Evidence that will stand up

Standards can be an absolute minefield in construction. The sheer number of them is enough to make most of us shiver in our safety boots.

And not only have you got to reach the requirements of a bewildering array of standards for the door, frame, intumescent and ironmongery on their own, you also have to consider them in combination as you put them together to create a complete doorset.

All that and still trying to come up with a product that is visually pleasing.

So you might not thank us for pointing out how important it is to make sure that what you’re buying meets the right standards.

However, do you really need to become an expert in fire and smoke testing standards?

The truth is, no you don’t but your supplier should be. If your supplier is 3rd-party certified, they have been independently audited to make sure they are.

So our second top tip of Fire Door Safety Week is to focus on due diligence and collecting the evidence. Make sure you ask for certificates for the door and/or and all the elements that make it up. This will be particularly important in meeting the requirements of the golden thread when the Building Safety Bill becomes law.

Your door manufacturer will be happy to supply all these.