Doors designed to protect the occupants of a building from the threat of fire and smoke should be regularly inspected to ensure they are suitably equipped and performing correctly.
If you are responsible for fire safety in any building, it is important to make sure that all fire safety elements of the premises are in good condition and working effectively. Whether the building is an office, school, care home or any other property (other than a private house) you are legally obliged to take steps to reduce risk to life from a fire.
Getting this right can not only save lives, but also reduce the fire risk to the property. The basics include organising fire risk assessments and periodic fire door inspections. Where fire doors have been installed, these should be inspected and maintained so that they will perform as designed. As best practice these should be completed every six months.
The need for fire doors to be installed in buildings, and for them to be subject to inspection and maintenance is set out in legislation, and in guidance from the UK Government.
- Advice for Building Owners of Multi-storey, Multi-occupied Residential Buildings (MHCLG)
- Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005
- Fire Safety Bill 2019-2021