The Ultimate Guide to UK Fire Door Signs
Fire doors are an essential part of any public, private, or commercial building in the UK and are a legal requirement for many properties. Unless you know building policies or evacuation procedures, it can be difficult to identify fire doors and use them appropriately. This is why correct fire door signage is so important.
In the UK, there are several rules and regulations surrounding fire doors and the appropriate signage. If you’re a business or property owner, it’s essential to follow these rules to avoid penalties and protect your premises.
In this guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know about fire door signage requirements, so you can keep your property safe and compliant with the law.
Here at Elite Sign Solutions, we’ve got a wide range of health and safety signs to help make signposting and compliance easy.
What do fire doors do and why are they needed?
Fire doors are an essential protective measure in the event of a fire. The two main functions of fire doors are to contain fires and smoke and to provide safe escape routes.
It’s important to note that a fire exit and a fire door are not the same thing. Fire exits are typically lit with a green running man sign and are used as the evacuation point in a building. Fire doors are doors that help contain fire and protect different rooms and floors against fire.
A proper fire door must withstand fire for at least 30 minutes, and doors are regularly assessed and assigned FD ratings that indicate how long they can withstand flames.
After rigorous testing of all of the door components, one of four ratings is given:
- FD30: Withstands fire for at least 30 minutes.
- FD60: Withstands fire for at least 60 minutes.
- FD90: Withstands fire for at least 90 minutes.
- FD120: Withstands fire for at least 120 minutes.
Modern properties have a number of fire risks from ovens to electrical appliances, and fire doors are a critical method of protection against fire and help to limit the damage and danger of fires when they occur.
When is fire door signage required?
Fire safety rules under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 outline that a “responsible person,” e.g., a building owner or manager, is required to comply with safety requirements that reduce the risk of fire. Fire door signage falls under the Health and Safety (Safety Signs and Signals) Regulations 1996, and as such, any fire doors must display the appropriate signage to ensure correct use and maintain safety.
What are the main fire door signage requirements?
As per British Standards, BS 8214, there are a number of requirements for your fire door signage:
Design – All fire door signs need a solid blue circle with white text and pictograms.
Visibility – Signs need to be displayed on both sides of the fire door, unless the fire door is used for storage or service cupboards.
Text – There needs to be appropriate text on the door to match its function:
- “Fire Door Keep Shut” should be included on signage on fire doors along escape routes and corridors that need to be shut at all times, unless in the event of a fire.
- “Fire Door Keep Clear” should be used on fire exit doors or main paths towards the final exit door to prevent obstructions in the case of an emergency.
- “Automatic Fire Door Keep Clear” needs to be displayed on doors that automatically close in the event the fire alarm sounds.
Placement – Signs need to be placed at eye level, between 1.2 metres and 1.5 metres above the floor, so that any signs are naturally within your eyeline.
Materials – Signs need to be made from durable materials like PVC or metal to ensure they remain visible and legible in the event of an emergency. It’s highly recommended that signs also be photoluminescent to remain clear in the dark or in the event of an electrical outage.
Consistency – Signs should be consistent on every fire door in your building to help ensure clarity. Keep the style, shape, and font the same across all fire door signage to avoid confusion.
Fire door signage requirements for different properties
Every building has different rules and regulations regarding fire doors and their signage, and some have stricter rules than others regarding their usage.
Private properties
If you live in a private residential property, there is often no requirement to have fire doors installed in your home, although it is always advised to maximise safety. If you have an integral garage, however, any doors that lead to your home need to be fire doors.
If you have a loft conversion, the doors leading to your loft also need to be fire doors. If you have a three-story home, you also need to install a fire door between one of the stairwells and a habitable room, i.e a bedroom or living room. This helps to limit the spread of fire across multiple floors.
High-rise buildings and multiple-occupant properties
All multi-occupied residential and high-rise buildings are required by law to have fire doors between inhabited areas and corridors or stairwells. The Fire Safety Regulations of 2022 also require strict regulations and checks for fire doors every year. The correct signage, including “Fire Door Keep Shut“, must also be displayed across all fire doors in these buildings.
Commercial buildings
Every commercial building has to have measures to contain fire, including fire doors placed throughout the property to protect the structural integrity of the building, as well as at different levels.
Commercial buildings also need to have clear escape routes with signposted fire exits to ensure effective evacuation.
How to ensure your fire door signs are compliant
Fire door signage will eventually fade, peel, or become damaged over time, which can impact safety and also result in penalties or citations during official fire safety inspections
Conduct regular checks
If you’re the “responsible person” in your building, conduct regular inspections on your fire door signs to ensure they are in good working order. If you notice any damage, you can take action to get these signs repaired or replaced before it becomes a safety issue.
Invest in signs from experts
Purchase any safety, fire action, and wayfinding signs from signage experts. Experts like us at Elite Sign Solutions have the technical and legal knowledge to ensure your fire door signs are compliant and up to code. This means you can spend less time and effort researching fire door signage requirements and instead focus on ensuring your building is safe and protected in the event of a fire.
Stay compliant and protected with safety signage from Elite
Installing the correct fire door signage is an essential part of health and safety compliance in the UK. Failure to do so can result in penalties or, in extreme cases, liability for improper signage in the event of a fire.
The best way to keep your property on top of fire door signage regulations is by investing in the right signage partner. At Elite Sign Solutions, we have a team of dedicated experts with years of experience creating and installing signs that meet the UK’s strict safety regulations. When you invest in us, you’ll have access to installation, maintenance, and compliance services to ensure you’re always within the law.
If you’re searching for safety signs or effective ways to promote your business, get in touch with our team today, and we can help.