BSI, the business standards company, has revised BS 8214 Code of practice for fire door assemblies. The updated standard gives recommendations for the specification, installation and maintenance of timber-based fire doors.
BS 8214 now includes updated guidance associated with the sealing between the door assembly and the surrounding structure. The recommendations are applicable to timber-based hinged or pivoted pedestrian door assemblies or door leaves, fitted into frames of any material.
Other changes to the revised standard from its predecessor, BS 8214:2008, include new fire precautions in the design, construction and use of building to ensure the standard is harmonised with recently revised BS 9999 Code of practice for fire safety in the design, management and use of buildings.
BS 8214 was revised with suppliers of door assembly components in mind, many of whom are looking for ways to align their offering with the reliability of assembly offered by doorsets. The revised standard reflects changes in the industry to meet its usability, particularly in relation to the installation and maintenance of fire doors, and is particularly relevant to those who work in the fire performance and smoke control sectors.
Anthony Burd, Head of Built Environment at BSI, says: “BS 8214 offers step-by-step guidance by experts from the fire door installation sector, certification bodies, and from across the industry. Failure to properly specify, install or maintain a fire door assembly could have devastating consequences. Fortunately for the industry, BS 8214 is the benchmark standard for the correct installation and maintenance of timber-based fire doors.”
BS 8214 will be of benefit to joinery sub-contractors; door and window manufacturers; architects; building contractors; maintenance companies; certification bodies; local authorities; glass manufacturing companies; construction materials and building manufacturers; and suppliers of door assembly components.
BSI convened a wide range of people when designing this standard including the Door and Hardware Federation and the Door Manufacturers Association; experts in specification, installation and maintenance of timber-based fire doors; door and window manufacturers; architects; and tech, inspection and certification houses were also consulted.
The revised standard is applicable only to door assembles that are designed to provide fire resistance ratings of up to and including a two hour time period when tested in accordance with other British standards BS 476-22 or EN 1634-1. BS 8214 no longer covers door sets, which are covered in BS EN 16034.
BS 8214 now references the following: regulation 7 of the Building Regulations 2010 and Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 [4]; the Fire (Scotland) Act 2005 [5]; the Fire Safety Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2010 [6]. The reference to steel door assemblies in the standard has been removed.
