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What are the up to Date Fire Door Survey Requirements?

Posted on 9th April 2024

Fire doors are an essential part of fire compartmentation, as such they need to be regularly inspected and maintained. If you’re a building owner, manager or another individual responsible for the fire safety within a building, this article will provide clarity on the latest fire door survey requirements.

Fire Door Survey Requirements - What are the Minimum Requirements?

The minimum when it comes to fire door survey requirements is for the person responsible for fire safety to inspect all doors in the premises and identify any visible issues.

The appointed fire safety peron should look at the following aspects:

Gaps around the door frame, seals and hinges. You must ensure all of them are fitted correctly and within the legal specifications.

There is no visible damage to the door and door closer. This includes both wear and tear and deliberate damage.

There is no damage or alterations to a fire door’s glazing or air transfer grille.

Every fire door closes correctly around the whole frame.

The door closer functions properly.

If any issues are identified during the initial observation, a more detailed assessment needs to be conducted by a professional. Any damage identified needs to be remediated in a timely manner to ensure compliance is maintained.

Are Fire Door Inspections a Legal Requirement?

As stated in Article 17 of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, ensuring all fire doors are correctly installed and maintained is a legal requirement.

Since the only way to ensure all fire doors in a building are fit for purpose is through regular checks, fire door inspections are a legal requirement. As the Regulatory Reform is applicable to non-domestic dwellings businesses fall under this legislation.

What is Involved in a Fire Door Survey?

A complete fire door survey will involve a thorough inspection of every fire door at the premises. As a result of this a report will be produced outlining the existing condition and adequacy of the fire doors. Where necessary, recommended repairs and improvements to keep your building complaint with the legal requirements will be made.

The full fire door survey will normally cover the following:

The overall condition of the fire doors - the fire resistant properties of each fire door;

Gaps between the door and the frame - a review of all gaps between the leaf and frame in line with the guidelines;

An assessment of the speed and condition of the door closers - ensure that the fire door closing devices are functioning effectively;

The suitability and condition of intumescent and smoke seals – ensure there is no damage and all smoke seals are in good condition;

Overall condition of the hinges – ensure the condition, fitting and operation of the hinges and hardware is in good condition;

An assessment and confirmation of the fire door certifications;

An assessment of fire resistance and suitability of letterboxes;

An assessment of the presence of appropriate fire door signage;

An inspection of the condition and functionality of any hold open devices;

An inspection of the locks and latches to ensure they are operational;

An inspection of any vision panels or glazing and review of their suitability;

An inspection the fire resisting qualities of the door set, including its thickness;

A review of the materials used during the installation process.

How can GRJ Help you Meet the Fire Door Requirements?

If you're searching for accredited fire door specialists to ensure all fire doors in your building are up to standard, look no further. GRJ are accredited under the BM Trada Q-Mark Scheme as well as UKAS and other third-party schemes.

With over 15 years of experience working on both residential and commercial properties, we can guarantee you are provided with accurate up to date information. Should any work be required following your survey, we have the expertise to take care of all the remedial tasks needed to keep your fire doors compliant.

Get in touch with our team to enquire about our fire door survey services.