46 new fire doors, every one with its own digital ID.
Supply and installation of 46 certified fire doorsets across a busy head office, installed under third-party certification without stopping the working day, and every fire door in the building brought onto a digital asset register.
The project
FatFace are working through a programme of fire safety improvements at their headquarters. Phase one was the doors: 46 doorsets across the building that needed replacing with new, certified fire doorsets, fitted in a head office that stayed fully occupied for the duration.
Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 the responsible person has to keep fire doors in efficient working order, and a fire door only performs as tested if it is installed correctly, with the right frame, seals, hardware and gaps. That is why the installation was carried out under third-party certification, with each door checked and recorded against the scheme's installation standard as it went in.
What ILUX did
- Supply of 46 certified fire doorsets to suit each opening, including double doorsets, vision panels and hold-open devices where required
- Every doorset installed to the manufacturer's certified installation instructions and recorded door by door, so the certification is preserved and traceable
- Works sequenced area by area with FatFace's facilities team so offices, meeting rooms and staff spaces stayed in use
- Programme deadlines held while the building carried on working around us
- Every door signed, numbered and closed up ready for inspection
Working in a live office is mostly about communication. We agreed the order of areas with staff and management in advance, kept noise and dust to short windows, and left each area tidy and usable at the end of every day. Disruption was kept to a minimum, the standard of installation stayed the same on door 46 as on door one, and the programme dates were met.
A client that takes fire safety seriously.
Our thanks to the whole team at FatFace. It is refreshing to work with a company that looks after its staff, takes advice on board, and treats health, safety and fire safety with the seriousness they deserve.
From door stickers to a digital register
Alongside the installation, ILUX moved the building's fire door management off traditional door stickers and onto a digital asset management system, using the Door Data Systems national fire door register.
Every fire door in the building now carries its own unique asset ID. Scan it and the door's record is there: what was installed, when, by whom, its inspection history and any repairs. That gives FatFace a single, traceable record for each door rather than a sticker that fades or gets painted over, which supports the golden thread of building information that the Building Safety Act 2022 expects duty holders to keep.
- Unique asset ID on every fire door, new and existing
- Installation and certification records held against the door
- Inspection history and defects logged in one place
- Evidence for the fire risk assessment and for insurers, available on demand
Phase two: repairs to the existing doors
The doorsets that didn't need replacing have already been surveyed and added to the same register, each with its own ID and a list of what needs attention. Phase two is the repair programme for those doors: seals, closers, gaps and hardware brought back to standard and recorded against the door's record, so the whole building ends up on one system with one inspection routine.
On site.
New doorsets across offices, corridors and staff spaces, and the register label that replaces the old door sticker.
Common questions.
How often should fire doors be inspected?
BS 9999 recommends a check by a competent person at least every six months, more often on heavily used doors. Under the Fire Safety Order the responsible person must keep them in efficient working order, so the inspection record is part of the evidence. Fire door servicing from ILUX puts every door on a six-monthly schedule with the results logged against its asset ID.
Can you replace fire doors while the building stays in use?
Yes. This project was delivered in an occupied head office. We sequence the work by area, agree it with your facilities team and staff in advance, and hand each area back at the end of the day.
What is a digital fire door register and do we need one?
It is a database with one record per door, reached by scanning the door's unique ID, holding its installation, certification, inspection and repair history. It is not mandatory for every building, but it is the simplest way to show an inspector, insurer or fire risk assessor that each door is being managed, and it supports the golden thread the Building Safety Act asks for.
Do all our fire doors need replacing?
Usually not. A survey will separate the doors that pass, the ones that can be repaired (seals, closers, gaps, hardware) and the ones that have to be replaced. Repairing what can be repaired is normally the bigger part of the programme and the cheaper one.
Are your fire doors compliant?
A fire door only works if it is installed correctly, maintained and inspected. ILUX surveys, repairs, replaces and services fire doors across every site you run, with every door logged against its own ID.