Most people who would not report a faulty fire door cite issues of ‘personal repercussions’ as their main reason for not speaking out.

The revelation comes from organisers of Fire Door Safety Week which this year focuses on individuals’ responsibility to report fire door issues and urges people to take action to save lives.

The campaign, Close the Door on Fire, which runs all this week, says32% of the British public would not report a problem with a fire door, with a perceived lack of personal repercussions being one of the main reasons for not reporting (18%).

They say the findings show a clear lack of accountability over reporting fire door issues, and that lives are being put at risk as a result.

It even found that despite three quarters knowing a propped-open fire door is useless, fewer than half (44%) would do anything about it and almost half (49%) don’t feel it’s their place or role to report it.

Remarkably, one of the things most commonly used to prop open a fire door was a fire extinguisher.

Helen Hewitt, CEO of the British Woodworking Federation which founded Fire Door Safety Week, said: “There were 243 fire-related fatalities in England in the past 12 months, so individual action really is crucial in preventing tragedies. “Fire doors propped open put lives at risk in the unfortunate event of a fire. Without being properly closed, a fire door cannot hold back the spread of fire and smoke to fulfil its life-saving role.”

Worryingly, 31% wrongly believed a propped-open fire door was safe, 18% didn’t believe a propped open fire door poses a risk on. Even more remarkably, 15% believed that keeping a fire door closed stops it performing.

The research also found a lack of understanding over what constitutes a safe fire door. Alarmingly, 44% believed that either: a fire door is a normal door covered in fire-resistant paint (13%), a fire door is a normal door but with ‘fire door’ signage (13%), or that any timber door was a fire door (7%). 

Helen Hewitt concluded: “This year’s Fire Door Safety Week campaign aims to help address the lack of education and accountability around fire doors and reporting. This will be a crucial step in reinforcing the message that a closed fire door can be the difference between life and death and driving positive action to reduce fire-related fatalities.”

https://www.firedoorsafetyweek.co.uk/

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