In recent years, louvred doors/panels have been reborn. We would typically see louvres made from timber and installed in internal residential settings such as wardrobes and airing cupboards. However, louvred doors have become increasingly popular in industrial and commercial settings. Manufactured from steel, Robust doors offer better strength and durability than timber, whilst still maintaining maximum ventilation.
Uses
Used both internally and externally, louvred doors provide continuous airflow while securing a room. This is essential for plant rooms, boiler rooms and server rooms that may house important machinery. Without a continuous airflow, this equipment may overheat and malfunction. It may also be liable to vandalism/tampering, so louvred doors allow a continuous airflow whilst ensuring limited access. Externally, they have become a customer favourite for use on bin stores. This allows air to circulate and potential dangerous fumes to escape, while keeping bins securely locked away.
Doors
Our fully louvred doors offer a free area of around 50% (with no bird and vermin mesh), meaning continuous ventilation and security for machinery. We manufacture these using steel, making them far stronger than traditional lightweight aluminium louvres. We do also supply aluminium louvred doors, however these are more suitable for installations in lower risk areas. Alongside this, we also manufacture TUFF-VENT – our louvred security option. TUFF-VENT is PAS 24 certified, meaning it meets enhanced security requirements and is recognised and approved by Secured By Design. The improved design of TUFF-VENT uses a standard steel louvre vane throughout, welded at every junction for additional strength. This product is more suited to higher risk locations, where machinery is more likely to be vandalised or tampered with. To ensure enhanced security our doors are also available with louvred side panels, over panels and panels fitted into the door leaf itself. Where an opening is too large for just a door, side and over panels are available to fill the space and still allow maximum airflow. All panels are available as TUFF-VENT, to provide extra security whilst maintaining continuous ventilation.
Hardware
We supply a wide variety of hardware with our louvred products that makes them available for use in fire rated panels. This is possible through the use of a fire block louvre vent, manufactured using an intumescent block grill. This allows continuous ventilation until the point of a fire. In the event of a fire, the intumescent strips will expand from the heat and prevent the spread of smoke and flames. Also available is bird/vermin mesh that prevents animals from entering through the gaps in the louvres. As mentioned earlier, TUFF-VENT is supplied with a multi-bolt Hooply lock as standard.
If you’d like to know more about Robust louvred products, view our pages here or get in touch with our sales team on 01782 592900 or .
Staff Training
Education is vital to ensuring fire prevention and safety. This starts with regular fire risk assessments to identify dangers in the workplace and eliminate them. Staff can then be informed of risks and educated what to look for and how to deal with them. Nominate trusted staff members to become Fire Wardens to help spread the responsibility and improve vigilance when identifying hazards.
Smoking Policy
Smoking of course presents a big fire hazard. Designate a smoking area in a safe place away from the building and any hazardous materials. Also, supplying a safe place for cigarettes and ash to be disposed of will help to extinguish any flames. For instance, leaving ash trays or a metal bucket filled with sand in the smoking area. Empty ash trays and buckets regularly to ensure there is no build-up of flammable materials.
Electrical Hazards
A 2018 BBC report found that faulty electrical appliances “cause 60 fires a week” – highlighting the risk they pose unless regularly inspected. Most faults are identifiable just by looking at the appliance, however some are internal so require a PAT (Portable Appliance Testing) test to ensure nothing is missed. Always ensure any electrical testing or repairs are carried out by someone qualified to do so. Also, don’t overload power strips with plugs or fuseless adaptors, as this can also cause a fire.
Security
According to the National Fire Chief’s Council statistics, arson accounted for 50.5% of all fires attended in 2017/18. Although we mentioned earlier that arson attacks are out of our control, a strong security system will go a long way in deterring people from attempting arson. Erecting perimeter fences, installing CCTV cameras and ensuring all areas are well lit will deter people from even attempting arson, as the risk of getting caught is too great. Introducing fire prevention practices should be of the utmost priority to employers. Fire kills and can completely destroy a business. By following these small steps, you can greatly minimise the risk and prevent a tragedy happening.
For more information related to fire safety, read our other blog posts; ‘Fire Exit Route: Your Guide To Getting Out Safely’ and ‘Essential Fire Door Hardware’
