In a fire situation, a fire door will act as a barrier to save lives and will stop the progress of a fire in support of both escaping occupants and firefighting activities. Fire doors are often damaged and mis-used, and deal with regular wear and tear that can compromise their ability to act as a vital life safety passive fire protection measure. Issues can also arise in the fire door installation process which can compromise their performance too. Their importance for life safety cannot be understated, and for this reason, regular maintenance and inspections of fire doors is imperative.
Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (FSO), building owners, operators, and occupiers – including landlords in a residential premises – have a legal responsibility to ensure the safety of their tenants and properties. Included in this is ensuring that firefighting equipment and means of escape provisions are fit for purpose and are properly inspected and maintained (fire doors would be included as part of this inspection and maintenance). As stated in the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022, it is 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 in communal areas, and annual inspections on flat entrance doors. This advice and guidance article covers what a fire door inspection is, their importance, and how you can become a qualified and competent fire door inspector.
What is a fire door inspection?
In simple terms, a fire door inspection involves the checking of a building’s fire doors to ensure that they are fit for purpose and will perform as intended in a fire situation. A fire door inspection may be conducted in different ways dependent on factors such as the building type, the inspector themselves, and the types of fire doors installed, but there are many elements of fire door inspections that remain consistent.
At the Fire Protection Association, our non-destructive and non-intrusive fire door surveys comprise of:
- A comprehensive visual inspection of each fire resisting doorset including:
- The fire resisting qualities of the fire door hinges and all door hardware
- The condition, fitting, and operation of the hinges and hardware
- A review of the fire door signage
- A check of the condition and operation of any hold open devices
- A check of the fire door closing devices and their ability to effectively close the doorsets
- A check for the relevant markings, for example from the British Woodworking Federation (BWF) to identify the fire rating of the doorset
- An inspection of the locks and latches to ensure they are operational
- An inspection of any vision panels, glazing, and review of their suitability
- An inspection of the cold smoke seals
- An inspection of the intumescent strips
- An assessment on the fire resisting qualities of the doorset, including its thickness
- A review of the gaps between the leaf and the frame – including the threshold for suitability
- A visual inspection of the fire door frame
- A visual inspection of the door leaf
- A review of the materials used in the installation of the doorset
You can find out more about our fire door inspection survey service here.
How to become a fire door inspector?
There is no step-by-step guide on how to become a certified fire door inspector. With the changing nature of fire safety, and the updates to regulations and standards, there are a number of ways that aspiring fire door inspectors can ensure that they are as qualified and competent as possible.
At the Fire Protection Association, we offer a number of comprehensive fire door training courses that can aid you in your professional development. Our online understanding fire doors training course provides delegates with an improved knowledge of the design, supply, inspection, and maintenance of fire doors. Offered as a convenient online training course, the understanding fire doors module gives you a basic understanding of how fire doors work and when a fire door specialist may be required. You can find out more about this training course here, and it is also available to be delivered at client premises. Find out more about on-site training with the FPA here.
We also offer an industry renowned Level 3 Award in Fire Door Inspection course. Our level 3 fire door inspection course allows learners to demonstrate that they are capable of carrying out fire door inspections and have the underpinning knowledge needed at the required depth to confirm occupational competence. This 3-day fire door inspection course will guide you through the types, function, and importance of a variety of fire doors. You will understand industry standard inspection procedures and will be able to demonstrate the correct methods for inspecting fire doors, as well as gaining knowledge of steel doors, glazed steel fire screens, and roller shutters. You can find out more about our Level 3 Award in Fire Door Inspection qualification here.
Fire safety is an ever-evolving topic, so regular CPD and refresher courses help to ensure that you are qualified and competent as a fire door inspector in line with current fire door regulations and best practice for the safety of building occupants.
Please be aware that considerable efforts have been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained within this article at the time of publication, however any legislative (or other) changes that come into effect after this may render the information out of date until it is reviewed and updated as part of the FPA’s content review cycle.