Field Labeling Verifies the Door Will Perform As Specified in a Fire

BUYER BEWARE! We recently found this example of incorrect field labeling as shown in the photos. In the second photo you can see that the accredited company added their own label specifying the rating of the door right below the original label. The original label is still clearly visible and says that the door has a 3/4 hour or 45 minute rating.  See the issue with the incorrect field label? The accredited company labeled the door as having a 90 minute rating even though the original label is marked as a 45 minute door.  The original label is by UL. UL is one of the 19 Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratories. A testing laboratory is a company that actually performs the fire tests and they are the experts on fire rated manufacturing. Follow this link for a complete list of NRTLs. The accredited company has created its own label which is not backed by a testing laboratory.

The correct process for field labeling a door includes:

• Before field labeling the door, frame or hardware the original specifications must be verified & documented.
• A fire door can’t be rated higher than the wall rating.
• The door, hardware and frame are installed per NFPA 80.

AEGIS partners with a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory for our recertification services. And our technicians are certified FDAI (Fire Door Assembly Inspector) to repair and relabel the fire door components.

Code References:

NFPA 80 v2010 3.2.3 Labeled. Equipment or materials to which has been attached a label, symbol or other identifying mark of an organization that is acceptable to the authority having jurisdiction and concerned with product evaluation, that maintains periodic inspection of production of labeled equipment or materials, and by whose labeling the manufacturer indicates compliance with appropriate standards or performance in a specified manner.

NFPA 80 v2010 3.2.4* Listed. Equipment, materials or services included in a list published by an organization that is acceptable to the authority having jurisdiction and concerned with evaluation of products or services that maintains periodic inspection of production of listed equipment or materials or periodic evaluation of services and whose listing states that either the equipment, material, or service meets appropriate designated standards or has been tested and found suitable for a specified purpose.

A.3.2.4 Listed. The means for identifying listed equipment may vary for each organization concerned with the product evaluation; some organizations do not recognize equipment as listed unless it is also labeled. The authority having jurisdiction should utilize the system employed by the listing organization to identify a listed product.

4.2.1* Listed items shall be identified by a label.

A.4.2.1 Labels can be permitted to be of metal, paper, or plastics or can be permitted to be stamped or diecast into the item. Labels should not be removed, defaced, or made illegible while the door is in service. If the label on an existing fire door has been removed or is no longer legible, it is acceptable to verify the rating of the fire door through other means acceptable to the authority having jurisdiction such as an inspection or certification service that provides acceptable documentation.

AEGIS isn’t selling a new sticker. We are verifying the door will perform as specified.

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– Mark Waller, FDAI | AEGIS Managing Director