UCL Fire Technical Note - TN014
Fire Safety
Technical Guide
FIRE DOORS - MONTHLY USER CHECK SHEET
& AIDE MEMOIR
Fire doors in your building - what you need to know:
Prohibited - to wedge open, obstruct or interfere with a designated fire door;
Prohibited - to obstruct an automatically closing fire doors;
Prohibited - the use of fire extinguishers to prop open fire doors;
Vison Panels - should not be covered up or obscured particularly in doors from
inner rooms, laboratories, equipment rooms or doors on circulation routes;
Prohibited
Prohibited automatic door openers for Mobility Impaired Persons (MIP) on
critical fire doors - fire doors protecting escape routes or stair enclosures being
fitted with automatic door openers for accessibility where these devices place
occupants at risk because they do not remain closed allowing some to enter
escape routes - seek UC Fire Safety Manager advice before purchase and
installation;
Mandatory - blue signs on fire doors are a legal instruction to keep doors closed;
Mandatory - doors that form workplace safety devices and systems must be
subject to suitable system of inspections and maintenance;
Mandatory
Mandatory - fire doors should to be inspected weekly / monthly depending on
their use and the results of the inspections recorded complete with any actions
taken to repair them if damaged;
Departments - to undertake regular checks of their doors keep simple records
and ensure that faults are reported and repairs status followed up with Estates;
Fire door ‘Hold Open’ devices that operate on activation of the fire alarm - may
be acceptable in certain locations or certain doors;
Acceptable
Fire door ‘Hold Open’ devices - are expensive and may need to be paid for by
the department;
Doorgards - may be used in certain limited areas to hold fire doors open but not
on stairs see advice from UCL Fire Safety Manager first;
Definition of a Fire Door - means a door assembly, which is designed to hold back fire and smoke for a
designated period, and has been tested under conditions for door assemblies described in British Standard
476: Part 22.
1.0. Introduction
1.1.
Fire doors are an important safety feature of any building in which people
work or visit, as they offer resistance to the spread of fire and smoke limiting
its effect.
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Date Last Amended: Dec 15
1.
Issued by the – Fire Safety Manager, UCL Estates, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT - This guide is to be regarded as a general statement of
requirements and is in addition to relevant British Standards or any other instructions received from the Local Fire or Building Control
Authorities.
UCL Fire Technical Note - TN014
They are particularly important elements of fire protection on escape
routes and as such, the Heads of Departments are to ensure regular
checks of the fire doors on a premises and monitoring their condition for
effective operation.
2.0. Maintenance
2.1.
Departments can assist in maintenance of critical fire doors carrying out
regular inspections by given a unique number to each fire door. The
maintenance inspection period should be appropriate for the building and
an assessment of the door usage, location, and footfall or on routes being
used by trolleys for example:

Weekly check - busy traffic routes with hundreds of openings per day;

Monthly check - traffic routes and main entrances and corridor doors;

Quarterly check - doors to student rooms in residences;

Annually check - office or plant room service risers etc.
3.0. Inspection
3.1.
Inspections of fire doors should include checking the following features:

See Table 1 - a guide on what to look for when checking fire doors;

See Table 2 - for a record of repairs and action taken of find a fault or problem;

See Table 3 - for a record of fire doors in the premises or department;
4.0. UCL Maintenance Request Contacts
4.1.
UCL Estates Help Desk
Submit a ‘Maintenance Request’ stating fire door to be repaired as a priority through:
Tel: 020 7679 0000 / Ext: 30000 Emergency Repairs Only
The UCL Estates Customer
Service Centre
4.2.
Email:
efdservices@ucl.ac.uk
Web:
www.ucl.ac.uk/estates (see customer service centre)
At other locations not served by the Customer Services Centre report the
defects as per your local works services repair contacts or arrangements.
5.0. Fire Door Signs
5.1.
All fire doors MUST be signed using one of the following standard signs
(preferably in rigid plastic/metal screwed to the door):
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Date Last Amended: Dec 15
2.
Issued by the – Fire Safety Manager, UCL Estates, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT - This guide is to be regarded as a general statement of
requirements and is in addition to relevant British Standards or any other instructions received from the Local Fire or Building Control
Authorities.
UCL Fire Technical Note - TN014
Sign, Colour &
Pictogram
Description, Uses and Conventions
1. ‘Fire Door Keep Shut / Closed’ - positioned at eye level, on both faces of each
fire doors leaf that are fitted with a self-closing device - include any ½ leafs
which should also be signed in addition to the main door leaf.
Note - on fire rated glazed partitions & doors, FDKS signs may not be practicable
or visually acceptable - suggest ‘FDKS glazed manifestation’ used instead.
2. ‘Fire Locked Shut’ - used on fire doors that are not fitted with self-closing
devices (for example cleaner’s cupboard, some types of stores, plant rooms &
service risers) - sign fixed to outer door face, at eye level.
3. Automatic Fire Door Keep Clear - used on doors connected to ‘fire door hold
open devices’ that release the doors on activation of the fire alarm system.
Signs to be placed on the visible open leaf at eye level when the door is held
open by device; this is to avoid obstructing the fire door on being released
automatically.
3a. Provide a fire door keep shut’ sign on the door leaf facing to the wall at eye
level when held open.
6.0. All Fire-Resisting Doors Should Be:
(a).
Close fitting to the frame with a maximum gap of 5mm, but 3mm is
the accepted working gap and hung by a minimum of 1½ pairs of
all metal;
(b).
Fitted with an effective self-closing device that is capable of closing
the door tight against the stop, overcoming the resistance of any
latch or lock provided;
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Date Last Amended: Dec 15
3.
Issued by the – Fire Safety Manager, UCL Estates, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT - This guide is to be regarded as a general statement of
requirements and is in addition to relevant British Standards or any other instructions received from the Local Fire or Building Control
Authorities.
UCL Fire Technical Note - TN014
Table 1 - Fire door walk around aide memoir - user copy:
ITEM
Door Fully
Closing:
Door Closer
Operation:
OBSERVATIONS
ACTIONS
(1). Does the fire door full close & shut tight by use
of its own Self Closing (SC) Device?
(1). Yes - the fire door working &
effective;
(2). Does the fire door slam shut with force?
(2). SC device requires adjusting to
dampen closing action;#
(3). Fire
door does
not close
fully?
Is the door
self closer
fixed to
door and
frame
securely?
Is it slow to close or restricted?
(3a). The self-closing device requires
adjusting;#
Has the door dropped on its
hinges?
(3b). Yes - requires adjusting;#
(1). Has the door closing arm been
separated from the fame?
(1). Reaffix;#
(2). Is there any oil leaking from the
door SC device?
(2). New closing device required;#
(1). Is the door handle functioning correctly?
Door
Handles:
Door Seals:
Glazing in
Door:
Door
Hinges:
Door Hold
open
Devices:
Doors
Wedged
Open:
(2). Are they loose or missing?
(3). Can the door be opened without the use of a
key, if on an escape route in direction of travel to
the fire exit?
Take appropriate action as necessary,
including reporting to maintenance as
a priority repair;#
(1). Does the door have intumescent seals around
the top and 3 edges (not the bottom of the door)
or in the doorframe?
(1). Found on new doors, older fire
doors may just have 25 mm (1”)
doorstops in lieu;
(2). Are the fire seals in good condition, not
missing or damaged?
(2). If damage or missing must be
repaired;#
(3). Does the door (or frame) have cold smoke
seals in the form of brushes or a rubber strip? Are
they in good condition, missing, damaged?
(3). If damage or missing, then they
must be repaired as a priority#
(1). Is the glazing the fire door loose, does it rattle
or is it broken?
(2). Are the Vision Panels in the door clear and
unobstructed to provide safety to door uses on
both sides of the leaf?
(1). Yes - requires repairing;#
(2). Vision Panels are provided for
safety on circulation routes, inner
rooms, hazardous routes Labs etc and
remaining clear & unobstructed;
(1). Does the door leaf have 3 or more
Hinges?
(1). A requirement for a fire door is that it
must have a minimum of 3 steel hinges;
(2). Are they loose or screws missing?
(2). Hinges need to be repaired to make
door close fully shut and insure door
integrity;#
(1). Electromagnetic hold open not working;
units damaged or not holding door etc.
(1). Yes - requires repairing;#
(2). Dorgard Fitted and not holding door
open;
(2). Check Dorgard maintenance
documentation see fire safety on the web
www.ucl.ac.uk/fire/documents TN016/017
It is an offence under both Reference A & B
to interfere with safety equipment (fire doors
or firefighting equipment);
Remove obstruction report persons (if
known) to a superior. Only an Approved
Device complying BS5839 may hold open a
fire door.
# = requires Work Service to be submitted to have repaired.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Date Last Amended: Dec 15
4.
Issued by the – Fire Safety Manager, UCL Estates, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT - This guide is to be regarded as a general statement of
requirements and is in addition to relevant British Standards or any other instructions received from the Local Fire or Building Control
Authorities.
UCL Fire Technical Note - TN014
Table 2 - ‘Specimen Door Check Record Sheet’:
Note: each fire door placed on the register will need to be identified with a
reference number such as Ground Floor - G/1; First Floor - 1/1; Second Floor 2/3
etc.
Date
Door
Number
Faults & Remedial Action
Name & Signature
24/6/05
G/2
Leaking oil from overhead door closer - Maintenance
Request submitted 28 Jun 14 Ref: 12345
J Bloggs
24/6/05
1/4
Intumescent strip missing from edge of door
Maintenance Request submitted 28 Jun 14 Ref: 12346
J Bloggs
24/6/05
2/4
Checked and found serviceable – No Action
-
J Bloggs
J Bloggs
J Bloggs
J Bloggs
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Date Last Amended: Dec 15
5.
Issued by the – Fire Safety Manager, UCL Estates, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT - This guide is to be regarded as a general statement of
requirements and is in addition to relevant British Standards or any other instructions received from the Local Fire or Building Control
Authorities.
UCL Fire Technical Note - TN014
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Table 3 - ‘Specimen Fire Door Register’
Door
No:
Location
Door
Resistance
(in Minutes)
G/1
Ground Floor corridor o/s Room G06
30 minutes
1/2
First Floor Corridor to Lab 123
30 minutes
Smoke Seal /
Intumescent
Strips
Single or
Double
Swing
Door
Closure?
Door Hold
Open
Mechanism?
Glazing?
S/S =Yes
I/S = Yes
Double
Swing
Floor
Closure
No
Yes
I/S = Yes
Single Swing
Over Head
Yes
(Dorgard)
Yes
See TN015 for a word version
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Date Last Amended: Dec 15
6.
Issued by the – Fire Safety Manager, UCL Estates, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT - This guide is to be regarded as a general statement of requirements and is in addition to relevant British
Standards or any other instructions received from the Local Fire or Building Control Authorities.