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City of London protects Mansion House with Dorgard

City of London protects Mansion House with Dorgard

31 Mar 2017

The Mansion House is a listed building, and the home and office of the Lord Mayor of London. Staff were struggling with fire doors during events. Dorgard units were fitted to the doors and now staff can keep doors open, and catering staff can move around easily with trays and food.

The City of London Corporation looks after the fire safety of 900 properties including the Mansion House, the home and office of the Lord Mayor of London. Built in 1739, this spectacular listed building hosts a variety of events including banquets and conferences. The Mansion has a warm and inviting feel, with unique large gold leaf doors which lead into the dining room. It's estimated that 50,000 people visit the Mansion House every year.

Terence Short is Fire Safety Advisor for the City of London Corporation. His role is to maintain safety for the Corporation’s clients at all times and reduce the risk of fire. Terence found that the current fire precautions at the Mansion House, while effective in keeping the fire doors closed, weren’t practical for accessibility.

Terence said: “We needed the fire doors closed so they would compartmentalise in case of a fire. However, there is a lot of staff at the Mansion House, with catering staff often setting up the dining and banquet rooms. We installed spring closers, but we found that they weren’t practical. The staff were propping the doors open as they were heavy and inconvenient.”

A solution was required to make accessibility easier for staff, but not affect the Mansion’s elegant decor. “The property is protected by laws and regulations and the doors are much higher than standard sized doors. We were stuck for a solution for this, so we asked Fireco.”

The Mansion House holds 600 events a year, so the need for access and safety is vital. Terence found Dorgard to be the solution he was looking for.

Dorgard is a fire door retainer, which holds fire doors open, and releases doors to close when an alarm sounds. The Dorgard units stabilise the size and weight of the doors, so they are safe, and easy to keep open.

A ‘win-win situation'

Complies with regulations
Easy access for staff and guests
Fits in with the unique decor
Holds the weight of the large and heavy doors with ease.

Terence commented on the significant reduction of risk to the premises: “We can control the building a lot more effectively. There is easy access for staff as they can carry out their duties without the need to prop open doors, and the property is fully compliant as Dorgard reduces the risk of fire spreading through the building. It’s a win-win situation.”

“Fireco’s technical department was fantastic. They advised on every detail, even up to the floor plates so the door doesn’t slip. It’s a very easy device to install and maintain, and the doors close every time we test the alarms. Fireco provides a great service.”