Fire door safety and finger guards: Meeting compliance without compromise

18 Feb Fire door safety and finger guards: Meeting compliance without compromise

A fire door isn’t just a slightly heavier door than usual; it is a critical lifesaving component that should be part of every commercial building. Fire doors are also essentials in tenanted establishments like flats as the London Fire Brigade details:

“In a block of flats you will find fire and smoke doors on the stairwells, the corridors and on the flat front doors. You will also see them protecting areas where there’s a risk of combustion, such as bin storage or mains electricity service cupboard. Sometimes you will find fire doors inside flats, but this depends on the specific design and layout of the individual flat.”

A fire door’s role is simple – it should prevent the spread of heat, flames and smoke, and protect vital escape routes, in the event of a fire to ensure extra time for safe evacuation. While the advice is generally not to alter fire doors to preserve their lifesaving features, there is one exception to the rule.

In this blog post, we explore a combination that’ll protect your people every day and at the most critical moments.

Keeping companies compliant and workers safe

Under UK fire safety laws, such as The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, fire doors are legally required in all non-domestic premises. This includes commercial buildings, offices, schools, hospitals, shops, factories and public premises. The installation and maintenance of fire doors protects lives and property, providing access to escape routes in the event of an emergency while fulfilling legal obligations every day.

Certified fire doors with appropriate manufacturer testing and supporting documentation also underwrite insurance and safety audits, making them an integral aspect of a building’s fire strategy.

The finger guard – where safety meets everyday use

Balancing emergency use and everyday encounters is essential when it comes to your building’s fire doors. While essential during emergencies, fire doors can be hazardous in everyday life, with their heaviness, pinch points and traffic presenting a hidden risk – finger and hand entrapment.

Finger guards can be fitted to prevent finger trapping while preserving the function, form and condition of your fire doors to enhance safety and ensure full compliance without compromise. With our finger guards fitted, your fire doors can still close reliably in the event of an emergency to inhibit fire and smoke, keeping your people safe both before and during evacuation.

Taking fire door safety to the next level

Unlike many standard finger guards that are generally reserved for regular interior doors, our high quality designs have been engineered specifically for enhanced fire safety. All our door guards have been tested by The British Board of Agreement, and hold a four-hour fire rating by Underwriters Laboratories (UK) Ltd as a result.

Looking to kit out a fire exit door with a push bar? Improve fire safety and minimise the dangers of door related finger injuries with our MK1A door guard. It’s fire-rated to four hours, meaning it has been tested to withstand intense heat and conditions without degrading. It also acts as a draft excluder and smoke inhibitor, helping to enhance the effectiveness of fire doors further.

Our MK1A door guards are designed to be retrofitted on fire exits with push bars without damaging performance, making them ideal for commercial and public buildings.

Browse our full range of fire-rated finger guards, including the Fingersafe MK1A door finger protector, for more details.