Now with the introduction of the new British Standards applicable to automatically released fire doors . BS 7273-4:2007 these doors now need to be activated on a weekly basis to ensure they are operating correctly and this should form part of the current weekly alarm testing regime.

All doors must be observed to have operated correctly and this information should be recorded.

Business owners and property managers should be aware that this change should be implemented at their premises immediately and the necessary testing and inspection schedules increased to comply with the guidance given in the new British Standard.

The changes in the inspection schedules was brought about by the number of reported failures of fire doors not closing during emergency and fire situations increasing in recent years. The enforcing authorities and advisory bodies have taken the view that increasing the rate of inspections would better protect employees and other relevant persons from the risk presented. In short, employers and property managers are now duty bound to ensure those provisions for the detection of fire and for its compartmentalisation within their premises are subject to a more rigorous inspection and maintenance regime, which should be enacted on and also certified every six months by a competent company.  

To ensure that your systems are maintain to BS 5839 and 7273 please do not hesitate to contact us where we will be able to advise you and provide you with a service maintenance contract to your sites requirements. .