Carrying out a Fire Risk Assessment and preparing a Fire and Emergency Plan is a legal requirement and accepted good practice in today's business culture.
The building Regulations 1991 Approved Document B 2000 Edition requires that all fire-resisting doors (with the exception of locked cupboard/duct doors and internal domestic doors) be fitted with an appropriate self-closing device.
Lee Tweedale of Authorized Access Ltd says,
'The DHF have advised that Building Regulation Approved Document B states that all fire resisting doors must be self-closing. However if the doors are at all times closed and locked, it may be considered that door closers would be a waste of money.
Under the regulatory reform regulations the owner/occupier must carry out a risk assessment and if he decides that his precautions are adequate then he takes full responsibility if something goes wrong. In the end the decision is with the owner'.
With that in mind, how easy would it be to ignore these regulations? At some point in the future something happens and YOU are brought to task over a bad decision!
Authorized Access recently supplied door closers to a customer, where the decision had previously been taken that they would not be required as the doors would be locked majority of the time; however two weeks later they were asked back to site to install the Door closers due to an accident having occurred.
Don't make the wrong decision; isn't it better to be cautious rather than underestimating the consequences of an accident?
Contact Authorized Access Ltd, a Master Locksmiths Association Approved Company and let them advise on all your fire routes and exits.
Let them help you make the right decisions.
