Self-Closers on Fire Doors

[darrenbgray]

Hi,

I have a seen a copy of the proposed new edition of Approved Document B: Fire Safety Volume1 (Dwellings) which has a proposal that fire doors no longer require self closers in residential dwellings, for example on the bedroom door.

Is it possible for someone to tell me whether this has come into force as I would sooner not have self-closers in the flat I am replacing doors in?

Many thanks, Darren.

[dom]

Check here:

update was 2002 so probably not.

[Christian McArdle]

All I can say is that I have heard the rumour too, but am pretty sure it hasn't happened yet.

Christian.

[Tony Bryer]

In today's Architects Journal newsfeed

"The final publication of the new Part B of the Building Regulations, which relates to fire safety in buildings, is expected to be severely delayed.

It is understood that there is every likelihood that the final version of the document will not see the light of day before February 2007 at the earliest.

This would leave architects and engineers in a state of disarray, as it would give them only weeks to prepare for the strict new regulations to come into force.

The final Part B document is being widely trailed by government mandarins as a serious increase in the already stringent rules.

The potential for yet more delays to Part B leaves open the possibility of a repeat of the Part L debacle of earlier this year."

[Hugo Nebula]

On 19 Nov 2006 06:35:39 -0800, a particular chimpanzee named [e-mail] randomly hit the keyboard and produced:

1. As Tony says, there's no date for implementation of this AD yet.
2. There's no guarantee that the published AD will be the same as the consultation; the bit about removing self-closers was merely asking for opinions.
3. You can't pick and choose bits from previous ADs and later ones. A quick scan of the recommendations for single stair buildings with no more than two dwellings per storey will require an automatic opening vent to be fitted to the common stair whereas at present it's a manual opening vent.

Have a look at your current layout; do the existing doors need to be fire doors? Is your flat on the second floor or above? Is there a lobby between your front door and the stairs? IME it's not uncommon for an architect or builder to throw fire doors and self-closers everywhere on the basis that at least some of them will be required.