Fire Shutters

Fire shutters are similar to the metal roller shutters that you often see forming security barriers in front of doors and windows. However, fire shutters are made from thicker laths of galvanised steel, designed to withstand the heat of flames and smoke for much longer than a standard shutter door.

These shutters are typically used as part of a larger fire prevention system, including smoke detectors, sprinklers, and fire extinguishers throughout the building.

The fire shutters will be installed over an opening that could give fires an opportunity to spread, instead rolling down and cutting off the passage to hold back the flames and smoke. This should form a fire-resistant barrier, limiting the damage to one area.

Fire-resistant shutters are typically fitted over openings in areas that have a higher risk of fire, such as storage areas, kitchens, and laboratories. Preventing fires from jumping from one area to another is especially important in large buildings or clusters of smaller buildings that are close together.

Though fire shutters will only restrict a fire for a limited time, they are designed to do so for long enough that the building can be evacuated and firefighters can arrive on the scene to extinguish the flames. This can undoubtedly save lives and reduce property damage.

Most shutters of this type have a fire rating proving that they have been tested to British Standards and will maintain their heat integrity for a minimum of 30 minutes. Some can be designed to withstand fire for an hour or more, while others may also be rated for smoke resistance.

A shutter holding back a fire for a minimum of 30–60 minutes can make all the difference in successfully evacuating the building and reducing property damage.

Fire shutters are fire-resistant roller doors. Just like the roller shutters you’ll see on the outside of shops or garages, they’re made from metal and roll up above an opening when not in use. The difference is that fire shutters only drop closed if there’s a fire, to try to stop it from spreading.

Depending on the type of shutter and operating system you choose, and how it connects to your existing fire detection system, you can programme fire shutters to close automatically with specific triggers. For example, if the fire alarm goes off, the shutter can drop closed immediately.

Or, to allow people to use it as an escape route for as long as possible, the door can be programmed to stay half-open until a sensor detects heat nearby, at which point it will drop fully closed and seal the gap before the fire reaches it. This barrier can help to save lives and business assets.

These toughened roller shutters act as a fire break between compartments of a building to limit the damage to a smaller area. They work as part of a well-designed fire safety strategy, combined with measures like smoke detectors, alarms, fire extinguishers, and building evacuation plans.

Fire shutters can be designed to withstand heat and smoke for up to several hours, or a minimum of 30 minutes according to British and European standards. In many cases, this will be enough time for emergency services to arrive at the scene and get the fire under control.

If you regularly handle or store flammable materials, there’ll be a higher risk of fire. This is where fire prevention measures are essential, especially in large buildings or clusters of buildings where flames can easily jump from one section to another and continue spreading.

Here are some examples of places throughout the industrial, commercial, and public sectors that use fire shutters as part of their safeguarding and security measures:

• Warehouses and factories
• Power plants and chemical plants
• Shopping centres and retail stores
• Schools, colleges, and university buildings
• Canteens, cafeterias, and restaurants
• Hospitals and scientific laboratories

Any access point between two parts of a building, including between the inside and outdoors, can be fitted with a fire shutter. They’re usually found above internal and external doorways and windows, and particularly at the entrance/exit points of kitchens, storerooms, and loading bays.

When installed as part of a wider system of fire safety measures like fire alarms, smoke detectors, and sprinklers, fire shutters are very effective at limiting the damage that flames and smoke can do when left to run rampant through high-risk spaces.

If the shutter is fitted over a doorway or other ‘means of escape’, it must be the type with an anti-drop brake that stays open until triggered by a sensor detecting an excessive temperature level. This is to prevent injuries from the shutter closing while people are trying to get out.

Of course, a fire shutter is only as strong a fire barrier as the surroundings it’s fitted to. Fire shutters can only be fitted to masonry or structural steel that has the same minimum level of fire resistance as the shutters, preventing the fire from spreading around it if the fittings are weak.

Fires in any home or business can be catastrophic, especially if the flames and smoke are able to spread throughout the building easily. One way to prevent fire from spreading between sections of a building, or between buildings that are close to each other, is to install fire shutters in key places.

Measures like this can create a fire-resistant barrier that keeps it at bay for as long as possible. Every minute is precious during an evacuation and while waiting for firefighters to arrive, so a fire shutter could be invaluable in saving lives and preserving at least part of the building and its contents.

All public, commercial, and industrial buildings should have measures in place to comply with health and safety laws for fire prevention. Fires can start unexpectedly and spread quickly, especially if there are no measures to contain the fire or get people out of the area safely.

Without fire shutters to cut off the spread of fire, you could be facing massive financial losses, even with insurance.

Figures from the Home Office reveal that of the 147,295 fires that happened in England in 2020–2021, 8,155 fires occurred in non-domestic properties – causing damage to 1000m² or more of the building in 20% of these cases.

Retail and industrial premises were also revealed to have been the locations of the most fires aside from non-residential private and public buildings, and fires caused the most damage to agricultural and industrial premises specifically.

From shops to warehouses to factories, fires can get out of control fast if there are large spaces full of flammable materials for them to spread through. Not only does this put lives at risk, but it can also cause thousands to hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of property damage.

This is why it’s so important to take fire safety measures seriously – and why equipment like fire shutters can be invaluable in helping to keep fires at bay.

In all non-domestic and commercial properties, including blocks of flats and multi-apartment houses, fire doors are a legal requirement. When it comes to fire shutters, which cover larger openings than standard door sizes, these aren’t always mandatory – it depends on the property, how it’s used, and the layout of the space.

You’ll need to carry out a full risk assessment of your premises to identify fire risks and take steps to counter them, with regular Building Control safety inspections to make sure you’re maintaining legal compliance. Your local Building Control Officer might find your use of fire doors and other measures to be adequate without shutters.

When it comes to Building Regulations for fire shutters, you’ll find ‘rolling shutters in compartment walls’ under Approved Document B (Volume 2: Buildings other than dwellings). These shutters are classed as fire doorsets, and must be tested and certified to the standards set by:

• BS EN 1634 (-1 -2 -3) – ‘Fire resistance and smoke control tests for door and shutter assemblies’
• BS 476 (-31.1)– ‘Fire tests on building materials and structures’
• BS EN 13501 (-2)– ‘Fire classification of construction products and building elements’

This includes maintaining heat integrity for at least 30 minutes, with an equal smoke resistance period for most cases. In areas such as enclosed corridors and stairwells that aren’t part of a protected escape route, the fire rating can be as low as 20 minutes.

Further guidance on standards for metal doors can be found in the Code of Practice for Fire Resisting Metal Doorsets from the Door and Shutter Manufacturers’ Association (DSMA).

Fire shutters operate in much the same way as standard roller shutters, featuring a door panel made of metal laths that run through guide channels on either side of the opening, except they are kept out of sight most of the time. When not in use, fire shutters are rolled up around a barrel to be stored in a metal headbox above the opening.

Typically, these shutters are kept open and only closed when activated by the building’s fire alarm system they’re connected to.

The closed fire shutter will seal off the passageway and prevent the spread of flames and smoke for up to half an hour or more, depending on the particular product’s fire rating. This stops the fire from causing more damage, at least temporarily, and can reduce the risk of serious injuries or fatalities.

There are different fire shutter operating systems to choose from, as they can be connected to the main control panel and programmed to either close fully or partially upon receiving certain signals. For example, the shutter could be triggered to drop halfway down by the initial fire alarm, still providing an escape route until a secondary heat or smoke sensor triggers the door to drop the rest of the way when a certain temperature is reached.

All fire shutters must also have fail-safes that allow them to operate even in a power failure or complete blackout. This could be a back-up battery, a manual hand crank, or an automatic release on loss of power that allows the shutter to descend under gravity.

If the shutter is also used as a temporary escape route or fitted over a doorway that could be a means of escape, it must have an anti-drop brake that keeps the shutter at least partially raised until triggered by a heat sensor, preventing it from closing while people may still be trying to evacuate.

It’s easy enough to do a quick search for fire shutters and click on the first links that come up, but that doesn’t mean they’re trusted providers with the necessary experience to supply a high-quality product that complies with the relevant laws.

It’s best to look for a reliable supplier of all kinds of roller shutters, who’s been in the industry for long enough to know exactly what they’re doing and build a reputation for excellent service. For example, if your building is in the Bolton area, you could come to Roller Shutter Services for roller shutters in Bolton – including fire shutters and fire curtains.

The best part about ordering your fire shutters from an established supplier is that it’s also possible to set up ongoing fire shutter maintenance services, helping you to stay on top of the legal requirements for fire shutter testing and upkeep.

At Roller Shutter Services, our electric fire shutters are made from 75mm thick galvanised steel panels and fitted with an interface panel and back-up battery. These fire-rated shutters have been tested to BS 476-22:1987 and BS EN 1634-1:2008 standards and are designed to last 1 hour (60 minutes) in the event of a fire.

We also offer ongoing maintenance services and emergency repairs as needed.