpected times.
