Understanding Fire Door Compliance: What Responsible Persons Need to Know

Fire doors are one of the most important elements of passive fire protection in any building. They are designed to resist the spread of fire and smoke for a specified period — typically 30 or 60 minutes — giving occupants time to evacuate and limiting damage to the building.

Despite their importance, fire doors are frequently found to be defective during inspections. Common issues include damaged or missing intumescent strips and smoke seals, excessive gaps between the door leaf and frame, defective self-closing devices, incorrect or missing signage, and physical damage to the door leaf or frame.

Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, the responsible person has a duty to ensure that fire doors are properly maintained and in good working order. This includes regular inspection by a competent person, prompt remediation of identified defects, and keeping records of inspections and remedial works.

The Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 introduced additional requirements for residential buildings over 11 metres in height, including quarterly checks of flat entrance doors and annual checks of all fire doors in common areas.

JJM Fire Consultants Ltd provides comprehensive fire door inspection services, covering every aspect of door performance including gaps, seals, glazing, ironmongery, hinges, closers, signage, and overall condition. Each door is individually referenced and photographed, with findings documented in a clear digital report with prioritised recommendations.