Workplace Building Regs - Part B: at a glance

Approved Document B of the Building Regulations Act 2010 is concerned with fire safety.

Every decision, when it comes to hardware and fixings within your workplace, has to comply with regulations. With this in mind it’s worth considering what provides the best solution for your work situation – be it office, school, hospital or nursing home - and how best to comply. 

With fire doors there are a few practicalities to take on board. They need to be used to create protective areas, so that people are safely separated from smoke and flames. They also need to be located on escape routes or places where people congregate such as corridors and lobbies.

Most office spaces need to have ‘FD 30’ fire doors, which simply means each door gives 30 minutes’ fire resistance. Fire doors can give up to four hours of fire resistance, but that is more for insurance purposes and this exceeds fire regulations.

For non-domestic dwellings you need to subdivide corridors, but obviously there are times when you want to keep free-flowing movement through the space. This is especially relevant in somewhere like a nursing home, whereby compartmentalizing corridors with several fire doors; which would hold back the spread of a fire, thus buying the inhabitants more time to evacuate the building.

For this purpose electromagnetic door retainers or electromagnetic door closers, are the perfect solution as they allow fire doors to hold open for ease of access on a day to day basis but will release upon the activation of a fire alarm (must be interfaced with the fire alarm using a relay cable). The doors then fully close and ensure compliance with the flame and smoke barrier reference within Part B.

These electromagnetic products are generally used on doors in communal spaces of flats, offices, nursing homes and other non-domestic establishments to prevent a corridor being longer than 12 metres; which is another crucial requirement to comply with Part B.

Compartmentation is key to adhering to Part B, as it is a crucial element to allow enough time for people inside the building to make their way to safety.  

Door Controls Direct has a wide selection of Part B compliant Electromagnetic Door Closers and Door Holders – Click here and here to view our ranges and ensure your workplace is complying with building regulations.