Table of Contents Are Fire Door Inspections a Legal Requirement?

Are Fire Door Inspections a Legal Requirement? A commonly asked question, which in the world of fire safety, can be confusing and difficult to navigate. It can be a challenge to stay on top of all the latest regulations and decipher who exactly is responsible for what within your residential, commercial or industrial premises.

At UK Fire Consultants, our aim is to help get rid of that stress, and expertly guide you through the requirements and processes to keep you fire safety compliant.

Questions often arise regarding the subject of Fire Door Inspections, but in the below article we explain everything you need to know about the commonly asked question Are Fire Door Inspections A Legal Requirement? Helping keep you compliant and safe.

Are Fire Door Inspections a Legal Requirement?

The Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 is clear on whether fire door inspections are a legal requirement.

When discussing all multi-occupied residential buildings in England with storeys over 11 metres in height, it determines that it is a legal requirement for the Responsible Person to:

“Undertake quarterly checks of all fire doors (including self-closing devices) in the common parts…[and]…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 also say that responsible persons should provide residents with information on the importance of fire doors to fire safety. This applies to all multi-occupied residential buildings with two or more sets of domestic premises (that have common parts).

If a building is under 11 metres in height, responsible persons must still ensure that all fire doors work efficiently and provide the required amount of protection.

Are Fire Door Inspections A Legal Requirement

Who Can Do Fire Door Inspections?

Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, all aspects of Fire Safety compliance are the responsibility of the ‘Responsible Person’. This is typically someone who is the property owner, employer or landlord.

These responsibilities include overseeing the completion of a Fire Risk Assessment and maintaining high levels of fire safety on the premises through a range of additional responsibilities. This includes Fire Door Inspections.

The Fire Safety Act 2021 states that flat entrance doors must be considered in any Fire Risk Assessment.

If, after the Fire Risk Assessment, the responsible person receives recommendations for improvements, it shall be up to the responsible person to enact these recommended changes.

A minimum requirement, expected of the responsible person, is that they undertake an inspection of the fire doors to identify any obvious damage. A responsible person could do all of this themselves, should they be competent to do so, or alternatively they could employ a specialist such as UK Fire Consultants. This will give them added assurance that the checks are being undertaken by someone suitably trained and competent in this field.