Fire doors, and fire door selectors, form a critical part of any fire safety strategy for public and shared buildings subject to the Fire Safety Act. To be considered a fire door, the door must pass various safety tests and be certified by a manufacturer. The importance of these doors to a building’s safety simply can’t be understated. Fire doors save lives. They hold fire and toxic smoke within the area the fire started in by stopping the spread. Fire doors keep escape routes clear and help protect the rest of the building and any adjoining buildings from devastating fire damage. But to be effective, your fire doors must remain closed and be closed when the fire breaks out.
The Importance of Fire Door Selectors
To ensure they remain closed, fire doors must be fitted with a door closer to achieve this. But pairs of fire doors with flush (with a latch bolt), rebated meeting stiles, or with an astragal fitted can close incorrectly if not equipped with a fire door selector (also referred to as a fire door coordinator) or if the door selector isn't fitted properly. Correctly fitted fire door selectors ensure your double doors always close in the correct order, remain closed and maintain an effective barrier against fire and smoke.
The below image shows a pair of fire doors with astragal fitted rendered useless — and ultimately creating more danger — due to having no door selector in place. A correctly fitted door selector would have prevented this dangerous overlap from happening.
Open Fire Doors
It’s essential that a fire door is never propped open. If a fire door needs to be held open for periods, the only legal way to do this is with special devices, such as electromagnetic door closers or wireless fire door retainers. These release the doors to close automatically when the fire alarm is triggered, keeping the fire and toxic smoke contained and giving occupants time to evacuate the building. Along with the potential danger to life, a wedged open fire door could lead to financial and criminal charges and your building’s insurance being left invalid.
What is a Door Selector?
Also referred to as fire door coordinators, fire door selectors are fitted at the head of a pair of fire doors and make sure that the self-closing doors close correctly, regardless of which leaf is opened first. If the second opening leaf is forced open first, it ensures the first opening leaf remains held open until the second opening leaf has properly closed, guaranteeing the correct closing sequence. And therefore, maintaining the integrity of a pair of fire doors.
While many fire doors fail to have them fitted at all, many are also fitted incorrectly, meaning the fire door selector won’t operate in the way it should. Following the supplier's instructions when fitting fire door selectors is essential.
Keep Your Buildings Safe
The Z304 CE fire door coordinator uniquely features a surface rebate catch with a patented 'toggle'. In an incorrect opening sequence situation, the toggle ensures the first opening leaf is carried far enough open by the rebate catch to allow the adjuster arm to drop and ensure the correct closing sequence every time. Therefore, the whole product must be fitted, including the rebate catch.
Our Z304 CE fire door coordinator is CE and UKCA marked to EN 1158:1997, assessed to BS EN 1634-1:2014 for use on timber and steel fire doors, British-made, and tested to 1,000,000 cycles to stand the test of time. Available in various finishes and adjuster arm lengths, the Z304 fire door selectors will ensure the correct closing sequence of your fire doors and keep your buildings safe and compliant.
Find out more about the Z304 CE fire door coordinator and our extensive range of fire-rated door hardware products or call us today on 01785 282 910.