Fire Doors and Lessons to be Learned

Fire doors are an essential part of any building's safety infrastructure. They are designed to prevent the spread of fire and smoke, protecting both the building's occupants and the property itself. However, the tragic Grenfell Tower fire in London, which claimed 72 lives in 2017, highlighted the importance of ensuring that fire doors are installed, maintained, and tested correctly.

Fire doors are specially designed doors that are made from fire-resistant materials, such as timber, steel, or glass. They are installed in buildings to compartmentalize areas and prevent the spread of fire and smoke. In the event of a fire, a fire door can help to contain the flames and smoke, giving occupants more time to evacuate the building safely.

The Grenfell Tower fire highlighted a number of issues with fire doors. One of the main issues was the failure of some of the fire doors to meet the necessary fire safety standards. The doors were not able to withstand the intense heat and flames, and as a result, they failed to prevent the spread of the fire and smoke.

Another issue that was highlighted was the lack of proper maintenance and testing of fire doors. Many of the doors had been installed years ago and had not been properly maintained or tested since then. This meant that they were not functioning as intended and were not providing the necessary protection in the event of a fire.

The Grenfell Tower fire was a tragic event that highlighted the importance of ensuring that fire doors are installed, maintained, and tested correctly. It also highlighted the need for building owners and managers to take responsibility for the safety of their buildings and occupants.

If you own or manage a building, it is essential that you take the necessary steps to ensure that your fire doors are up to the required standards. This includes having them installed correctly by a qualified professional, maintaining them regularly, and testing them to ensure that they are functioning correctly.

In conclusion, fire doors are an essential part of any building's safety infrastructure. The Grenfell Tower fire highlighted the importance of ensuring that fire doors are installed, maintained, and tested correctly. It is essential that building owners and managers take responsibility for the safety of their buildings and occupants by ensuring that their fire doors are up to the required standards. Let us learn from the Grenfell incident and take necessary measures to ensure that such tragedies do not happen again.