EMPTY buildings are a fire risk, warns an Oxford construction company.

Ingleton Wood is raising awareness as part of Fire Door Safety Week, which ends on Sunday.

The company is urging business and property owners in Oxford to review their fire safety measures.

See also: Oxford Brookes students caught partying in South Park every night this week

Scott Barlow, director of building surveying at Ingleton Wood, said: “If your property has been left vacant during the pandemic, either because the business has unfortunately been a victim of the economic downturn or staff are now working from home, fire safety remains your legal responsibility and having the correct measures in place will help to reduce potential damage caused by fire.

“We see many examples of poorly installed fire doors. The measurements only need to be a few millimetres out to make the door ineffective and negate the presence of an intumescent strip.

“Fire doors should be inspected on a regular basis for damage, even when the property is vacant. This is particularly relevant where doors are subject to a lot of wear and tear.

“It is also important to note that any additional fixings to a door, such as door bells, letter boxes or digital locks will mean the fire door no longer performs as intended.”

Oxford Mail:

The Fire Door Safety Week campaign highlights a five-step fire door check which can be done internally to ensure the doors are kept up to standard.

The steps include:

  • Checking door labels for certification marks
  • Ensuring gaps around the edge of the door are no larger than four millimetres when the door is closed
  • Checking seals are intact with no sign of damage
  • Checking all hinges are firmly fixed with no missing or broken screws
  • Ensuring that the door closes firmly

Mr Barlow added: “Fire doors are an integral part of a property’s fire risk protection and general safety, and are often neglected during their service life.

“It is important, now more than ever, to ensure that the correct installation and maintenance is carried out to properly guarantee their performance.”