A recent survey organised by the British Woodworking Federation (BWF) Fire Door Alliance has revealed that nearly a third (30%) of those responsible for fire door safety say that they do not fully understand their fire door responsibilities under the Building Safety Acts.
The survey of 1,000 people was organised ahead of this years’ Fire Door Awareness Week (an initiative started and run by the (BWF) Fire Door Alliance) and aimed to shed light on the issues around misinformation, a lack of awareness, and inadequate training.
In response to the report, the Chief Executive of the BWF Fire Door Alliance made this statement: “Our findings clearly show that while new legislation appears to have had a positive initial impact, there is still some work to be done in disseminating the detail and building an understanding of how compliance with the law can be met. This must be made an urgent priority for all those responsible for fire safety.”
The research, published in a recent BWF Fire Door Alliance’s report, also explored understanding and attitudes towards third-party certification of fire doors. As of September 2022, there is still no mandatory legal requirement under Building Regulations for the use of third-party certified fire doors, despite the crucial role fire doors play in protecting people and property, and the devastating impact this continued negligence will undoubtedly have. Third-party certification of fire doors and doorsets provides crucial evidence that a fire door, when correctly installed and maintained, is fit for purpose and complies with fire door regulations, designed to protect lives and property. Offering traceability throughout the construction supply chain, including important information about the door’s component parts, fire door third-party certification is a reassuring way to ensure that a fire door will perform as designed in the event of a fire.
With fire safety at the forefront of the national consciousness, and with fire door safety gaining more traction as an issue thanks to Fire Door Safety Week and the incoming legislation around fire door inspections, it is crucial that all parties have a good understanding of their responsibilities.
At PAL, we have made improving the standards of training and compliance across the industry our key priority. At our PAL Centre of Excellence, we offer a selection of manufacturer-backed and national accreditation training courses support all participants in delivering a totally compliant fire door installation or inspection.
Visit our training pages to discover more about our training and ensure you are fully confident in your ability to install, maintain and inspect fire doors.