Electrical rooms that are located in covered or open malls and that open into exit passageways require a 1-hour
It depends on the building code, and how a building is designed. It may not require a rating, only a smoke rating, a 20 minute, 45 minute, etc., depending if the room is over 100 sf, if there is a sprinkler system, if the closet is rated, and what rating it is.
Fire doors must be used in walls which form the compartmentation of the premises – specific areas within the building that are constructed to be fire-resistant. These may be individual rooms, but could also contain multiple rooms or might be vertical risers and lift shafts.
If it is a new clean utility room, then it must be 1-hour fire-rated and be protected with sprinklers.
Doors leading from the property into the garage must be fire doors for safety reasons, protecting the entire property should a fire erupt in the garage. Other areas to consider installing fire doors are kitchens, downstairs landings/hallways and utility rooms.
First, the codes aim to provide life safety, ensuring occupants have a safe path of egress in the event of a fire. As such, fire-rated doors are commonly found at points of egress to create evacuation pathways through entrances, exits, lobbies and stairwells.
Rooms housing transfer switches, transformers, panelboards, and switchboards associated with an emergency system require a 2-hour fire rating unless the room is fully protected by an approved automatic fire protection system. NFPA 70-2023 (National Electrical Code) section 700.10(D)(3)
at least every five years. Any work on the electrical installation should be carried out only by a competent person. Rooms and cupboards containing electrical intake or electrical distribution equipment should have fire-resisting doors that are either kept locked or are self-closing.
Fire doors are an essential element of any building's fire safety strategy. They are specifically designed to prevent the spread of smoke and fire, providing people with enough time to meet the fire strategy for the building. Fire doors can also help to protect property and prevent the loss of important assets.
In all cases, the work space shall be adequate to permit at least a 90-degree opening of doors or hinged panels. Entrance and access to work space. At least one entrance not less than 610 mm (24 in.) wide and 1.98 m (6.5 ft) high shall be provided to give access to the working space about electric equipment.
Enforced in all 50 states, NFPA 70, National Electrical Code (NEC) is the benchmark for safe electrical design, installation, and inspection to protect people and property from electrical hazards.
Rooms containing electrical equipment shall be provided with a second exit or exit access doorways as required by NFPA 70 Article 110 where all of the following apply: The electrical equipment is rated at 1,200 amperes or more. The electrical equipment is over 6 feet (1829 mm) wide.
Fire doors are therefore normally required in all doorways leading to escape routes. They are also usually required for rooms that have a higher risk of a fire starting (for example, IT server rooms, boiler rooms or rooms containing flammable liquids). You should refer to your risk assessment for further guidance.
The door must be at least 24 inches wide and 78 inches high, and must be outswinging and equipped with panic bars, pressure plates, or other devices that are normally latched but open under simple pressure. Refer to the NEC for an exception that would allow one door instead of two if certain criteria are met.
Understanding the basics of fire-rated door labels
These labels might be painted over, so be sure to check for any raised surfaces. If these labels are not found, the door is most likely not fire rated (but always reach out to an AHJ for clarification). If a credible label is there, then it is a fire-rated door.
Electrical rooms in and of themselves do not require fire ratings because they are labeled “electrical room” but may need to have rated partitions depending on the type of equipment contained therein or the ratings of the adjacent spaces.
Fire resisting door to exit openings of apartment/maisonette units, protected staircases, protected lobbies, exit passageway, compartment walls etc. shall have minimum half hour fire resistance. Doors to exit facilities shall not be fitted with any locking device.
It may not always be necessary to provide fire doors on cupboards if they are small and the fire risk is low. An alternative to providing a fire door on a bathroom is to include the bathroom within the stair enclosure, thus removing the need for a fire door.
NFPA 13 Guidance
The area is solely for electrical equipment. Only dry-tape or liquid-type fluid electrical equipment with stated K-class is used. The equipment is housed in a 2-hour fire-rated container with penetration protection. The room does not allow storage.
In wood-construction, most interior walls are bearing therefore require the 1 HR rating, however, walls within dwelling units are not classified as fire partitions, fire barriers, etc unless they are part of a corridor, dwelling unit separation, etc.
The switch room must have a fire rating of at least two hours. Where penetrations are made in the switch room walls, floors or ceiling, suitable permanent sealing methods must be used to maintain the fire rating (i.e. fire/smoke dampers, gland plates, sealants).
Fire doors are designed to stop the spread of both: flames and smoke. Fire-rated doors help slow or prevent the spread of both fire and smoke, but they are not designed to be completely fireproof. These doors will eventually burn through in a fire.
If you manage a property, it's important to get the right sprinkler system in place, though you will also need to consider fire alarms, fire doors and signage. There are also special sprinkler systems available for vulnerable or older people - find out more on the sprinklers for carers and social workers page.
Fire-rated interior doors are installed throughout buildings as an extra barrier to protect property and any employees, customers, or visitors who are in a building should a fire occur. Some fire doors are required by law, while others are recommended for extra protection.