To mark the start of Fire Door Safety Week 2025, Abloy UK has called for action to improve fire door compliance, following new statistics that show a concerning increase in fires and fire-related deaths and injuries across England.
The latest figures reveal that in the year ending March 2025, Fire and Rescue Services attended 142,494 fires, which is a 2.5% increase compared with the previous year (138,973). 271 fire-related fatalities were recorded, up from 251 in the previous year, highlighting an 8% increase[1].
Pat Jefferies, Commercial Director at Abloy UK, said: “This year’s Fire Door Safety Week comes at an important time with the rise in fire-related incidents. A compliant fire door can be the difference between safe escape and tragedy, but only if it’s installed and maintained to the correct standards.”
Doors must be installed, maintained and regularly checked to meet compliance standards as a faulty or non-compliant door can compromise safety, increasing the risks for building occupants in the event of a fire.
As part of Fire Door Safety Week 2025, the Abloy Academy is continuing to educate the industry through its free RIBA approved Electrical Locking Fire and Escape Doors CPD course. For over a decade, the Academy has provided training on how to specify and maintain compliant fire doors, particularly when integrating access control systems.
The CPD covers the fundamental requirements when incorporating access control systems in commercial buildings, including the electric locking options available, and how to design standard compliant access control systems.
It also explains how to ensure that electric locking specifications meet the requirements of both fire door and escape door legislation. This includes BS EN 179 Emergency Escape (for when the building occupants are aware of the building environment), BS EN 1125 Panic Escape (for environments used by the general public) and BS EN 13637 Electronically Controlled Escape Systems (for use on escape routes).
As well as providing free courses on fire door compliance, Abloy UK also offers a range of compliant security product packages that are specifically designed for panic and escape doors. Its range of electric locks includes motor and solenoid locks, which are the most effective forms of electric locking and adhere to the mandatory fire and escape standards.
Pat added: “By ensuring that individuals are educated about the role of fire doors and the standards they must meet, we can help to prevent avoidable failures. Awareness, correct specification, installation and regular maintenance all come together to keep escape routes protected and people safe in the event of a fire.”
To view the full range of training options available and book your place, go to www.abloy.co.uk/en/abloy/abloy-co-uk/academy/.
For further information on products and services available from Abloy visit www.abloy.co.uk, call 01902 364 500, or email info@abloy.co.uk.
[1] https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/fire-and-rescue-incident-statistics-year-ending-march-2025/fire-and-rescue-incident-statistics-year-ending-march-2025#:~:text=FRSs%20attended%20603%2C942%20incidents%20in,the%20previous%20year%20(138%2C973)
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