Raising the performance of doors

The importance of good installation of a fire door or shutter cannot be overemphasised. Poor installation can mean that an otherwise well-manufactured door fails to provide the required performance in the event of a fire i.e. preventing the spread of fire and smoke from one compartment to another in a building for a specified period. Similarly, regular inspections and maintenance of a life-safety product such as a fire door is imperative to ensure the continued protection of people and property.

In order to meet the demands of a changing market, LPCB has updated LPS 1197 (Requirements for the LPCB Approval and Listing of Companies inspecting, repairing and maintaining fire and security doors, doorsets, shutters and active smoke/fire barriers) and LPS 1271 (Requirements for the LPCB Approval and Listing of Companies installing fire and security doors, doorsets, shutters and active smoke/fire barriers).

LPS 1197 now includes inspection of fire doors and shutters and also the maintenance of security doors and shutters. Both schemes now also require that the approved companies issue numbered LPCB Certificates of Conformity which certify that the works were carried out in accordance with the installation rules applied.

These schemes were developed to address the issues of poor installation and upkeep of doorsets, shutters and smoke/fire barriers. The basic principle of third-party certification schemes such as these is that they are entirely and are operated by bodies that have the necessary expertise to verify that products meet the agreed specification.

To search companies that are approved to LPS 1197 and LPS 1271 as well as download free pdf versions of the standards, please visit www.redbooklive.com