Fire Door Inspections

Fire safety is all about common sense. If you have a fire door that looks damaged or faulty, have it checked. It is advisable to ask a competent person to check your doors every six months to ensure they’re in good working order. Regular maintenance will keep everyone safe.

Who is responsible for fire door inspections?

The Responsible Person in a building is in charge of ensuring that fire doors are fit for purpose. In commercial properties, the Responsible Person may be the owner, landlord or occupier. In shared premises, there is likely to be more than one Responsible Person or a Management Agent. These people must work together to ensure they meet all relevant requirements of the Fire Safety Order.

If the Responsible Person is concerned that they don’t know enough to do the job properly, they can employ a fire safety expert to advise or carry out a fire risk assessment.

Unsuitable conditions –poor housekeeping

What needs to be checked?

There are a number of checks that need to be undertaken on your building’s fire doors to ensure they are safe. Our trained staff can thoroughly test your fire doors to give you peace of mind.

Certification

It must be a certified fire door. Check there’s a label or plug on the top or side of the door.

It fully closes

If the fire door is fitted with a self-closing device, open the door fully, let it go and allow it to close. Does it close into the frame without sticking on the floor or the frame, or jamming on the latch or seal and without slamming too hard?

Ensure the door leaf sits against the door stop and is free from distortion. If you have double doors, check they close in line if opened and released together.

Check your gaps

The gap between the door leaf and the door frame should be between 2mm and 4mm.

From door to floor the gap should be less than 10mm when the door is closed.

Door frame

Door frames must be firmly attached to the wall and free from damage.

Seals

Fire doors must be fitted with intumescent seals. Make sure these are in place, well attached inside the groove in the frame or door leaf, continuous around the frame and free from damage.

Hinges

Each fire door needs a minimum of three Fire Rated hinges, firmly fixed with all screws fitted. The screws should be the correct size and the hinges free from metal fragments and oil leakage. Make sure there are no broken screws.

Door Closer

Make sure this is correctly attached and free from damage and that it is adjusted correctly to close the door into the frame but without slamming too hard.

Hold open devices

If keeping your fire doors closed all the time is inconvenient, you can fit them with devices to hold them open legally and safely. These must release the doors to close when the fire alarm sounds.

If your doors are fitted with hold-open devices, these will need to be tested to prove they are in good working order.

Damage Free

Fire doors can have a bit of a hard life. They are constantly being opened and left to slam shut or pushed open with feet, trolleys, beds and other heavy items. This means they can become damaged, which could reduce their effectiveness.

Latch

If a latch is fitted, make sure that it holds the door in place without rattling and that the latch handle operates smoothly and is Fire Rated.

How often should we check our fire doors?

Every six months or even every three months in a busy building. If possible, employ a registered FDIS inspector to check your fire doors. These are people that have achieved a diploma in fire doors and have had their competence and knowledge independently assessed.