Fire door safety

Fire doors are often the first line of defence in a fire, especially when we are asleep and at our most vulnerable. Their correct specification, installation, maintenance and management can be the difference between life and death for building occupants.

Despite this, fire door breaches remain one of the most common fines implemented under the Fire Safety Order, with common problems ranging from doors being wedged open, missing or damaged doors or even non-fire doors being installed in their place.

Below are some key tips for checking your fire doors...

• Check for certification - Is there a label or plug on top (or occasionally on the side) of the door to show it is a certificated fire door?
• Check the gaps - Check the gaps around the top and sides of the door are consistently less than 4mm when closed.
• Check the seals condition - Are there any intumescent seals around the door or frame, and are they intact with no sign of damage
• Check the hinges - Are the hinges firmly fixed (three or more of them), with no missing or broken screws?
• Check the door closes properly - Open the door about halfway, let go and allow it to close by itself. Does it close firmly onto the latch without sticking on the floor or the frame?