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The safety and security of the building and its occupants can be seriously jeopardised if fire doors are not kept in good working order with a regular and appropriate maintenance regime. The onus is on the building owner/ employer/ occupier to ensure that the maintenance routine is carried out correctly.
To create a robust maintenance schedule, the guidelines below outline the maintenance requirements for key fire door products and how frequently they need to be checked. The routine maintenance is a combination of visual and mechanical checks, cleaning and lubrication. We recommend that damaged components are replaced immediately with like-for-like products to maintain performance of the door and validity of the fire certification.
To maintain the safety of the building’s occupants all fire precaution hardware MUST be checked in accordance with the procedures described in the “Fire Precautions (workplace) regulations 1997” or the “Fire Precautions (workplace) Amendment Regulations 1999”.
For full details of the required maintenance schedule and for lots of useful information about maintenance and inspection, download the complete Laidlaw Maintenance Guide here.
Weekly Schedule
These items should be checked weekly
and adjustments made where necessary.
| PRODUCT TYPE | DESCRIPTION OF WEEKLY MAINTENANCE |
| Overhead Door closers and floor springs | Check correct functioning of the door closer and ensure that it closes the door fully in the closed/latched position from a variety of opening angles. See Laidlaw Maintenance Guide (p12) for further information and recommended routines.
Check door selector if used on rebated double door applications. Under no circumstances should the closer mechanism be dismantled. |
| Electro-magnetic door controls | Check correct functioning of the door closer and the ancillary equipment including the transformer/rectifier (power supply). The units must be tested in accordance with the procedures set out in the fire precautions regulations (Laidlaw Maintenance Guide p13).
Any problems with the system must be rectified immediately. |
Monthly Schedule
In addition to the Weekly Schedule, these items should be checked on a monthly basis and adjustments made where necessary.
| PRODUCT TYPE | DESCRIPTION OF MONTHLY MAINTENANCE |
| Panic & Emergency Exit devices | Check correct functioning of the panic or emergency exit device including the outside access device (if fitted) in accordance with the standing periodic fire test procedures and ensure all keeps and sockets are free from obstruction. Details of the specific test procedure to be carried out is in the Laidlaw Maintenance Guide p14.
Any problems with the unit must be rectified immediately. |
| Flush bolts | Check for operation and make sure keeps are free from dirt (especially those built into the floor). |
| All products | Check for the build-up of dirt and grease. Keep clean as directed in the ‘Care of Finishes’ section on p6 of the Laidlaw Maintenance Guide. |
Quarterly Schedule
In addition to the Weekly and Monthly Schedules, the following items should be checked on a quarterly basis and adjustments made where necessary.
| PRODUCT TYPE | DESCRIPTION OF QUARTERLY MAINTENANCE |
| Hinges | Check that all hinge screw fixings are tight and apply a little light machine oil to the hinge knuckle as necessary. |
| Panic & Emergency Exit devices | Check that all screw fixings are tight and lubricate the shoots or latch bolts ensuring they engage correctly in the keep/strike plate. Occasionally apply a little light machine oil to all pivot points.
If necessary, lubricate the cylinder keyway of the outside access device by applying a flaked graphite or a WD40 type preparation.
|
| Door closers
Floor springs |
Check that all screw fixings are tight and periodically apply a little light machine oil to the arm knuckle joint. Check the closing and latching speeds are correctly set to ensure the door closers fully into the frame. Adjust if necessary.
Apply a little light machine oil to all accessories (ie top centre and bottom strap). |
| Locks, cylinders and lever furniture
Mortice roller catches |
Check all fixings are tight including the lever retaining grub screws. Check levers operate smoothly and return fully to the horizontal position. Strike plates should be correctly located and adjusted if necessary to allow free movement of the bolt/latch. Locks & latches should not normally need to be lubricated. Cylinders should be lubricated annually with a silicone based lubricant (see page 10 for further details).
Ensure the roller bolt engages correctly in the keeper plate. If necessary adjust the tension of the roller bolt. |
Annual Schedule
In addition to the Weekly, Monthly and Quarterly Schedules, the following items should be checked on an annual basis and adjustments made where necessary.
| PRODUCT TYPE | DESCRIPTION OF ANNUAL MAINTENANCE |
| Flush and barrel bolts | Check that all fixings are tight and apply a little light machine oil to the lever pivot or shoot component. Ensure the mechanism operates correctly and that any floor sockets are free from obstruction. |
| General hardware (plates, signs, symbols, hooks, door stops) | Check that all fixings are tight and follow the recommended procedure for ‘Care of Finishes’ on page 6 of the Laidlaw Maintenance Guide. |
For professional advice on meeting fire safety responsibilities under the Fire Safety Order, we recommend that hospitals, offices, schools and public buildings should always use a Certificated FDIS Inspector. At Laidlaw, we have qualified FDIS Certificated Inspectors who can visit, inspect and advise on any fire safety needs.
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