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M&E Services Access

Access Panels and Riser Doors for Building Services Engineers.

Fire rated access panels, riser doors, and loft hatches designed around your services coordination, with the technical support and lead times your programme demands.

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Building services engineers require access panels, riser doors, and loft hatches that provide safe, permanent access to concealed mechanical and electrical services, including HVAC systems, pipework, electrical distribution, data cabling, and plumbing. Every access point within a fire rated wall, floor, or ceiling must maintain compartmentation integrity to while also meeting acoustic separation requirements under Approved Document E and airtightness standards under Approved Document L. The specification must coordinate with the M&E layout, structural openings, and the drylining programme to avoid costly clashes and delays on site. We support building services engineers across commercialhealthcare and transport infrastructure projects, see our sector pages for compliance detail.

How We Help

What We Provide for Building Services Projects

Access solutions designed around M&E coordination, with the technical support and lead times your programme demands.

Services Riser Access

Riser doors from 300×300mm up to 2400×1000mm per leaf in single, double, and multi leaf configurations. Metal faced and plasterboard faced options. Fire rated up to 120 minutes with full bi directional test evidence.

Ceiling and Wall Access

Access panels for ceiling voids and wall cavities, providing maintenance access to valves, dampers, junction boxes, and equipment. Non fire rated, fire rated (30, 60, 90, 120 min), smoke tested, and acoustic rated options.

Acoustic and Airtight Performance

Acoustic rated access panels and riser doors achieving up to 48dB sound reduction, tested to BS EN ISO 10140-2:2010. Airtight options tested to BS EN 1026:2016 for buildings targeting enhanced air permeability under Approved Document L.

Bespoke Sizing and Configuration

When standard sizes do not align with your services coordination, we manufacture to your exact dimensions. No minimum order quantities. Design services available for non standard configurations and multi panel arrangements.

Technical Support and Specification Assistance

Our technical team helps you specify the right product for each location, matching fire rating, acoustic performance, size, and access frequency to your M&E layout. NBS specification clauses, technical data sheets, and installation guidance included.

Fast Lead Times

Standard and bespoke products manufactured at our UK facility and dispatched within 3 to 5 working days. We coordinate delivery schedules with your site requirements for time critical M&E programmes.

Product Range

Products for Building Services Applications

Access solutions for every M&E application, from ceiling voids and wall cavities to services risers and roof voids.

Fire rated access panel by Rapid Access

Access Panels

Metal, tile and plasterboard face options. Fire rated up to 120 minutes, acoustic rated up to 48dB.

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Steel riser door by Rapid Access

Riser Doors

Full height steel riser doors for service risers and shafts. Fire rated up to 120 minutes, acoustic rated up to 40dB Rw on R51.

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Fire rated meter overbox by Rapid Access

Meter Overboxes

Gas and electric meter overboxes with tamper proof locking. Fire rated to 120 minutes for compliant access.

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Insulated loft hatch by Rapid Access

Loft Hatches

Insulated, airtight loft hatches. Fire rated up to 120 minutes with drop down and side hinged options.

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Not Sure Where to Start?

Tell us your role and project requirements. We'll connect you to the right team and provide the technical support, products and documentation you need.

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Sectors We Work In

Healthcare Education Commercial Residential Retail Hotels & Leisure Transport

Made in Britain

Formed, Welded, Coated & Tested
Under One Roof

Every access panel, riser door, loft hatch and meter overbox is manufactured at our own facility in Nuneaton — no outsourcing, no middlemen, full control over quality and lead time.

Operator running an Amada press brake to form steel access panel components
01CNC press-braked steel
MIG welding a door frame on the fabrication bench
02MIG-welded frames
Products on the overhead conveyor of the in-house powder coating line
03In-house powder coating
Finished access panels on the packing conveyor before despatch
04Checked before despatch
See inside the factory
See Us in Action

Inside Our UK Factory

Step inside our Nuneaton facility and see how every riser door, access panel and meter overbox you specify for M&E risers, plant rooms and service voids is built, tested and quality-checked under one roof.

Common Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

Answers to common questions building services engineers ask about access panels and riser doors.

The fire rating of any access panel or riser door must match the fire resistance period of the wall or floor it is installed in. In a typical residential building with 60 minute compartment walls, you need a minimum 60 minute fire rated riser door. For buildings over 30 metres, Approved Document B may require 90 minute fire resistance. Always refer to the project fire strategy and confirm requirements with the fire engineer. Rapid Access riser doors are independently fire tested for 60, 90 and 120 minutes (with our R51 range tested from both sides up to 240 minutes under BS476, valid to 2029).
Yes. Our access panels and riser doors are designed for installation during the drylining phase, after M&E first fix is complete. The frame is fixed into the structural opening and the panel fitted once the surrounding wall finish is applied. For retrofit situations or late additions, our picture frame profile is designed for installation into finished walls without disturbing the surrounding surface.
The access panel must be large enough to allow inspection, maintenance, and removal of the component behind it. As a general guide, allow a minimum 150mm clearance around the component on all sides. For fire dampers, check the manufacturer's maintenance access requirements, most require a minimum 600 x 600mm opening. Our technical team can help you determine the correct size based on your services layout.
Yes. Our acoustic rated access panels achieve up to 48dB sound reduction, tested to BS EN ISO 10140-2:2010. These are commonly specified in residential developments where Approved Document E requires acoustic separation between dwellings. We offer acoustic upgrades on both access panels and riser doors to meet your project's specific dB requirements.
We recommend finalising access panel locations during the detailed design stage, coordinating with the M&E layout drawings. Provide the drylining contractor with a schedule of access panel sizes, locations, and fire ratings before they begin. Our technical team can review your services coordination drawings and produce a door schedule to simplify procurement and installation.
Yes. We manufacture to your exact dimensions with no minimum order quantities. Bespoke panels are typically delivered within 3 to 5 working days. This is particularly useful when structural openings do not align with standard catalogue sizes, or when multi panel configurations are required for large riser openings.
Building Control will typically require fire test reports and confirmation that the installed product matches the tested configuration. We provide all test evidence as downloadable documents, and our technical team can prepare compliance packs for specific projects on request.
Yes. All fire rated riser doors and access panels are supplied with factory fitted intumescent seals as part of the tested assembly. The seals expand in a fire to maintain the integrity of the compartment wall. It is essential that the complete assembly, frame, door, seals, and ironmongery, matches the tested configuration to maintain the fire rating.
Yes. For large projects with phased programmes, we agree the production schedule in advance and deliver on a call off basis to match your site requirements. Contact our team to set up a project delivery plan.
A riser door is designed for regular pedestrian frequency access to services risers, typically larger openings with robust hinges, multi point locking, and higher durability for repeated use. An access panel provides occasional maintenance access to concealed services through walls and ceilings, typically smaller openings with lighter duty hardware. Both are available in fire rated, acoustic rated, and smoke tested configurations.
Accredited & Tested

Quality You Can Trust

Independently tested to the highest industry standards for fire safety, quality management, and construction.

UKAS Accredited
Management Systems 0015
ISO 9001
Quality Management
Integrated Management
ISO 9001 / 14001 / 45001
ISO 45001
Health & Safety
ISO 14001
Environmental Management
Constructionline Gold
Verified Contractor
RIBA CPD Provider
Approved Supplier
NBS Source
Listed Manufacturer
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Your Project?

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3-5 Day Lead Time
Up to 120 Min Fire Rated
Bespoke Sizes Available
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Need help specifying? Chat with Athena from our technical team.
ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management ISO 9001:2015, Quality Management
ISO 14001:2015 Environmental Management ISO 14001:2015, Environmental
ISO 45001:2018 Health & Safety ISO 45001:2018, Health & Safety
UKAS Accredited Management System UKAS Accredited
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