Fire Door Types

[MonkeyBoy]

Hi

As an FSO I was part of an auditing team that looked at a local hotel which had listed building status.
During the audit, it was identified that its doors did not meet current standards for F/R.
Advice was sought from English Heritage who agreed that the doors needed repairing/upgrading or replacing.
The "responsible person" was duly informed.

Since then, the RP's Consultant has written to us and to confirm that fifteen new doors have been manufactured and installed, all to the FD30 specification (we haven't checked yet if he means FD30(S)!)

What is troubling us though is that he says that six of the doors were "Type 2" and eight were "Type 5".

Could anybody enlighten me as to the difference between the two "Types"?? and where I can find guidance on them?


Many thanks in advance!

[kurnal]

Thats a new one on me too. I would ask the consutant what he means. Dont worry its a perfectly legit question. In any case he should have been more specific over the smoke seals. They are a recommended  under both the Building Regs Approved Document B and the fire safety guidance document.

[DF]

Casting my mind back many years, Type 1, 2, 3 and 4 doors were types of fire resisting doors refered to in old British Standard Codes of Practice - eg CP3: Chapter IV: Part 1: 1971 - which was Precautions against Fire in Flats and Maisonettes. Never heard of a Type 5 though.
The standard is way out of date as it talks about 25mm (1 inch) door stops and no mention of intumescent strips or smoke seals.
From memory of the locations where the doors were used Type 1 was the highest clasification, Type 2 were used onto stairs, Type 3 were internal flat doors and Type 4 were cross corridor smoke doors.
CP3 was the code of practice referred to by the Building Regulations 1985 under the Mandatory rules for means of escape in case of fire.
This code was basically superceeded when 5588 pt1 was expanded from covering single dwellings to also include flats in 1990.

Hope this helps,
Dave.

[MonkeyBoy]

Thanks Kurnal & DF - we have yet to find any other references.

I will dig out our copy of CP3 and see what it says!

[Big T]

Some companies refer to the sizes of their doors by type. ie Size x is a type 1, size y is a type 2 etc. It may be company specific?

[saddlers]

It may be that the reference is to a door schedule that was prepared for the scheme. The consultant may have quoted the door schedule types, without including a copy of the door schedule for you.

[wee brian]

I was thinking the same - its not a standard classification - so ask him - then tell us what the answer was

[MonkeyBoy]

Thanks for all your help!

A letter has been sent - we are still waiting for a reply (if one comes!)