Door signs

[davincey]

Hello all

I have recently started getting recommendations in FRAs from a contractor to place 'Automatic Fire Door - Keep Clear' signs on doors that are held open by release devices.
I am of the opinion that an 'automatic door' is one which is shut using a powered closer and therefore important to stay clear of. These doors are only on ordinary door closers, the same as any other door within the building, and are therefore no more likely to cause injury than any other door. As they are mainly in corridors and therefore regularly used, it is also highly unlikely that anything would be placed in front of them. (they also recommend placing the sign on the face of the door which will be open and therefore not obviously visible anyway!)
Is this just another example of a Fire Risk Assessor being overly pedantic? Or is it a valid point and my judgement has just been clouded by all the other pointless recommendations I have come across (such as fitting smoke detection to the common parts of a flat block with open balcony escape routes!!!!)??
Perhaps it has just been a lonnnng day of reading assessments!
I would appreciate any comments....

[nearlythere]

Hello all

I have recently started getting recommendations in FRAs from a contractor to place 'Automatic Fire Door - Keep Clear' signs on doors that are held open by release devices.
I am of the opinion that an 'automatic door' is one which is shut using a powered closer and therefore important to stay clear of. These doors are only on ordinary door closers, the same as any other door within the building, and are therefore no more likely to cause injury than any other door. As they are mainly in corridors and therefore regularly used, it is also highly unlikely that anything would be placed in front of them. (they also recommend placing the sign on the face of the door which will be open and therefore not obviously visible anyway!)
Is this just another example of a Fire Risk Assessor being overly pedantic? Or is it a valid point and my judgement has just been clouded by all the other pointless recommendations I have come across (such as fitting smoke detection to the common parts of a flat block with open balcony escape routes!!!!)??
Perhaps it has just been a lonnnng day of reading assessments!
I would appreciate any comments....

Is it not that doors which are held open may have something placed at them which would prevent the door closing properly if the release activates?
I haven't seen such a sign on corridor doors but have in the immediate vicinity of automatic FR roller shutters in shopping centres to isolate the shop from a circulation  area in the event of a fire. This was that type of signage and a painted designated area on the floor to warn that the area should be maintained clear so as the RS was not prevented from closing fully.

[FSO]

I think it is a fair point to have 'Automatic fire door - keep clear' on doors held open by devices.

Apart from the reasons stated above which are very valid, I have lost count of the number of Fire safety complaints I have been mobilised to where this has been an issue. In other words, a fire door which has 'Keep shut' on it is held open by an approved device and a member of the public has complained that the door is prevented from closing.

So maybe a little pedantic, but I would suggest very valid.

I would not loose any sleep over it though.

[AnthonyB]

It has often been a requirement since the days of the Fire Precautions Act 1971 for doors fitted with hold open devices that release automatically upon the activation of the fire alarm to bear a notice along the lines of "Automatic Fire Door - keep clear" or "Automatic Fire Door - close at night", it is not a recent thing and just because no one has brought the matter up before doesn't mean it's not required.

People have been known to obstruct these doors impeding closure in the past on the belief that because they are open it doesn't matter - I've seen shop displays block these doors also.

Both sides of the door should be labelled.

If it is a fire door forming part of the protection of the building (as oppose to a door to an area that didn't need a fire rated door but had one put in, which is common)then it should usually be labelled in one of the following ways:

"Automatic Fire Door - keep clear" or "Automatic Fire Door - keep clear, close at night"
"Fire Door Keep Shut"
"Fire Door Keep Locked Shut" (Cupboards or similar areas in lieu of a closer)

[kurnal]

Davincy I reckon you are ready for a day off.

We cant win as fire risk assessors. So its best to recommend best practice. Such signs are clearly best practice as Anthony says.

It is also a recommendation of Approved Document B - appendix B - Fire Doors which is very definitive and prescriptive.

[afterburner]

see BS 5499 - 5: 2002 Annex A.1 'Mandatory Notices' item A.1.03, 'Automatic fire door keep clear'.

our Enforcing Authority insist on these signs being provided on the visible leaf of all doors held open by an automatic release device allowing the door closer to do it's job.

The background is to prevent either storage of material stopping the door closing or persons being suprised and struck with doors which operate suddenly

[davincey]

Thanks all

Clouded judgement on my part...... wrists considered well and truly slapped...... head hung in shame.....  off to the clinic for corrective treatment!

I think you are right kurnal..... long weekend of rest!