An online poll has revealed that 50% of tradespeople do not feel confident in advising customers on fire door safety.
The survey was carried out by online trade supplier IronmongeryDirect, which asked 2,000 people across the country.
The company has called the results “alarming” as despite the Grenfell Tower tragedy and the subsequent media coverage about inadequate fire protection, there is still a lack of knowledge about the role fire doors play in saving lives.
Less than 20% of tradespeople polled have seen an increase in demand for fire safety products or parts such as replacement intumescent strips for fire doors, 70% of respondents would not know who to contact if they noticed a problem with a fire door, and almost half of the people surveyed admitted that they do not know how to identify a fire door.
Wayne Lysaght-Mason, Managing Director of IronmongeryDirect, said: “We are now over a year on from the Grenfell Tower fire, and it is disturbing that a significant proportion of the general public appear to lack basic fire door knowledge.”
The survey was supported by the Fire Industry Association and published in support of Fire Door Safety Week (24 September – 30 September), which aims to raise awareness of the importance of fire doors in saving lives.
Ian Moore, CEO of the FIA, said: “Fire doors are one of many essential elements to keeping safe from fire.
“If you are worried about hazards and risks from fire, you can always contact us for free and impartial information and we will be able to direct you to an expert on the subject.”
