Fire doors are wide, heavy doors that are designed to prevent the spread of fire in a structure and, when utilized properly, may be quite effective. But how do fire doors work exactly, and what are the current regulations governing their use in strata schemes?
How Do Fire Doors Work?
The relative weight of fire doors is critical to their proper operation. This is due to the fact that they are typically built of a composite material that is not only fire-resistant, but also intended to stay cool in the presence of severe heat.
When designing an apartment complex, one of the most important elements to consider is the positioning of these fire doors. The fire doors divide the structure into sections, each holding one or more apartments, with the explicit goal of limiting the spread of a fire to that compartment.
There are two types of fire doors that are commonly used:
- Sole Occupancy Unit Fire Rating Level -/60/30: This type of fire door is a one hour rated fire door.
- Common Property Fire Door -/120/30: This type of fire door is a two hour rated fire door
The following are required for a fire door to be certified
- Fire Rated Frame
- Approved Fire Rated Hardware
- Fire Rated Automatic Door Closer
- 1 Hour or 2 Hour fire rated door certified according to the Australian Standards AS1905 with the correct fire rating level.
Fire Door Regulations
The Building Code of Australia (BCA) requires that qualified fire safety consultants evaluate fire doors in strata complexes on a regular basis. This technique should be repeated every six months for Common Property Fire Doors and once a year for Sole Occupancy Unit Fire Doors.
Fire doors are not permitted to have deadbolts in NSW strata projects. This is due to the fact that it stops doors from self-latching. Furthermore, there must be no gaps between fire doors and their confining frames, as this can allow fire and smoke to enter through and breach the compartment, according to Australian Standard AS1851(2005).
Of course, each and every fire door must be labeled with the words “Fire Door – Do Not Obstruct – Do Not Keep Open.” This sign must be firmly fastened to each entrance, and any doors that also serve as exits must have it on both sides.
Sydney Fire Doors
Control Fire Protection is a leading provider of commercial, industrial, and high-rise residential fire protection, inspection, installation, and maintenance services, as well as certification. We provide a comprehensive range of scheduled testing and inspection services that are in accordance with AS1851-2012 and the BCA.
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