Electro-magnetic hold open device
A wedged fire door
Fire doors are one of the most important elements of a building’s passive fire protection. These strong doors are typically certified for between 30 and 120 minutes of fire protection, and are specifically designed to keep fire at bay.Any closed door offers some amount of fire containment, but fire doors offer much more than this, and have smoke protection seals too. Used properly, a fire door will offer occupants of the building critical extra minutes to escape, and will also protect property and its contents as well as life.
For many businesses and properties, however, fire doors aren’t working. Why? Simple – because they’re kept open.
Keeping a Fire Door Open
We understand that it’s often inconvenient to keep a fire door closed, especially if it’s in a heavy traffic area, or if it’s in use by the disabled, or parents with pushchairs. However, propping a fire door open with a heavy object, or wedging it open, is not only unsafe – it’s illegal.
Fortunately, there’s a simple solution – install a proper fire door retainer. These mechanisms will hold a fire door open safely, allowing ease of access, but will release the door when the fire alarm sounds, allowing it to go back to its proper function of keeping you and the other occupants safer for longer.
Are your fire doors working for you? Take time to check that they are all kept closed; if one or more are being propped open, it’s important to act now.