The Importance of Compartmentation and Fire Door Inspections: Lessons from Grenfell

The Grenfell Tower tragedy in 2017 was a painful reminder of the devastating impact of poor fire safety measures. One of the key failures identified during the inquiry was the breakdown of essential fire protection elements, including compartmentation and fire doors. These are critical components of a building's fire defence system, designed to prevent the spread of fire and smoke, giving people more time to escape and allowing emergency services to act effectively.

This article explores why compartmentation and regular fire door inspections are crucial in fire safety, and how neglecting these elements can lead to catastrophic outcomes, as seen in Grenfell.

What is Compartmentation?

Compartmentation is a fire protection strategy that involves dividing a building into separate fire-resistant sections. The purpose is to confine fire and smoke to one area for a certain period, helping to protect escape routes and limit damage. These barriers give people time to evacuate safely and reduce the spread of fire until firefighters can control it.

In the case of Grenfell Tower, proper compartmentation should have restricted the fire to the flat where it began. However, multiple failures allowed it to spread rapidly, including gaps in fire-resistant walls, floors, and ceilings. This allowed fire and smoke to move unchecked, worsening the disaster.

The Role of Fire Doors

Fire doors are a vital part of a building’s compartmentation system. Designed to withstand fire for a set period (usually 30 to 60 minutes), they help maintain the integrity of escape routes and provide additional time for safe evacuation. Properly functioning fire doors can make the difference between a safe evacuation and a tragedy.

Unfortunately, the inquiry into the Grenfell fire revealed widespread issues with fire doors. Many were either incorrectly installed, defective, or missing altogether. Some fire doors failed to close correctly, while others had been removed or altered, rendering them ineffective. This significantly reduced the time residents had to escape, and ultimately contributed to the rapid spread of fire and smoke throughout the tower.

What Went Wrong at Grenfell?

The Grenfell disaster showed how dangerous neglecting basic fire safety principles can be. While much attention has focused on the external cladding, the breakdown of internal fire safety measures, such as compartmentation and fire doors, played a crucial role in the scale of the tragedy.

Gaps in fire-resistant barriers and compromised compartments allowed the fire to spread quickly between floors and throughout the building. Faulty or missing fire doors left escape routes exposed, endangering lives. The failure of these essential fire safety systems highlights the importance of proper installation, ongoing maintenance, and regular inspections.

Why Regular Inspections Matter

Regular fire door inspections and compartmentation surveys are essential to ensure that a building’s fire protection systems remain effective. Fire Risk Assessments (FRA's) are a legal requirement, but they must go beyond simply ticking boxes. Comprehensive inspections and surveys by qualified professionals are key to identifying issues before they become life-threatening.

• Compartmentation Surveys: Over time, work such as renovations or even day-to-day wear can compromise a building’s fire compartments. Regular surveys ensure that fire-resistant barriers are intact and will perform as intended in the event of a fire.
• Fire Door Inspections: Fire doors must be regularly checked to ensure they are correctly installed and functioning. Problems such as gaps, damage, or doors not closing properly can severely reduce their effectiveness, putting lives at risk.
• Fire Risk Assessments: Regular FRAs should examine both active and passive fire protection systems. While alarms and sprinklers are important, passive systems like compartmentation and fire doors are just as crucial in controlling the spread of fire and protecting people.

OJ Health and Safety: Keeping You Compliant and Safe

At OJ Health and Safety, we understand how critical fire safety is for the protection of buildings and the people inside them. That’s why we offer expert services to help ensure your building is fully compliant with fire safety regulations, including:

• Compartmentation Surveys to check that your building’s fire compartments are effective.
• Fire Door Inspections to ensure your fire doors are installed correctly and in full working order.
• Fire Risk Assessments to identify any fire safety risks and help you put measures in place to reduce them.

Fire safety cannot be left to chance, and regular checks are essential to protect lives. Don’t wait for a disaster to happen – get in touch with us today for a thorough fire safety inspection.

Conclusion

The Grenfell Tower fire demonstrated the catastrophic consequences of failing to maintain basic fire safety measures. Compartmentation and fire doors play a vital role in controlling the spread of fire and ensuring people have time to escape. Regular inspections and maintenance are essential to keeping these systems effective.

At OJ Health and Safety, we are committed to helping building owners and managers meet fire safety standards and protect lives. Contact us today for expert advice on compartmentation surveys, fire door inspections, and fire risk assessments to ensure your building is as safe as it should be.