Do Fire Doors Need to Be Self-Closing?
The assumption that every fire door must have a self-closing device is a common one, and it is not quite right. Whether a particular fire door needs a self-closer depends on the job that door is doing in the building, and getting this right matters, because an unnecessary closer can be as much of a nuisance as a missing one is a risk. The short answer is that no, not all fire doors need to be self-closing, and the more useful answer is in understanding which ones do.
What a self-closing device is
Approved Document B of the Building Regulations defines a self-closing device as one that closes a door, when open at any angle, against its frame. In practice that means it should reliably close the door leaf tight against the door stop or into its frame from any angle at which it can be opened, overcoming any resistance from a fitted latch or from intumescent and smoke seals, while still allowing reasonable ease of use for everyone passing through it in line with Part M of the Building Regulations.
When is a self-closer actually required?
Approved Document B volume 2 sets out the specific situations in which a fire door requires a self-closing device, and they all relate to the door protecting a means of escape. A self-closer is required where a door subdivides an escape route to separate two or more storey exits, where it subdivides a corridor at intervals along its length, broadly every 12 metres, where it subdivides a dead-end condition in a common corridor exceeding 4.5 metres, where it protects a staircase enclosure from a circulation space, and where a door opens onto an external escape stair. In each of these the door is holding a line that people will rely on to get out, which is exactly why it must not be left standing open.
Residential and sleeping-risk buildings
The position is stricter where people sleep. In residential-type buildings such as care homes, hotels and student accommodation, all fire doors should be fitted with a self-closing device, with the sensible exception of doors to cleaner's cupboards, plant rooms, service risers and other high fire risk spaces, which should instead be kept closed and generally locked when not in immediate use. Buildings containing flats also need a self-closing device on the entrance door of each flat, so that the flat is reliably separated from the communal areas that residents share, a point of particular importance for any managing agent looking after a block.
Private dwelling houses
In an ordinary private home the requirement is much lighter. A self-closing device is only required on the fire door of an integral garage, and both Approved Document B and the Local Government Association's guidance on purpose-built blocks of flats confirm that no other fire door in a private dwelling is required to have one, although fitting them is still recommended as good practice.
Why self-closers matter
The reasoning is simple and human. When an alarm sounds or a fire is discovered, people leaving in a hurry will not always stop to close the doors behind them, and a fire door only does its job when it is shut, holding back the smoke and flame that would otherwise fill an escape route. A working, well-maintained self-closer removes that dependence on people remembering, and closes the door for them. It also helps in buildings where doors take heavy use, since a controlled closer reduces the wear and tear that a door otherwise suffers from being allowed to swing or slam, helping to preserve the integrity of the doorset over time.
Wedges undo all of itIn busy buildings it is common to find self-closing fire doors held open with a wedge or a heavy object, and the more footfall a door sees, the more likely this is. The moment a fire door is wedged open its protection is lost entirely, and beyond being poor fire safety management, it is the kind of thing that can prompt action from the enforcing authority. If a door genuinely needs to stay open for daily use, there are proper ways to achieve that, and a wedge is never one of them.
Holding fire doors open the right way
Where a fire door needs to be held open for convenience, there are legitimate devices designed for the purpose, including electromagnetic, electromechanical, acoustic and wireless hold-open devices, but they must be specified correctly, and competent advice should be sought before fitting them so that their type and location meet BS 7273-4, the standard for the actuation of release mechanisms for doors. Most are interfaced with the fire detection and alarm system so that the door is released to close the instant the alarm is raised, while self-contained battery devices release on an acoustic or wireless signal from the alarm. Free-swing closers, used mainly in healthcare settings, allow a door to be moved freely and held at any angle in normal use, then bring it to the closed position when the alarm sounds.
Types of device and their standards
Whichever device is used, it is essential that the closer has been tested as part of the complete fire doorset, so that the whole assembly performs together to the required fire resistance, which is why advice should come from the manufacturer, supplier or a competent, preferably third-party certified, contractor. Controlled door closing devices to BS EN 1154 are the everyday option, the common and cost-effective overhead rack-and-pinion closers and the cam-action types such as floor springs, which run with less friction and lend themselves better to Part M accessibility. Electrically powered hold-open and free-swing devices fall under BS EN 1155, and where double doors with rebated meeting edges are involved, a door coordinator device to BS EN 1158 ensures the two leaves close in the right sequence so they align and seal properly. Concealed closers, recessed into the leaf or frame, offer a tidier appearance and some resistance to vandalism, but because they require part of the door or frame to be cut away they should only be fitted where the door manufacturer permits and to their specification. It is worth knowing that rising butt hinges and single chain devices do not meet the requirements for controlled door closing and are not suitable as self-closing devices.
Two further details matter for safety and compliance. Closing speeds need attention, particularly on doors with hold-open devices, so that a door does not close fast enough to injure anyone, with adjustments made to slow the closing time where occupants are less mobile, as in a care home or hospital. Devices should be CE marked to their relevant standards, and the mandatory fire door signage should be displayed on both sides of the door in accordance with BS 5499-10.
Managing and maintaining them
Self-closing devices are not a fit-and-forget item. In sleeping-risk buildings, doors held open on automatic releases should be closed at a set time each night and kept closed through the sleeping hours, and it is good practice in any building to close all fire doors at the end of the day, so that compartmentation is maintained and damage is limited if a fire starts when the premises are empty. Doors fitted with automatic releases should be tested weekly alongside the fire alarm test to confirm they release on activation, which also helps prevent the leaf warping, and self-closing devices, like every other part of a fire door, should be inspected, tested and maintained at intervals suited to how heavily the door is used.
As independent assessors covering the North West, North Wales and the West Midlands, we carry out fire door inspections that check whether your fire doors need self-closing devices, whether the devices fitted are the right type and properly installed, and whether they are being maintained, so that the doors will perform when it counts.
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Get in touch Fire Door InspectionsThis article is provided for general guidance and does not constitute professional advice for any specific premises. It refers to Approved Document B of the Building Regulations, Part M, BS 7273-4, BS EN 1154, BS EN 1155, BS EN 1158, BS 5499-10 and Local Government Association guidance on purpose-built blocks of flats. Considerable care has been taken to ensure accuracy at the time of writing, but legislation and guidance change over time. Fletcher Risk Management Limited provides Fire Risk Assessments, Fire Door Inspections and Fire Safety Training across the North West, North Wales and the West Midlands.