Ensuring Fire Safety in Manchester’s High-Rise Homes
Client: Guide Fire Safety
Project: Ensuring Fire Safety in Manchester's High-Rise Homes
Department: Fire Solutions (Property)
Date of completion: April 2025
Budget: £20,000
Summary:
ODS Fire Solutions was engaged by Guide Fire Safety to carry out essential fire door compliance works in Manchester, for a high-rise residential development built in 2020. The project involved inspecting, adjusting, and upgrading over 100 fire doors across seven blocks to meet current safety regulations, without requiring full door replacements. The work focused on adapting existing installations based on findings from a detailed fire door survey.
Requirements:
The project required ODS to ensure all existing fire doors within the seven-block complex were brought up to full compliance with current fire safety regulations. As the buildings exceed 11 metres in height, they are subject to mandatory fire door checks every six months. Rather than installing new doors, the focus was on upgrading and adjusting existing ones in accordance with findings from a detailed fire door survey. This included achieving precise gap tolerances—2–4mm at the top and sides, and no more than 10mm underneath—replacing intumescent strips and correcting or updating fire door signage. Efficiency was essential, with a goal of completing 25 doors per day over a two-week period.
Challenges:
Wide-ranging scope of door compliance tasks—from refitting to fire signage and gap adjustments—required a broad skillset and attention to detail.
Working in Manchester is well within ODS’s capability, with the team already having successfully delivered projects in Liverpool. This required an extensive supply chain and a flexible delivery model, both of which enable ODS to confidently provide services on a national scale.
Precision was critical in meeting fire compliance regulations, especially in achieving required clearances and ensuring correct passive fire protection.
Solutions:
To meet the demands of the project, ODS adopted a methodical and adaptive approach. The team made on-the-spot adjustments to doors based on survey findings, carefully fine-tuning gaps, refitting components, and addressing compliance issues without the need for full door replacements. Limited access to local resources in Manchester meant the team had to rely on creative problem-solving and efficient coordination with support services back in Oxford, including their joinery shop, which provided custom walnut elements for a polished finish. The use of Risk Base fire door survey System with QR code scanning allowed the team to streamline workflows, reduce administrative overhead, and stay aligned with compliance requirements in real time.
Results:
ODS successfully brought over 100 fire doors into full compliance across all seven residential blocks, completing the project within the planned two-week timeframe. Working at a consistent pace of 25 doors per day, the team delivered precise, regulation-compliant adjustments that significantly enhanced the fire safety of the buildings. All work was carried out in a live residential environment, which required careful planning and consideration to avoid disruption to residents. The team coordinated access sensitively, worked quietly and efficiently, and ensured common areas remained clean and safe throughout. ODS maintained high standards and adaptability, reinforcing their reputation as a reliable partner in fire safety compliance.
Feedback:
"We have been consistently impressed with ODS’s professionalism, responsiveness, and the high standard of work delivered across their recent engagements. It's clear that ODS takes pride in their work, and this is reflected in the quality of their service and their proactive approach to problem-solving. We look forward to working with them on future projects." Greg Folk, Head of Commercial at Guide Fire Safety
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