This week, September 25-29, is Fire Door Safety Week. This year’s campaign marks the 10th year of the awareness week.
The theme ‘Recognise it, Report it’, aims to empower all to spot and report issues. However, a survey of 2,000 UK adults, carried out by event organiser, the British Woodworking Federation (BWF), found that 57% of the public couldn’t spot a problem
with a fire door, leading to a failure to report issues.
Whilst awareness over factors that might prevent a fire door performing properly in the event of a fire is high, it is the lack of knowledge over what constitutes a faulty fire door, which leads to under-reporting, putting lives at risk. In addition, 21% said they wouldn’t report concerns because they don’t think anything would get done, and almost half (49%) didn’t feel it’s their responsibility to report a faulty fire door.
It wasn’t just issues with spotting and reporting problems that were prevalent, there was also a lack of understanding over the purpose of fire doors and how they function. More people believed that a fire door aids in stopping the spread of fire (46%) than the spread of smoke (32%). Only a fully functioning fire door will protect property and life from fire and smoke, with smoke inhalation being the main cause of fire-related deaths.
Despite a lack of confidence in their ability to spot a problem with a fire door, there were some positive signs, with 60% of individuals saying they would report a faulty or propped open fire door because they would feel responsible if a fire occurred that they feel they could have prevented.
Employers, it would seem, are taking this issue seriously, with more than a third of respondents agreeing that their employer had explained to them how to spot a faulty fire door in the building.
Commenting on the findings, Gavin Tomlinson, Protection and Business Safety Chair of the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC), says: “This research highlights a worrying lack of awareness about the importance of recognising and reporting faulty fire doors. Everyone must understand that fire doors are a vital barrier, not just against flames but also against the deadly spread of smoke during a fire. We must empower individuals to take responsibility for fire safety in their homes and workplaces. The theme of this year's campaign, 'Recognise it, Report it,' underscores the importance of Fire Door Safety Week. The week helps raise awareness around critical issues such as faulty fire doors, enabling people to spot and report issues so that immediate action can be taken to protect lives and property.”
A series of webinars are being held during the week to advise on current legislation and inspections. Find out more and register here.
