Subscribe now

Letter: Letter

Published 2 November 2002

From Dale Rossetti

The International Organization for Standardization’s test, which rates how long a fire door can endure as the temperature rises, is silly. There are two variables here: time and temperature. It would be better to rate the doors by the temperature at which they fail. Combining this with the experience of when that temperature is reached in a real fire would give a far more accurate estimate of the time people have to escape from a building.

Airdrie, Alberta, Canada

Issue no. 2367 published 2 November 2002

Sign up to our weekly newsletter

Receive a weekly dose of discovery in your inbox. We'll also keep you up to date with New Scientist events and special offers.

Sign up
Piano Exit Overlay Banner Mobile Piano Exit Overlay Banner Desktop