What do fire dampers do?
Fire dampers are a special type of safety device that are found in ducts. They are designed to close automatically if it detects heat, this prevents flames from travelling easily through the ducting and spreading throughout the building. Preventing air flow and blocking the fires pathway will help deter it and prevent further ignition. Due to fire dampers playing a vital role in keeping employees safe, it is so important to make sure they perform correctly. This is why compliance guidelines state that fire dampers are to be tested annually.
What is a fire damper drop test?
A fire damper test consists of a visual inspection of the fire damper, and a drop test of the fire damper.
For the visual inspection, a trained operative will check that the fire damper is installed correctly, they will also look for signs of wear and tear including if there are signs of any blockages that would prevent the damper from closing in the event of a fire.
Majority of fire dampers are held open by a fusible link which then drops the fire damper shutter when it reaches a certain temperate. We check the link is functioning appropriately by using the manual release, the fire damper should then close fully. After the link has been tested the operative will then reset it correctly so it is ready to drop in the even of a real fire.
According to British Standard 9999:2017, all fire dampers need to be tested after installation by a competent person and then annually moving forward. Dampers in hospitals and high-risk facilities, particularly spring operated fire dampers should be tested more frequently.
For further information on our fire damper drop testing services, please contact us on 02036408247 or email us at info@24sevengroup.co.uk