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What is the Difference Between Fire Doors and Fire Exits?

Something that is as important as fire safety shouldn’t be neglected. With this said, many industrial property owners tend to use the words ‘fire door’ and ‘fire exit’ interchangeably, even though they are different items. Here at ABC Industrial, we believe that it is important to ensure that property owners understand and recognise the different characteristics that separate fire doors from fire exits. Read on to find out more...

Purpose

The most obvious difference between the two fire safety solutions is their intended purpose. For example, a fire door is an internal door that is given a fire safety rating and is used to compartmentalise a building and prevent the spread of fire. On the other hand, a fire exit is an external door and does not have to be fire resistant. As a result, it often acts as an emergency exit in the event of a fire and is characterised by a push down release handle.

Legalities

Following on from this, a fire door is governed by a set of legal requirements and must be inspected regularly in order to ensure that it is able to effectively provide fire resistance in the event of a fire. If it does not pass these inspections then the law dictates that it must be replaced. On the other hand, a fire exit is considered a regular door and does not follow the same set of laws.

Design

A fire door is designed in order to withstand the heat and impact of a raging fire and this means that they are specifically designed with fire safety in mind. For example, they are fitted with an intumescent seal that expands in the presence of heat, smoke and fire in order to prevent the flames from spreading. On the other hand, fire exits are an external door which means that they are often designed with security in mind. Although they are both used for fire safety, it is clear to see that fire doors and fire exits are two different pieces of industrial equipment that are designed for different purposes and are governed by different legalities. Here at ABC Industrial, we supply a selection of heavy-duty steel fire doors that have been crafted to an incredibly high standard and are fire rated for up to 240 minutes. To find out more information, get in contact with a member of the ABC Industrial team today!  

Further reading

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