Many building owners ask: Are fire door inspections a legal requirement?
The answer is yes.
Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, fire door inspections are a legal requirement for all non-domestic buildings, multi-occupancy residential buildings, and communal doors.
These inspections help ensure fire doors meet essential fire safety standards and are properly installed, adequately maintained, and fully functional in the event of a fire.
Understanding the legal requirements for the inspection and its benefits will only further reinforce the need for it.
With decades of experience in fire safety, at Yeoman Shield, our experts understand how critical fire door inspections can be.
Click here, call 0113 279 5854 or email info@yeomanshield.com from anywhere in the UK to speak to our team.
Our specialists are here to help you make your premises safer for you, your staff, and all visitors.
We want to ensure safety in your commercial or domestic premises, and help prove you have fulfilled your legal obligations with a fire certificate courtesy of FIRAS (Fire Accreditation Scheme).
Fire doors play a crucial role in preventing the spread of fire, smoke, and toxic gases, giving occupants time to evacuate safely.
A properly fitted fire door with effective smoke seals, intumescent strips, and self-closing mechanisms can prevent serious injury or loss of life.
Modern fire resisting doors are designed to contain fire and smoke for up to 30 or 60 minutes, depending on their fire resistance rating.
Every building owner, responsible person, or facilities manager has a legal responsibility to ensure fire doors are in good condition.
The Fire Safety Act and UK law shift responsibility from the fire authorities to those in day-to-day control of the building.
This means carrying out regular inspections, keeping maintenance records, and ensuring fire door performance meets fire safety measures outlined in the fire risk assessment.
Fire door checks should be carried out at least every one to six months – depending on the use and traffic within your premises – to ensure door leaves, door edges, and self-closing devices function properly.
Obvious defects such as gaps, damaged seals, or poorly closing doors can compromise safety.
Working with a competent person or specialist contractor ensures each fire door inspection meets the regulatory reform fire safety requirements and provides adequate protection for occupants.
If your modern fire doors weren’t correctly installed, or regular fire door maintenance hasn’t taken place to check the fire resisting qualities of your fire doors and escape routes, regular inspections will highlight these issues.
Failure to comply with fire safety regulations can result in enforcement notices from the fire authorities or even prosecution.
The Grenfell Tower fire emphasised the importance of properly maintained fire safety systems in multi-occupied residential buildings.
By arranging yearly inspections from a qualified professional, building owners can ensure fire safety systems work as designed, reducing fire risk and ensuring compliance with UK law.
Click here or call 0113 279 5854 to contact Yeoman Shield and consult with our fire door specialists today.
