Keep the fire doors shut

It is dangerous to wedge, or prop open a fire door as the safety of occupants cannot be guaranteed if there is a fire. Fire doors need to be closed to prevent the spread of fire and smoke.

Legally, if you wedge open a fire door and it is judged that this puts someone’s life at risk, you could suffer penalties, including a fine or even a prison sentence.

Both sides of the same story – the difference a doorstop can make in the progress of a fire.

   

Why are fire doors necessary?

Fire doors are a vital part of a building’s fire strategy and can only do their job if they are closed. They are specially designed to prevent the spread of fire and smoke through a building so people can evacuate safely, and the building is protected from damage. 

If you see a fire door that is held open, whether that’s with a door wedge, fire extinguisher, chair, pot plant, or anything else, you need to make sure the obstruction is removed so the door stays closed.

 

Invalidating insurance

In the event of a fire, it is quite possible that an insurer would be unwilling to pay for damages when a door has been wedged or propped open. The majority of fire doors will hold a fire in a room for 30 minutes by which time the Fire & Rescue Service will be on site. Wedging open doors causes a chimney effect, allowing fire to spread rapidly and destroying entire buildings.

Wedging or propping open a fire door can prove devastating as it allows a fire to spread unchecked, putting lives and buildings at risk. Despite this, 64% of premises visited by the Fire Service have fire doors wedged open.

Why do people wedge open fire doors?

Despite the dangers and risk of legal penalties for wedging open fire doors, people still do it.  Perhaps to make it easier to carry their cup of tea back from the kitchen or to let some air into the room rather than opening a window. The risk of a fire far outweighs the inconvenience of opening and closing a door.

There are magnetic self-closing devices which can be fitted to hold open a fire door in high traffic areas, they release when the fire alarm is activated making these a safe alternative to a door stop. If you feel you have the need for a door magnet in your local station, please raise a MICAD request for the Estates team.

Our audit Team checks each station weekly and it is reported back to the Fire Safety Manager stephen.manuel@eastamb.nhs.uk.

Published 9th June 2023