Because of their importance in protecting lives, it is imperative that fire doors receive regular inspections. Frequency is likely to depend on many factors, including the age and condition of the door and its frequency of use. A fire door protecting a staircase will be used far more frequently than one fitted to a boiler room for example. Fire doors should always be fitted correctly by a competent installer as they are carefully engineered fire safety devices. Similarly, they should be inspected and maintained by competent persons.
Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (FSO) (and similar legislation in Scotland and Northern Ireland), building owners, operators, and occupiers – including landlords in residential premises – have a responsibility to ensure their properties and tenants are safe. This includes ensuring that fire doors are fit for purpose and properly maintained. The Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022, which came into force on 23rd January 2023, has made it a legal requirement for responsible persons for all multi-occupied residential buildings in England with storeys over 11 metres in height to undertake quarterly checks on all fire doors within the premises and annual inspections on flat entrance doors.
Those with ultimate responsibility for a premises (Responsible Person) have a legal responsibility under these legislations and can be prosecuted if they do not fulfil their duties.
A 5-step check for fire doors
1.Check it for certification – For modern doors there should be a label on top (or sometimes on the side of the door) or a coloured plug to show it is a certified fire door. However, older doors may not carry such markings or labels. Their design and construction will differ from a more modern doorset (for example, they may not have any intumescent or smoke seals but be provided with a 25mm doorstop). Where a vision panel or other glazing is installed in the leaf or as part of the surround, it should be fire resisting and properly fitted. Many fire doors are fitted with wired glass but where clear panels are installed, they should be checked for an appropriate etched mark (usually in one corner) which confirms it is of a fire resisting type.
2.Measure the gaps – The gaps around a fire door or frame should be consistently less than 4mm. You can use a £1 coin to test this which is around 3mm. In circumstances where the gaps are excessive or uneven, adjustment of the frame or leaf may rectify this, otherwise replacement may be the only alternative. The leaf and frame should also be checked to ensure that it is not bowed or warped. Warped, bowed, or cupped doors are problematic to repair and commonly require replacement.
3.Assess the seals – The intumescent and smoke seals (often combined) around a more modern fire door are paramount to ensuring its performance in fire as if there aren't any or if they are damaged, the door performance under fire conditions could be compromised so it is vital to report any damaged or missing seals.
4.Does it fully close? – Open the door and let it close on its own. If it does not close all the way by itself then it is not likely to work effectively in the event of a real fire. If the door is retained in an open position by a hold open device (such as an electro-magnetic hold open device) it should similarly be checked during the weekly fire test (fire alarm test) to ensure the doors release and close fully into their frames when the alarm is sounded. The fit of the door, hinges, and self-closing device or latch may all impact the door closing effectively.
5.Check the hinges – If the hinges are not firmly fixed, have missing/broken screws, or are dirty or leaking, the integrity of the door could be compromised under fire conditions and will require maintenance. Valuable time can be saved with properly maintained hinges.
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