Fire protection closures is a structural or technical element that serves to prevent the spread of fire and smoke between fire compartments. Most often, these are doors, flaps, windows, or hatches that have fire resistance and, in the event of a fire, close automatically or manually, thereby preventing the spread of fire in a given space.
Types of Fire Closures:
Door:
Door assembly with a movable structure closing a permanent opening in a fire partition. There are single-leaf and double-leaf doors. When closed, they prevent the spread of heat and smoke into adjacent rooms (fire compartments).
Designation: FIRE DOOR
Window
Assembly with a movable structure made of transparent material enclosing a partition structure. When closed, it prevents the spread of heat and smoke into adjacent areas (fire compartments).
Designation: FIRE WINDOW
Fire damper
A device in a ventilation duct that automatically closes in the event of a fire to prevent the spread of fire, heat, and smoke through the walls or ceilings through which the duct passes – depending on the type, it can protect against flames, heat, smoke, or all of these at once.
Designation: FIRE DUMPER or pictogram
Fire protection grille
A fire-resistant element that is installed in walls, doors, or ventilation openings to prevent the spread of fire and smoke between fire compartments.
Designation: FIRE SHUTTER
Other
Other types of fire barriers, such as elevator shaft doors, conveyor barriers, fire partition structures.
Designation: FIRE SHUTTER
Labeling of Fire Closures:
A fire closures must be marked with a conformity label and accompanied by the following information:
- Serial number
- Year of manufacture
- Name of the manufacturer
These details must be difficult to remove, easily accessible, legible to the naked eye even after the installation of the fire barriers.
Fire resistance
The fire resistance of a fire closure is its ability to meet the required properties for a specified period of time, which are:
integrity E, insulation I or radiation W.
Inspection and installation of fire closures (doors, dampers, or windows) are an integral part of preparing and maintaining fire safety in buildings.
Inspection of Fire Closures:
Visual inspection:
- equipment of fire barriers, including their integrity
- completeness of installation location markings
- compliance of the type of barrier installed with the design in the fire safety documentation (PBS)
- smooth operation of the movable structure when closing/opening
- coordinated movement and correct order of closing of the wings
- functionality of the safety mechanism
- integrity of the fire tape on the inner perimeter of the door to prevent smoke penetration
Fire closures are inspected by a fire protection technician.
Preventive Maintenance of Fire Closures
- checking the fastening of all metal parts
- verifying the correct closing function
- cleaning and lubricating the moving parts of the closure
Fire Closures Inspection
- checking the fastening of all metal parts
- verifying the correct closing function
- cleaning and lubricating the moving parts of the closure
These activities may only be performed by trained and authorized personnel from the manufacturer of the fire closures.
Preventive maintenance and inspections are specified in the operating instructions. Unless otherwise specified, they must be performed at least once every 12 months.
Repair of Fire Closures
After detecting defects, it is necessary to ensure repair to maintain the functionality and operability of the closure.
The price is determined by:
- the extent of the detected defects
- the necessary spare parts
- the technician’s intervention
The repair is carried out only after the price offer has been agreed with the customer.
The accompanying documentation for fire closures must include:
- Certificate or declaration of conformity – issued by the manufacturer of fire closures
- Installation and commissioning instructions – with recommendations for use, warning labels and maintenance instructions
- Operating log – in written form with regular records of inspections, preventive maintenance and repairs. The current status (operational/non-operational) is recorded.
Fire closures are structural or technical elements (e.g., doors, flaps, windows, grilles) that serve to prevent the spread of fire, smoke, and heat between fire compartments in a building. When closed, they ensure the fire resistance of separating structures, thereby protecting people’s health, property, and load-bearing parts of the structure. They can be manually or automatically operated and are an essential component of a building’s fire protection.
Fire closures must be installed based on the fire safety design documentation and must be performed by a professionally trained company licensed in fire protection. Doors, flaps, or windows must be installed exactly according to the manufacturer’s assembly instructions to maintain their declared fire resistance. Installation includes labeling the closure with a conformity mark and preparing supporting documentation. The entire process must comply with relevant standards and regulations (e.g., STN EN 16034, STN 73 0834, Decree No. 121/2002 Coll.).
The inspection of fire closures (e.g. doors, dampers, windows) consists of a visual check and a functional test, which verify their technical condition and operational reliability. The inspection primarily assesses the condition of the structure, correct installation, and functionality of moving parts (closing mechanism, hardware, self-closer), as well as the integrity of seals and continuity of the fire-resistant strip. The legibility of the manufacturer’s marking and conformity number is also checked.
It is recommended to inspect fire closures at least once per year, unless the manufacturer, fire safety documentation, or legal regulations specify shorter intervals.
More frequent inspections are appropriate in high-traffic areas, where there’s higher risk of damage or changes in building usage.
Inspection intervals should be part of the fire safety inspection plan.
This obligation is based on:
Act No. 314/2001 Coll. on Fire Protection
Decree No. 121/2002 Coll., which mandates functionality of fire safety components throughout their lifespan.
Only a qualified professional in fire protection may perform inspection and maintenance — for example, a fire protection technician or a certified company representative.
All inspections and findings must be recorded in an inspection log or report, which is part of the building’s fire safety documentation.
