DBCP has welcomed news from FireQual, the specialist Awarding Body for the fire industry, that it plans to develop a recognised qualification for the installation of fire doors.
The new qualification is designed to raise awareness of the importance of fire doors in buildings. It follows calls from the sector to introduce industry-led training after it was revealed that home owners and renters don’t regard fire door safety as priority.
Correctly fitted fire doors are an essential part of upholding fire safety regulations in commercial and domestic buildings. FD30 and FD60 fire doors provide 30 minutes and 60 minutes of fire protection respectively, giving the building’s occupants vital time to escape in the event of a fire. If badly installed, fire doors provide as little as 5 – 10 minutes of fire protection.
Common issues found with fire door installations include:
- Incorrectly fitted fire and smoke seals
- Inconsistent gaps between the fire door and its frame
- Insufficient signage
- Unsuitable hinges
- Damage to the door
Research by the British Woodworking Federation, supported by the BWF Fire Door Alliance, has shown that most people are unaware of the importance of correctly installed fire doors. Home owners and renters are six times more likely to report a heating system issue than one with a fire door, and twice as likely to report a toilet not flushing or no hot water than a fire door issue.
Currently there is no formal requirement for people who install fire doors to have any particular qualification or accreditation, which means anybody can take on the task.
Through the development of the qualification, FireQual hopes to provide the underpinning knowledge and the skills required by those who work within the area of fire door installation.
To ensure that the new qualification meets the needs of industry and is deliverable across the UK, FireQual is now calling on practising professionals in the sector to contribute to the development of the qualification It has created a questionnaire which it is appeal for professionals to complete. The questionnaire can be found here.
Earlier this year, Dave Pratt, DBCP’s Building Control Manager qualified as a Member of the Institution of Fire Engineers (IFE) – an international professional association for firefighting professionals and fire science researchers.
He commented: “Fire doors can be one of the most important safety features in homes and commercial buildings when it comes to controlling a fire. They give the building’s occupants essential time to escape.
“We welcome the introduction of any high quality industry-led qualifications which raise the standard of health and safety. We are keen to see what comes out of FireQual’s development process.”
DBCP is the recommended building control service provider in Derbyshire and Staffordshire Moorlands, responsible for ensuring that all new construction, conversions, alterations and extensions comply with Building Regulations and meet certain health, safety and welfare standards, including fire safety.
If you have any questions on fire risk assessments or require expert building control advice and guidance, please get in touch with the DBCP team here or call 0333 880 2000.