Fire Damper Testing for Hospitals

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Protecting Patients, Staff and Visitors

In any building, business or profession, fire safety is something that should always be taken seriously, and given the proper care and attention required to adhere to fire safety regulations and help prevent, limit and reduce the risk of fire.

Within a hospital or healthcare facility though, the sheer number of vulnerable patients and people working or visiting the hospital makes it even more crucial that important fire safety protocols, procedures, maintenance and testing is carried out regularly.

This includes vital passive fire protection products such as fire dampers, which because of their location tucked away inside ductwork, could be easily forgotten about or missed. At Swiftclean, our expert engineers deliver professional, reliable and cost-effective testing and maintenance of fire dampers in hospitals and medical facilities.

What is a fire damper and how does it work?

Whilst the primary purpose of a hospitals ductwork system is to remove harmful pathogens and ensure air quality throughout the building, it also plays an important role in controlling the spread of smoke and fire in the event that a fire was to occur.

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Fire dampers are installed at points within the ductwork where it passes through designated fire-resistant barriers such as fire-rated ceilings and walls. They are activated by either an electronic or thermal sensor which triggers the shutters within the damper causing them to close quickly and seal shut, greatly reducing the spread of fire and smoke.

The importance of fire dampers in hospitals

Hospitals are a complex environment with various different areas, electrical equipment and materials as well as sometimes thousands of people on site at any one time making it a potentially hazardous place to control. Effective fire risk assessments and fire prevention, detection and suppression equipment and protocols are key, ensuring that the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 is followed, and the building is compliant with the necessary legislation.

If a fire did break out in a hospital and the fire dampers were to fail, then fire and smoke could spread quickly through the ductwork, moving rapidly to other areas of the building. Every second counts when there is a fire and with nothing to slow it down or stop it, in a building with so many vulnerable people, the consequences could be disastrous.

However, if fire dampers are regularly tested and maintained then they should be in full working order if a fire was to break out. By doing their job properly, fire dampers will help to;

Slow down the spread of fire and smoke
Greatly reduce the amount of damage to the building
Preserve the integrity of exit routes
Provide more time to safely evacuate all staff, patients and visitors on site
Contain the fire until the emergency services arrive

There are a variety of reasons why fire dampers in hospitals fail to work but in almost all cases, these can be prevented with the correct testing and maintenance.

Professional hospital fire damper testing

At Swiftclean, our team of dedicated engineers are experienced in working across a wide range of sectors and environments from commercial properties and industrial premises to schools, medical facilities and many more.

If you would like to find out more about our fire damper testing services for hospitals, then please do not hesitate to get in touch and one of our knowledgeable advisors will be happy to help.

FAQ’s

Why is it so important to test and maintain hospital fire dampers?

For hospitals, evacuating the premises quickly is very difficult due to things such as;

The vast number of people that occupy the buildings.
The mobility of many patients who are unable to walk quickly and safely due to being elderly, fragile, weak, injured or unwell.
Those with complex needs, illnesses or medical requirements that mean they are bedbound, unconscious or attached to machines and unable to evacuate themselves.

This is why ensuring that fire dampers in hospitals are properly and regularly tested and maintained is so important, because they help to keep fire and smoke contained which provides the vital extra time needed to carefully and safely evacuate staff, visitors and patients from the premises.

What are the legal requirements for fire damper testing?

The legal requirements around fire dampers are covered under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order in accordance with – BS 9999:2017.

Within the standard are the requirements that;

All dampers regardless of type, operation method or specification need to be tested annually (as a minimum) but more frequently for high-risk environments such as hospitals.
All fire dampers must be tested by a ‘competent person’.
If a fire damper is found to be faulty then it must be either repaired or replaced straight away.
A drop test must be conducted as well as cleaning, maintenance and, if sufficient access is not already in place, then that must also be rectified to achieve compliance.
The ‘Responsible Person’ who oversees the buildings fire safety can be liable if they fail to ensure the necessary tests and checks are carried out. This could result in large fines or even a custodial sentence.

Why do fire dampers fail?

The reason why it is so important to carry out the required testing and maintenance for fire dampers is because if not, they can and do fail, the consequences of which can be devastating.

Hidden away, tucked inside of ductwork, out of sight and often out of mind, they are easily forgotten about or neglected, but fire damper testing and maintenance is a crucial part of fire safety for all types of buildings in order to help effectively reduce the spread of smoke and fire.

Some of the most common causes of fire dampers failing include;

Build-up of dust, dirt, grime, grease and debris.
Broken, faulty or damaged parts.
Obstructions or blockages preventing the shutters from closing.
Corrosion and rust.
Poor installation.

Swiftclean commitment:

Identify and locate each fire damper
Retrofit access doors if any of these are inaccessible
Carry out fire damper testing, cleaning and drop testing and reset each fire damper
Provide accurate records of fire damper testing, cleaning and drop testing, including before and after photographs of cleaning
Identify any problems and recommend remedial action
Carry out remedial work where required

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