Why do fire doors need maintaining?
In the same way as you fire extinguishers or fire alarm detectors are checked regularly, fire doors must also be inspected and maintained as part of your fire safety strategy in line with Article 17 of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, which imposes a legal duty to ensure fire resisting doors and escape routes are installed correctly and maintained regularly.
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During the course of normal business operations, fire doors can become damaged or altered and this can affect the operation of the door in the event of a fire. A fire door needs to contain a fire for a minimum of 30 minutes. Any damage to a door, no matter how minor it may seem, can reduce this time dramatically, which could have a fatal impact on the ability to escape the building from a fire.
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Remember, you must maintain fire doors regularly and correctly otherwise you may be prosecuted under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order.
What does a compliant fire door look like:
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Both fire separating doors and final exit fire doors need specific signage to be compliant
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Doors need to close effectively on their own
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Special heat and smoke seals should be installed and be effective
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The door must be in suitable condition with no holes or additional unnecessary fixings
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Must have 3 hinges and be secure
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Doors must have limited gaps between the door and frame
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Any vision panels must be of appropriate material and fitted correctly
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Are unobstructed and unlocked during normal hours
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Any door closing / opening devices must be functioning
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Must be at least an FD30
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Frequency of inspection
We recommend fire doors should receive a thorough inspection by a competent person at least every 6-12 months, however you should also be checking them yourself more regularly for damage. If a building is new, then we suggest your fire doors are checked more frequently, especially during the first year of use. Fire doors that are subject to heavy traffic (for example, hospital corridors) should be checked even more frequently (weekly or monthly) depending on usage.