Who is responsible for fire doors?

As set out by the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, building operators in England and Wales should appoint a ‘Responsible Person’ to manage all fire safety precautions including fire doors. This person might be the employer, the managing agent or owner or another appointed person. Their legal responsibilities include a duty to reduce the risk of fire spreading within the premises. Fire doors play an important part in reducing this risk in many buildings.

What fire doors do I need?

The fire door required in your building will be determined by the fire risk assessment. The ‘Responsible Person’ should ensure an up to date fire risk assessment has been carried out. Fire risk assessments are an in-depth review of the premises. They highlight any fire risks and make recommendations to reduce or eliminate these risks. This includes where fire doors should be used and what rating they should be.

Fire doors are used as part of a building’s passive fire protection system. They are designed to contain fire in one part of the building to limit damage and protect escape routes so everyone can leave the building safely. This is called compartmentation. Fire doors are therefore normally required in all doorways leading to escape routes. They are also usually required for rooms that have a higher risk of a fire starting (for example, IT server rooms, boiler rooms or rooms containing flammable liquids). You should refer to your risk assessment for further guidance.

What are the fire door regulations?

The fire door regulations vary depending on where you are in the UK. They are governed by a different set of regulations depending on whether it is a new building/extension, or an existing building.

What Is the Law about Fire Door Inspections?

According to the FSO, Article 17, it is the law that all fire escape and resisting doors are installed properly and are also regularly maintained so they are fit for the purpose of fire safety. Law enforcement and the authorities have the right to make sure that the FSO is enforced. Buildings can be shut down and violators can be prosecuted and imprisoned when there is a breach.

Do Fire Doors Need Maintenance?

Just as any other product that has been designed to save lives, fire doors need to be inspected often to make sure they are functioning properly. They should be inspected just as a smoke detector or fire alarm is regularly checked.

If there is any alteration to the fire door, it can affect the performance of the door.

What Is The Fire Door Inspection Scheme?

The fire door inspection scheme was founded in 2012, and it began as a collaboration between the Guild of Architectural Ironmongers and the British Woodworking Federation. The goal of this venture was to help the public better understand what fire doors are, how they operate and the consequences if they are not installed correctly and regularly maintained.

The organisation also acts as a resource for the ‘responsible person’ to aid them in performing fire risk assessments.