Fire door innovation

Citation

(2000), "Fire door innovation", Facilities, Vol. 18 No. 1/2. https://doi.org/10.1108/f.2000.06918aab.019

Fire door innovation

Keywords Fire safety, Buildings

The recent market survey commissioned by the Fire Industry Council, entitled "Competitive analysis of the fire protection industry", confirms that the installed market value for fire doors in the UK is currently worth £590 million per annum. Of this, £445 million is accounted for by fire doors alone. The figures clearly illustrate the important part that fire doors play as part of the overall protection of people and buildings, yet given the general condition of many doors currently in place, just how efficiently would they perform in the event of a fire?

It was an assessment of the plight of in situ fire doors, by the Huddersfield-based Complete Fire Door Company (CFD), that was the catalyst for the development and introduction of an entirely new concept in fire door technology.

The passive fire protection product manufacturer has successfully developed a fire door with exceptional durability and toughness, coupled with surprisingly lightweight characteristics when compared to conventional fixtures. The new door, known as TMN Sentry, has been specifically designed to withstand the heavy impact and abrasion often experienced in demanding environments, while at the same time retaining its protective integrity should fire occur.

Such situations are commonly found in hospital corridors where, at times, speed of access is of the essence and the door is regarded as less important than the immediate needs of the patient. In such heavily trafficked environments it is not unusual to find damaged fire doors that would simply not perform as required should fire break out.

TMN Sentry combines an advanced non-combustible "Starlight" ceramic bonded interior with a timber, primed MFD, or melamine faced veneered finish. Weighing just 27kg per square metre, the 45mm thick single or double leaf doors are approximately 25 per cent lighter than conventional flax cored alternatives, considerably facilitating the transit of trolleys and beds. The doors are able to provide 30 or 60 minutes' fire resistance and can be glazed to specific requirements, including disabled access. They have been tested to BS476, Part 22 (1987), comply with HTM 188 and can be manufactured in unequal sized pairs if required. Installation is simple without the need to close corridors.

Naturally the doors can be purchased outright, but unusually the Complete Fire Door Company has also devised a scheme whereby doors can be installed and rented out if required.

Further details can be obtained from The Complete Fire Door Co. Ltd, Unit B1, Park Mill Way, Clayton West, Huddersfield HD8 9XJ. Tel: +44 (0)1484 860055; Fax: +44 (0)1848 866471; E-mail: cfd@aol.com