When it comes to fire equipment, many people forget about the importance that a fire door can have. It stops the fire at the spot and can create time for more people to get out of the building as it prevents spreading. Another very important feature is that they also prevent smoke from spreading in the building. Most public buildings have at least one fire door, but what many people don't know is that fire doors can malfunction if they're not cared for properly. To make sure the fire door or fire doors in your workplace can protect you in case of a fire, you should know how to examine them.

Stamp

The first thing you should check when examining if a fire door is working properly is to make sure it actually has a mark that tells you that it is actually a fire door. Check the top and the sides of the door for that mark. If it shows no signs of being manufactured for the specific purpose of preventing fires, you should contact the people responsible for the maintenance in the building to have it replaced.

Closing

You should also make sure to examine if the door opens and closes properly. If it can't close properly, it doesn't hold much value as fire equipment, as it won't be able to keep fire or smoke out. Trouble with opening is also a problem, as the door still needs to be able to function as a normal door that can let people through without hassle.

Hinges

Control the hinges and the screws on the door. If they're missing, seem to be broken, or if they have started to rust, you need to see that someone repairs them. Broken or weak hinges can decrease the door's fire resistant qualities by simply not being able to stand up to block the fire out in the case of emergency. The intensity of a fire can easily break a door off its hinges.

Gaps

Check the gaps around the door and make sure there are no cracks in the door itself. A fire door should fill up more of the door frame than an ordinary door, and if you can see light passing though the gaps around the door, they might be too wide. If the door has visible cracks that go all the way through the material, this also decreases how well it can put up with a fire, and it definitely creates a risk of smoke passing through, possibly injuring people that are affected by it. 

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