Fire Door Inspections

inspect and protect

Fire Door Inspections

A fire door inspection is a review of the building’s fire doors which determines if they are fit for purpose and compliant with fire safety standards. In the event of a fire, a building’s passive fire protection system plays a vital role in reducing the rate at which fire and smoke spreads throughout the building.

Fire doors are an essential part of a building’s fire protection, ensuring that the building is compartmentalised. Correct maintenance and regular inspections in any commercial building is necessary in reducing the risk of loss to life and property. An inspection will look at all elements of the doorset which, if not maintained, can significantly reduce the effectiveness of the system and its ability to stop the spread of fire.

This includes an inspection of the vision panels, glazing, cold smoke seals, intumescent seals, the fire resisting qualities of the doorset including its thickness and gaps between the leaf and door frame, the condition, fitting, and operation of the hinges and hardware, and checking for relevant markings, for example from the British Woodworking Federation to identify the fire rating of the door set.

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Professional Fire Door Inspection

As laid out in the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) 2005, a competent person should carry out an inspections on your fire doors. Fire door inspectors should be qualified to carry out the assessment of your doorsets competently.

A comprehensive visual inspection should be carried out for each fire doorset including a review of:

the hinges and all door hardware
the condition, fitting, and operation of the hinges and hardware
the signage
the operation of any hold open devices
the door closer and its ability to effectively close the doorsets
the relevant markings to identify the fire rating of the doorset
the locks and latches to ensure they are operational.
the vision panels, glazing, and a review of their suitability
the cold smoke seals.
the intumescent seals
the gaps between the leaf and frame
the door frame.
the door leaf.
the materials used in the installation of the doorset and their suitability.

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Checks of fire doors in buildings below 11 meters

The new fire door regulations do not replace the existing duty for a responsible person to put in place general fire precautions in any premises covered by the Fire Safety Order, regardless of the building’s height.

The Fire Safety Act 2021 has clarified that in any residential building which contains two or more sets of domestic premises are within the scope of the Fire Safety Order. Responsible persons for residential buildings below 11 metres in height have a duty to put in place general fire precautions in these buildings, this duty includes making sure that all fire doors – including flat entrance doors – are capable of providing adequate protection.

Responsible persons will also be required to provide residents in all residential buildings with two or more sets of domestic premises with information on fire doors.

Checks of fire doors in buildings above 11 meters

The Fire Safety (England) Regulations of May 2022 will make it a legal requirement from 23 January 2023 for responsible persons for all multi-occupied residential buildings in England with storeys over 11 metres in height to undertake quarterly checks of all fire doors (including self-closing devices) in the common parts. Also to undertake – on a best endeavour basis – annual checks of all flat entrance doors (including self-closing devices) that lead onto a building’s common parts. The regulations will also require responsible persons to provide to residents of all multi-occupied residential buildings with two or more sets of domestic premises (with common parts) information showing the importance of fire doors to a building’s fire safety.