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Fire-rated doors can be a helpful tool during emergencies. These doors are used to protect your property and occupants during a fire. However, fire-rated doors are only as safe as the state they're kept in. That's why it's essential to take care of your fire doors to ensure they maintain an effective barrier against smoke and fire.
Share our safety tips with your employees to improve your fire-rated door safety and inform employees about emergency procedures.
All employees and occupants in your building should know these safety tips to ensure your fire-rated door is ready to help in the event of an emergency:
Occupants in your building should always have access to fire exit doors in an emergency. Never lock the fire doors in your building, and frequently check to ensure your fire exit doors can open quickly and easily.
Fire doors are designed to close automatically when they reach a specific temperature. You shouldn't prop open or block fire-rated doors with objects. These obstructions can damage the fire-rated door or cause them to malfunction during an emergency.
While you may want to prop open your fire door for convenience, it can create a safety hazard for occupants of your building during an emergency. The door can fail to operate correctly and obstruct a potential exit. Additionally, a fire door that isn't closed won't create an effective seal to eliminate the room's oxygen supply. Because this seal isn't created, fire can spread throughout your building.
You may want to modify your door, but you should never do so before consulting a professional. Some modifications can interfere with the door's operations, causing it not to work in emergencies and voiding your compliance.
Before modifying your fire-rated door, contact the manufacturer or the testing laboratory listed on the door. A professional can help you make modifications correctly without causing damage or affecting the integrity of your door.
After your fire-rated doors are installed, you should inspect, maintain and test them regularly. This ensures that you can rely on them in an emergency. A visual inspection will help you determine if your fire door is working correctly or catch problems before they become more significant, costlier issues.
Annual inspections and regular testing are more extensive. These inspections can help you catch problems you may have overlooked or didn't notice during your visual inspections. You should follow the inspection, maintenance, and testing schedule based on the manufacturer's recommendations. Be sure to deal with any repairs immediately.
If occupants or employees aren't aware of the above safety steps and don't follow them, it can put everyone inside your building and on your property at risk. Educating individuals who are regularly in your building about proper fire-door safety ensures they're ready in the event of a fire.
Making simple mistakes can void your fire door's rating. Some of these updates include painting, screwing, or drilling holes, and failing to keep up with repairs or maintenance. Sticking with the recommended maintenance schedule and consulting a professional before you make any changes to your fire door can help you keep it up to code, ensuring it'll protect your property and occupants.
Cornell has numerous fire-rated and smoke-rated products to protect your building and those inside from an emergency. Some of the products we offer include:
Your fire door will protect your facility and occupants during an emergency, so investing in the proper fire-rated door and related products is essential to protecting your property. Cornell offers a wide selection of fire doors and products, from SmokeShield doors and containment systems to fire-rated motors and rolling fire doors. We can help you find the product best suited for your facility for superior protection.
All of our doors can be custom-made to fit the specifications of your business. Contact us today to learn more about how our products can help.