Fire doors from five suppliers have failed to meet the fire performance standard, following a government investigation.
All of the doors have been withdrawn from the market.
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) said it opened the investigation after finding that a glazed, composite fire door from Grenfell Tower manufactured by Manse Masterdor had failed a 30-minute fire resistant test after 15 minutes.
It then found problems with doors produced by Masterdor (the successor business to Manse Masterdor) as well as with glazed composite doors made by three other manufacturers which failed fire resistance testing when tested on both sides.
The three other manufacturers were Specialist Building Products (trading as Permadoor), Solar Windows, and Birtley Group (trading as Bowater by Birtley).
MHCLG said it was writing to all building control bodies to highlight the need to check that existing Building Regulations guidance on new fire door installations is followed.
The guidance sets out which tests should be performed – including testing doors on both sides – in order to meet Building Regulations requirements.
Meanwhile, James Brokenshire, secretary of state for communities, has instructed major fire door suppliers to meet this week and agree a plan of action to tackle the failings identified, with weekly reports on progress.
Brokenshire said: "While the department’s investigations are on-going, I now have enough evidence to suggest that there is a broader issue across the fire door market. That is why I am calling on suppliers to meet this week and provide reassurance that they are gripping this issue properly.
"I want to see a clear plan of action to rectify existing problems and ensure such failures are not repeated in the future. Whilst our Expert Panel assures me the risk remains low I want to assure the public that the government is doing everything it can to ensure construction products are of the highest safety standards and accurately tested and marketed."
Comments
Comments are closed.
I thought the idea was that fire doors were properly tested before they went on the market never mind installed in buildings. How is that possible
have been trying for over 5 years to insist that doors are not just assessed but fully tested – no desk top certification.
What a great report, as a site manager we have to make sure all the fire regulations are met at construction stage, but reading this is very disappointing because I don’t get to set a door on fire to make sure it is actually a 30 minute or 60 minute door
Your article does not state which statutory establishment actually carried out the fire tests mentioned???
As Sheila says we all thought that fire doors were properly tested before coming on the market! and that this testing was mandatory??
I believe the Construction Industry gets tarred with the failures from other organisations who do not meet the standards!!
Do we know if suppliers met as requested? or if any update has been given?
My council fire door would have failed in 1985 if it had been inspected. One entire cold seal brush was stuck to the frame by paint. 2008 issues were painted seals. New doors finally replaced nine months ago fail on seals not touching, doors all slam, do not close from a shallow angle.