NFPA 80, NFPA 101 Annual Fire Door Inspection and field labeling

How to Maintain Your Fire Doors Even After a Fire Incident?

admin — Thu, 25 Feb 2021 16:55:21 +0000

Are you worried about the safety of your property since the last fire incident became a threat if you have the same fire doors? Every fire door should be replaced on time the moment you find that your existing fire doors are no longer sufficient to protect your property. In case of fire, a fire door protects your important valuables but, in this condition,, it will no longer be used or shouldn’t be considered a trusted barrier for future protection. Once your fire door faces a fire incident, it should be replaced or repaired

immediately.

Replace your fire doors with the ones can really help you to protect your property from the uncertain emergencies. Find the right fire door installation company by checking their certifications which ensure their accurate installation with all quality parts. Precise installation and fixing parts make your door a perfect barrier between the fire and your valuables. Also, only a reputed fire door installation company ensures that they have all the certified installers whose efforts will make your property safe in case of any small to severe fire emergency.

Whenever you plan to choose a company for the installation of fire doors in your office complex, theatre, cinema, shopping store to any commercial place, considering their certification is a must. However, make your property a safe place for the visitors or for yourself as well. Enter without a fear and make a clear escape during an emergency.

Don’t just focus on timely replacement, also ensure you keep maintaining your fire doors when there is no fire takes a place in your property. Look for the gaps or hinges that shouldn’t be giving a room or gap. Any leak can lead to a big hazard. So, simply put forth your expertise in handling the fire doors and talk to the installation company’s experts for following the safety rules.

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Fire Doors Inspection : Brief History

admin — Wed, 02 Dec 2020 17:03:18 +0000

Inspecting, testing, and maintenance of swinging fire doors with builders hardware require an immense level of knowledge and expertise. Providing life safety and security for occupants in today’s buildings is the overarching purpose that drives the development of our ever-evolving building, fire, and life safety codes and standards. The National Fire Protection Association’s (NFPA) publication NFPA 80, Standard for Fire Doors and Other Opening Protectives, is among the most important standards referenced by all of the model building, fire, and life safety codes. NFPA 80 has been the de facto standard for fire doors and fire windows since the late 1950s and likely will continue to be so for many years to come.

Prior to the 2007 edition, NFPA 80’s title was the Standard for Fire Doors and Fire Windows; it established the requirements for the installation and maintenance of fire door and fire window assemblies. Additionally, NFPA 80 required fire doors and fire windows to be maintained in operating condition throughout the life of their installations. However, the language in these earlier editions of NFPA 80 was vague and ambiguous, which made it difficult for AHJs and building owners to understand, apply, and follow.

One of the most important changes that appeared in the 2007 edition of NFPA 80 was the requirement for formal safety inspections of fire door assemblies, which mandates that safety inspections be performed on an annual basis. Both the 2010 and 2013 editions of NFPA 80 contain additional requirements for safety inspections of fire door and fire window assemblies.

Another important code that requires safety inspections of swinging door assemblies is NFPA 101, Life Safety CodeTM. The 2009 edition of NFPA 101 was the first edition to include provisions and requirements for door assembly inspections—for both fire-rated and non-fire-rated egress door assemblies. And, as with NFPA 80’s continued development, NFPA 101’s door assembly inspection requirements have continued to evolve with the 2019 edition.

For more information visit unitedfiredoors.com

Or contact Us

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Fire and Smoke Door Annual Testing Requirements in Health Care Occupancies

admin — Wed, 25 Mar 2020 18:14:09 +0000

In a memorandum released in July 2017, The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) confirmed that in addition to the new requirements for fire and smoke door testing, they are extending the deadline for compliance to January 1, 2018. What follows is the text of the memorandum.

Memorandum Summary
• In health care occupancies, fire door assemblies are required to be annually inspected and tested in accordance with the 2010 National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 80.
• In health care occupancies, non-rated doors assemblies including corridor doors to patient care rooms and smoke barrier doors are not subject to the annual inspection and testing requirements of either NFPA 80 or NFPA 105.
• Non-rated doors should be routinely inspected as part of the facility maintenance program.
• Full compliance with the annual fire door assembly inspection and testing in accordance with 2010 NFPA 80 is required by January 1, 2018.
• Life Safety Code (LSC) deficiencies associated with the annual inspection and testing of fire doors should be cited under K211 – Means of Egress – General.

Background
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) adopted the 2012 edition of the NFPA LSC, which includes requirements for the maintenance, inspection, and testing of fire doors and smoke doors in certain certified health care facilities.

The 2012 LSC added new provisions under Section 7.2.1.15 – Inspection of Door Openings for the annual inspection and testing of certain fire doors and smoke doors assemblies in accordance with the 2010 editions of NFPA 80 – Standard for Fire Doors and Other Opening Protectives, and NFPA 105 – Standard for Smoke Door Assemblies and Other Opening Protectives.

The new LSC provisions under sections 7.2.1.15.1 and 7.2.1.15.2 require certain fire door and smoke door assemblies to be inspected and tested annually in accordance with the NFPA 80 and NFPA 105. However, section 7.2.1.15.1 states that these requirements only apply where required by Chapters 11 through 43. Therefore, as the LSC health care occupancy chapters (i.e., Chapters 18, 19, 20, 21) do not directly reference section 7.2.1.15, these new annual inspection and testing requirement do not apply to health care occupancies.

It should be noted that the LSC chapters for assembly occupancies, education occupancies, day care occupancies, and residential board and care occupancies do directly reference 7.2.1.15. Therefore, if a health care occupancy contains a separated multiple occupancy, the 7.2.1.15 requirement for annual fire and smoke door inspection and testing would be applicable to these other occupancies.

Annual Inspection & Testing Requirements in Health Care Occupancies
Although the requirements under LSC section 7.2.1.15 are not applicable to health care occupancies, annual inspection and testing of fire doors assemblies in accordance with NFPA 80 are still required in health care occupancies by LSC section 8.3.3.1, which is applicable to all occupancy chapters.

In addition, with the exception of new doors in horizontal exits, the annual inspection and testing of smoke door assemblies in accordance with NFPA 105 is not required per LSC section 8.5.4.2 as doors in health care occupancies are not required to be smoke-leakage-rated.

Conclusion
In health care occupancies, annual inspection and testing in accordance with the 2010 NFPA 80 is required for all fire door assemblies. Non-rated doors, including corridor doors to patient care rooms and smoke barrier doors, are not subject to the annual inspection and testing requirements of either NFPA 80 or NFPA 105. But, non-rated doors should be routinely inspected as part of the facility maintenance program as all required life safety features and systems must be maintained in proper working order. LSC deficiencies associated with the annual inspection and testing of fire doors should be cited under K211 – Means of Egress – General.

Compliance Time Extension
CMS regulatory adoption of the 2012 LSC regulation was July 5, 2016, therefore the required annual door inspections and testing would be expected by July 6, 2017. However, considering the level of reported misunderstanding of this requirement, CMS has extended the compliance date for this requirement by six months. Full compliance with the annual fire door assembly inspection and testing in accordance with 2010 NFPA 80 is required by January 1, 2018.

WE have all the certification and expertise

United Fire Door Inspection are professional and fire expert fire inspection service. We are certified by Door Hardware Institute (DHI), DHI is an association proudly serving door security and safety professionals, and the dynamic companies they represent, in the non-residential construction industry. Through education, advocacy, accreditation and facilitated networking, we provide members with the collective intelligence to meet the security and safety needs of their customers.

We service Miami, Orlando, Jacksonville, West Palm Beach, Tampa Bay, Sarasota, Venice, Fort Lauderdale, Naples, and all the state of Florida. If your health care facility needs an annual fire door inspection, contact us online.

more info visite unitedfiredoorinspection.com

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How to balance fire doors safety in the light of the Corona virus COVID-19

admin — Wed, 25 Mar 2020 18:09:28 +0000

In light of the wide spread of the corona virus, we are at united Fire Door
Inspection currently monitoring the COVID-19 outbreak and are taking
precautionary measures seriously to ensure the health and safety of our
clients, employees, and everyone in our local communities.

We also instruct our employees to stay at home if they are not feeling well and
seek medical help if necessary. On top of this, our inspectors follow the
protocols below when conducting home inspections:

We typically request that clients attend the inspection but at this point in time,
we request that clients wait for our call and report instead. We can schedule a
brief call at the end of the inspection to provide a summary of our findings.
We can also conduct a phone review after sending the inspection report.

However, we suggest that buyers and sellers read the following recommendations below
should you wish to attend the inspection. Feel free to call us for any
questions you may have.

For Our Customers

We understand how much you want to be around during the inspection of your
potential new home. We want to provide you the best and safest service as
possible so below are our suggestions:

There is report some facilities have begun propping fire doors open so that people don’t have to touch them to open them. propping fire doors open presents significant hazards
and risks in the event of a fire. we need to balance the risk of the
coronavirus against other real hazards that have the potential to harm multiple
people in a very short window of time.

NFPA codes and standards such as NFPA 1, Fire Code, NFPA 101, Life Safety Code, and NFPA 80, Standard for Fire Doors and Other Opening Protectives,
govern the installation, inspection, testing and maintenance of fire
doors. Fire doors and other opening protectives such as shutters and
windows must be operable at all times. Operability of these systems
includes opening, closing and latching. Fire doors must be kept closed
and latched or arranged to be automatic closing during the time of a fire.
In addition, blocking or wedging of doors in the open position is
prohibited, as it violates the required operation and closing feature of the door.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers a wealth of information, guidelines, and
resources for cleaning and disinfecting facilities in the community setting: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/organizations/cleaning-disinfection.html

Our goal is to provide a complete and top-quality fire doors inspection while maintaining a safe environment.
We wish for everyone’s safety and good health.

For more information : https://unitedfiredoors.com/contact/

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Fire Doors Inspection for Health Care Facilities

admin — Mon, 02 Dec 2019 18:59:26 +0000

In 2017, fire door inspection drastically changed for health care facilities. The new rule states that facilities must comply with new annual testing requirements of their fire and smoke doors. According to Kaiser, a typical 800,000 square-foot hospital has approximately 1,000 fire doors. Under the updated requirements, the facility must conduct a fairly intensive formal 11-point visual and operational test verifying that each door adheres to the NFPA 80 fire code. Among the 11 items in the list are things like:

No open holes or breaks present on the surface
Intact glazing in place
Doors, frame, and hardware are secured and in working order
Door clearances within required specifications

Once the 11-point verification is complete, facilities must respond to each point and specify in writing the steps they plan to take to satisfy each point if they do not pass inspection. Due to these tedious and complex tasks, health care facilities find it favorable to outsource work to experts like United Fire Door Inspection.

Unique Fire Safety Risks of Health Care Facilities

The updated rules for fire and smoke doors recognize the particular nature of health care facilities. In the event of a fire, promptly evacuating patients is a difficult life-and-death challenge, given the medical condition of patients who may be immobile, connected to machinery, or require assistance to be moved. Fire safety in a health care facility setting is the most critical of any type of structure requiring evacuation because so many lives depend on properly functioning equipment.

To protect patients while in a health care facility, facilities are physically compartmentalized to ensure a fire does not travel from one area to another. Each room is blocked off from other rooms, with a different set of safety precautions required for each of these environments. Since fire doors open and close, they’re part of the building’s passive fire protection system. Generally, they’re not constructed with the same degree of physical strength and integrity as the walls and ceiling. And, unlike other components, doors are in constant motion, which can weaken the hinges.

Although a fire door will securely fit its enclosure at the time it’s placed, the constant motion and weakening of the hinges make the fit less secure over time. Due to this, doors are one of the biggest fire risks in health care facilities. This is just one reasons why the rules changed and U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) was concerned that facilities were not maintaining the doors to the degree they needed to be maintained.

Certified Fire Door Inspector in Florida

Fire doors save lives and protect property. Well maintained fire doors ensure that occupants can evacuate a burning building swiftly and safely, avoiding potentially tragic consequences.

United Fire Door Inspection are professionals and a fire expert fire inspection service certified by Door Hardware Institute (DHI). Through education, advocacy, accreditation, and facilitated networking, we provide members with collective intelligence to meet the security and safety needs of their customers. We check and test over 25 individual factors and components of fire doors and provide a detailed written report on the condition and functionality of each door.

and visit unitedfiredoors.com/fire-doors-inspection

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Fire Doors Inspection Companies.

admin — Mon, 02 Dec 2019 17:14:26 +0000

United Fire Door Inspection most cost efficient fire doors inspection company in the State of Florida. We are professional and expert fire door and smoke inspection. We are certified by DHI Door Hardware Institute as Fire and Egress Door Assembly Inspector, to perform fire door inspection, certified by the National Fire Protection Association NFPA for training for Undefined Fire Door Inspection in Health Care Facilities. United Fire Doors Inspection, strive to make fire door inspections as easy a process as possible. Arrange for a fire door inspection in normal business hour or after hours inspections also available. Simple, clear professional fire safety door inspection solutions based on expert knowledge.

Our friendly staff inspect newly installed or existing fire door, frame and hardware inspection services across all Florida , in accordance with NFPA 80, NFPA 101 or NFPA 105.

We offer specialized fire door, frame and approved hardware inspections of new or existing fire safety doors.

Only have 1 door or a lot, Fire Rate offer the best door inspection service deals in Florida. United Fire Doors inspection, provide a detailed report and highly competitive quotation for compliance or we advise what’s needed for compliance.

Detailed Project Statistics Total Doors, Compliant vs. Non-Compliant Total number of each category of Fire-Rated Door Most Common Reasons for Failure Locations Per Floor / Building Percentages of Non-Compliance by Fire Rate Assembly Component Detailed Inventory of all the facility’s fire doors (including but not limited to): Door Location, number, rating, door handing, reasons for non-compliance. Digital Documentation of some non-compliance issues to provide AHJs and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services CMS.

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Annual Fire Door Inspection Requirement

admin — Tue, 13 Aug 2019 16:26:04 +0000

NFPA 101 – Life Safety Code: NFPA 101 has been adopted in many jurisdictions as the code addressing provisions for the means of egress. The requirements for fire door assembly inspection are clearly stated in NFPA 101:
- 8.3.3.3.1 Required fire door assemblies shall be installed, inspected, tested, and maintained in accordance with NFPA 80. [NFPA 101 – 2021, 2018]
- 8.2.2.4 Where door assemblies are required elsewhere in this Code to be smoke-leakage-rated in accordance with 8.2.2.4…(3) Door assemblies shall be installed and maintained in accordance with NFPA 105, Standard for Smoke Door Assemblies and Other Opening Protectives. [NFPA 101 – 2021, 2018]
International Fire Code (IFC) – Many US states have adopted the IFC as their state fire code, with or without state modifications. The requirements for fire doors and smoke doors to be maintained in accordance with the standards includes the requirements for documented inspections:
- 705.2 Inspection and maintenance. Opening protectives in fire-resistance-rated assemblies shall be inspected and maintained in accordance with NFPA 80. Opening protectives in smoke barriers shall be inspected and maintained in accordance with NFPA 80 and NFPA 105. Openings in smoke partitions shall be inspected and maintained in accordance with NFPA 105. [IFC – 2021, 2018]
International Building Code (IBC) – The IBC is the most widely-used building code in the US and has also been adopted in other countries. The building code is generally used during design and construction, and not referenced for maintenance throughout the life of the building (the adopted fire code is used for that). However, when the building code references NFPA 80 – the 2013 edition or later – these recent editions require fire door assemblies to be inspected after installation, and after maintenance work is completed, in addition to the annual inspections required by the fire code:
- 716.1 General. Opening protectives required by other sections of this code shall comply with the provisions of this section and shall be installed in accordance with NFPA 80. [IBC – 2021, 2018]
- 716.2.10 Installation of door assemblies in corridors and smoke barriers. Installation of smoke doors shall be in accordance with NFPA 105. [IBC – 2021, 2018]

Clearly, the model codes require fire doors and smoke doors to comply with NFPA 80 and NFPA 105. The annual inspections of fire door assemblies began with the 2007 edition of NFPA 80, and the inspections after installation or maintenance work began with the 2013 edition. When the adopted codes in a state or jurisdiction reference an edition of these standards that requires documented fire door inspections, the AHJ can – and should – enforce the requirements unless they are specifically exempted by the state or local code. Detailed information including inspection criteria, documentation, and inspector qualifications are found in NFPA 80 and NFPA 105 – Chapter 5 covers inspection, testing, and maintenance.

INSPECTION CRITERIA FOR SWINGING DOORSWITH BUILDERS OR FIRE DOOR HARDWARE:

- No open holes or breaks exist in surfaces of either the door or frame.
- Glazing, vision light frames and glazing beads are intact and securely fastened in place, if so equipped.
- The door, frame, hinges, hardware and noncombustible threshold are secured, aligned and in working order with no visible signs of damage.
- No parts are missing or broken.
- Door clearances do not exceed three-quarters inch under the bottom of the door (as provided in Section 4.8.4) and one-eighth inch at the top, hinge and latch edges of the door (as provided in Section 6.3.1.7).
- The self-closing device is operational; that is, the active door completely closes when operated from the full open position.
- If a coordinator is installed, the inactive leaf closes before the active leaf.
- Latching hardware operates and secures the door when it is in the closed position.
- Auxiliary hardware items that interfere or prohibit operation are not installed on the door or frame.
- No field modifications to the door assembly have been performed that void the label.
- Gasketing and edge seals, where required, are inspected to verify their presence and integrity.
- Labels are clearly visible and legible.
- Signage affixed to a door meets the requirements listed in 4.1.4.
Similarly, paragraph 5.2.1 of NFPA 105 outlines the following visual inspection criteria for smoke doors:
- Doors shall be operated to confirm full closure.
- Hardware and gaskets shall be inspected, and any parts found to be damaged or inoperative shall be replaced.
Further requirements in NFPA 101 Section 8.5.4 limit the clearances for smoke barrier doors as provided above for fire-rated doors

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Annual CMS Compliance FAQ

admin — Tue, 13 Aug 2019 16:23:36 +0000

What is NFPA 80, and what does it require?

NFPA 80 is the Standard for Fire Doors and Other Opening Protectives. It outlines the requirements that fire-rated doors must meet:
Chapter 5 of NFPA 80, “Care and Maintenance”, specifies that “Fire door assemblies shall be inspected and tested not less than annually, and a written record of the inspection shall be signed and kept for inspection by the AHJ (authority having jurisdiction.”
Section 5.2.3.1 of NFPA 80 states “Functional testing of fire door and window assemblies shall be performed by individuals with knowledge and understanding of the operating components of the type of door being subject to testing.”

Who are the key players in annual fire door assembly inspections?

The authority having jurisdiction (AHJ): fire marshals and building inspectors are the AHJs. They will confirm the inspections occurred by reviewing the documentation and verifying that the necessary corrective actions were taken to repair assemblies that were found to have deficiencies.
Building owners and managers: responsibility for the maintenance and care of fire-rated door assemblies rests solidly on the shoulders of the building owners. They are charged with making the necessary actions; otherwise, they will run the risk of being cited for violations by the AHJ.
Inspectors: as NFPA 80 states, inspection “shall be performed by individuals with knowledge and understanding of the operating components of the type of door being subject to testing.”
The Door and Hardware Institute: DHI provides the education and training necessary to ensure properly knowledgeable inspectors are available to assist AHJs and building owners in the inspection process.

A properly operating fire door contains fire damage.

What does an inspector look for?

Damage to the door and frame
Security of glazing, if present
Security, alignment and operability of the door, frame, hinges and hardware
Missing or broken parts
Door clearances
Properly operating self-closing device
Operation of a coordinator, if installed
Operation of latching hardware
Presence of auxiliary hardware items which may interfere with door operation
Illegal field modifications
Presence and integrity of gasketing and edge seals

Can I conduct my own inspection of fire doors?

According to NFPA 80, 2013 edition, only a person “with knowledge and understanding of the operating components of the type of door being subject to testing” can inspect fire doors and sign the record of inspection. The level of knowledge and understanding required comes as the result of experience and proper training, such as that offered by DHI.

This is the kind of damage a properly operating fire door can contain.

Why conduct annual fire door assembly inspections?

The requirement for annual inspections (NFPA 80, 2013 edition) may be incorporated by reference in your building and fire codes
Even if it is not incorporated, the AHJs in your area may require it
Failure to comply could lead to citation by the AHJ
Improperly maintained fire door assemblies may lead to property damage and, in the event of fire, loss of life and loss of property
Swinging fire doors are one of the most common and yet most complex methods of egress from a burning building
Doors that do not work as designed may prevent safe egress and not act to contain fires properly
Improperly operating fire doors, especially swinging doors, can actually retard the operation of sprinkler systems
Ongoing inspection and maintenance of fire doors by skilled professionals helps reduce loss of life and property damage

NFPA 80, 2007 (or later) edition, is not currently enforced in my area. What are the benefits to me of annual inspections?

Even if not required, annual inspections by a properly trained inspector are still a good practice. They:

Prevent loss of life due to improperly functioning doors and door hardware
Prevent or contain loss of property
Prevent or contain damage or loss of the building
By reducing fire damage, help keep building insurance premiums down
Provide particular security and safety in universities, schools and hospitals, where casualties and damage can be greatest
Offer an extra level of security for residents of high-rise apartments and condominiums.
United Fire Doors service Miami, Orlando, Jacksonville, West Palm Beach, Tampa Bay, Sarasota, Venice, Fort Lauderdale, Naples, and all the state of Florida. If your health care facility needs an annual fire door inspection, contact us online

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Certified Fire Door inspector

admin — Tue, 13 Aug 2019 16:17:40 +0000

Fire doors save lives and protect property. well maintained fire doors ensure that occupants can evacuate a burning building swiftly and safely, avoiding potentially tragic consequences.

It is the responsibility of the Building Owner to provide a safe environment for their employees and the general public. In many circumstances the Building Owner will be assisted in accomplishing this task through the knowledge and work of a Facility Manager that helps keep up the maintenance of the building. Many times a company is too small to be able to afford an on staff Facility Manager and they rely on local contractors to assist them. That being said, it is still the responsibility of the Building Owner to provide that safe environment. But as the Building Owner or their representative as the Facility Manger, how do you know that this is being accomplished in accordance with the current Building Codes? That is where we come in. We are here to look out for your best interests when it comes to Fire and Smoke and Egress Door Assemblies. We have the knowledge and tools to help your facility comply with these mandates.

NFPA 80 States : Fire door assemblies shall be inspected and tested not less than annually, and a written record of the inspection shall be signed and kept for inspection by the AHJ.

we check and test over 25 individual factors and components of your fire doors.

we will provide a detailed written report on the condition and functionality of each fire door.

a label is attached to each fire door indicating when the inspection was made, and demonstrating to the user of the building and AHJ that the doors have been inspected professionally.

WE have all the certification and expertise

Qualified persons?

In 2017, ASHE published an article in response to questions raised by the inclusion of a requirement in the conditions of participation (CoP) from CMS for the annual inspection and maintenance of fire door assemblies by “qualified persons.”

NFPA 80 defines a qualified person as, “a person who, by possession of a recognized degree, certificate, professional standing, or skill, and who, by knowledge, training, and experience, has demonstrated the ability to deal with the subject matter, the work, or the project.”

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