FACTORY OWNERS AT RISK IF THEY IGNORE DOOR MAINTENANCE, WARNS DHF

Article first published 01/01/2006

The owners or occupiers of more than 80 per cent of the UK’s industrial premises are risking substantial losses and could be breaking the law because they do not have preventative maintenance programmes in place to protect their doors and shutters.  
 
They have an even poorer record when it comes to maintaining and testing fire resisting doors. The Door and Hardware Federation (DHF) estimates that between 85 to 90 per cent of industrial buildings have no fire door maintenance and testing procedures in place whatsoever.  
 
The federation is warning that the Workplace (Health, Safety & Welfare) Regulations 1992 oblige employers to ensure that industrial doors in workplaces are regularly and competently maintained. Other legislation contains additional provisions requiring regular maintenance of powered doors and fire resisting doors.  
 
Said Michael Markham, chairman of the DHF Repair and Service Group: “In every well-run factory or industrial premises of any sort, preventative maintenance programmes protect key elements of the manufacturing line. But a production line can be brought to a complete halt by vital doors jamming shut, and the cost in terms of lost production could run into many thousands of pounds.”  
 
Under current legislation, employers, building owners and managers are liable to ensure all machinery, and that includes industrial doors and shutters, is fit for purpose, is in good repair and is subject to a programme of maintenance by competent persons with records kept, warned Mr Markham.  
 
He added: “It doesn’t need to be an accident involving a door that alerts the authorities to non compliance under this legislation. When health and safety inspectors visit a factory after any workplace accident they are very likely to want to inspect the whole building, including the doors and shutters.”  
 
He said the lack of planned maintenance and operation testing programmes for fire doors in so many industrial premises is extremely worrying.  
 
“Fire doors are designed to prevent fire spreading, so saving lives and preventing valuable stock and property being destroyed in flames. Building managers must familiarise themselves with the location of fire doors and ensure regular maintenance procedures are in place. From April 2006 Fire Officers will no longer certify industrial buildings, instead there will be a self certification obligation on the building owner/occupier to declare that correct maintenance procedures are in place.”  
 
The DHF has a detailed a Code of Practice on repair and maintenance of industrial and commercial doors and shutters that is available to all owners and managers of industrial premises. To order copies, visit the DHF website: www.dhfonline.org.uk  

Article ID No.: 121