Key Takeaways from ASFP Task Group 10 (TG10) Meeting – May 2025

The Association for Specialist Fire Protection’s (ASFP) Task Group 10 (TG10) Fire doors, convened in  May for the fourth meeting, bringing together a diverse group of industry professionals to discuss ongoing initiatives, industry collaboration, regulatory developments, and future publications related to fire door systems.

This meeting showcased the sector’s ongoing evolution towards a culture of competence and collaboration, and clear communication across the sector with TG10 playing a pivotal role in shaping the future of fire door safety and best practice.

New Members and Continued Collaboration

The group welcomed new members to the group and acknowledged the importance of broadening industry representation. Ongoing calls were made for participants to nominate themselves or others for involvement in key projects such as the TG10 Colour Book editorial team and future podcasts.

Progress on Key Initiatives

• Colour Book Project: Significant progress has been made on Volume 1 of the TG10 Colour Book, which focuses on design, specification, and planning. The group agreed to restructure the book into multiple volumes for better alignment with competence frameworks and improved usability. A draft is expected by the end of July, with volunteers encouraged to assist in review and editing.
• Fire Door Myths and Podcasts: A curated list of common myths will be reviewed in future meetings. Attendees were also urged to contribute to the TG10 podcast series with guest suggestions and topics.
• Nominal/Notional Fire Doors: A draft advisory note is nearing completion. While TG10 does not endorse the use of these definitions, it acknowledges the need to highlight associated risks and controls due to widespread use in the field.

Fire Door Competence Frameworks: Shaping the Future

A central discussion led by Kate Milford focused on the evolving landscape of fire door competence. Triggered by post-Grenfell reform, the sector is moving from a tick-box compliance model to a responsibility-led approach emphasising both individual and organisational capability.

Key developments include:

• Recognition of the fragmented state of current competence frameworks.
• Introduction of legislative drivers via the Building Safety Act (BSA).
• Establishment of the Industry Competence Committee (ICC), the Industry Competence Steering Group (ICSG), and 15 sector-led groups including SLG12, chaired by ASFP’s David Marah, to consolidate fire protection knowledge across disciplines.

TG10 acknowledged a saturation of training around installation and inspection, and called for a shift in focus towards less developed areas such as procurement and product selection. The ASFP competence hub was highlighted as a critical resource in this evolution.

Training and Resource Development

The group continues to explore the current landscape of fire door training provision, focusing on core activities; Design, Specify, Procure, Sell, Install, Inspect, Maintain, Own/Occupy stages, to guide TG10’s contribution to future competence resources.

Members were encouraged to start mapping their existing internal competence evidence, and engage with the ASFP Competence Hub. ASFP Competency Pathway - Association for Specialist Fire Protection and provide feedback to shape future developments.

Regulatory Updates and the Construction Products Reform Green Paper

A discussion on the Construction Products Reform Green Paper covered major proposed changes including the introduction of a digital passport for products, stricter third-party certification (TPC) oversight, and potential divergence in regulation of internal versus external fire doors. The group stressed aligning TG10 resources, including the Colour Book, with these regulatory shifts.

The need for clear, interpretable test evidence while safeguarding proprietary data was also highlighted and noted by the group that regulatory attention is already increasing, with the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) activities related to the fire door and ironmongery sector.

Looking Ahead

The next TG10 meeting is scheduled for the first week of July 2025. In the meantime, members are encouraged to submit agenda items early and provide feedback on current initiatives. The ASFP also plans to explore the idea of a webinar series with the ASFP wider communications strategy team.

For more details or to get involved in TG10 activities, contact Adam Shipstone at adam.shipstone@asfp.org.uk