Fire doors are crucial for building safety, providing a protective barrier that limits the spread of fire and smoke, so can be the difference between life and death. As they can contain the fire to specific areas of the building before it spreads, fire doors help to buy invaluable time for people to safely evacuate the building. Naturally, all fire doors in the UK must meet strict fire safety standards to ensure they function properly and limit the spread of a fire. One component of a fire door that must meet necessary fire safety requirements is the door lock.
Without the right type of lock, a fire door’s integrity could be compromised during a fire, causing it to spread much quickly. This is why it’s vital to choose a fire-rated that will function and not compromise the door properly during a fire. A mortice lock is widely considered one of the best locking systems for a safe and functional fire door. We’ve spoken with Locks & Handles, one of the UK’s leading suppliers of fire-rated mortice locks, to find out why these locks are the go-to choice for fire door safety.
Mortice Locks Suitable for Fire Doors
Not all mortice deadlocks are fire-rated, so you can’t just use any lock for a fire door. If you choose any basic mortice lock, there is a strong chance that it won’t hold up during a fire, potentially compromising your safety. Thankfully, it’s easy enough to spot a fire-rated mortice lock if you know what to look for.
Fire-Rated Certification
Fire-rated mortice locks have been tested to ensure that they are resistant to high temperatures and maintain the door’s integrity during a fire, so you’ll want to choose a mortice deadlock with fire-rated certifications, as this indicates the lock complies with fire safety regulations. If the lock isn’t fire-rated, then it could compromise the fire door’s integrity and cause fire and smoke to spread, which could put people inside the building at risk. The BS EN 12209 standard covers the mechanical performance of a mortice lock used in a fire door, so locks with this certification have been tested for their durability, strength, security, and fire resistance. Any mortice deadlock with this certification will comply with UK fire safety regulations, so keep an eye out for this when looking for a fire-rated door lock.
Other fire-rated certifications to look for on a 5-lever mortice lock include Certifire, which is a third-party fire testing organisation that tests a wide range of passive fire products, including door locks. If a mortice deadlock has a Certifire kitemark, it’s undergone various tests to ensure an adequate fire resistance rating in compliance with the latest fire safety standards.
Fire-Resistant Materials
To meet fire-safety regulations, locks for fire doors need to be made from fire-resistant materials. If not, the lock may not function properly during a fire and cause it to spread more quickly. Most mortice locks are made from fire-resistant materials, such as stainless steel and brass. These strong and durable materials are equipped to withstand the extreme temperatures of a fire, meaning they won’t compromise the door. As a result, the locks will always handle the harsh conditions of a fire and ensure that the fire door does its job, containing the spread.
Conclusion
A fire-rated mortice deadlock with suitable certification, such as BS EN 12209, has been tested for fire resistance, so it will comply with fire safety regulations here in the UK. This certification guarantees that the mortice lock can withstand extreme temperatures of a fire to maintain the door’s structural integrity. Buildings that use uncertified mortice locks for fire doors could be risking the lives of their occupants and face significant legal ramifications, highlighting the importance of always making compliance-focused choices for fire door locks.
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