Regular fire door inspections are essential to ensure that fire doors continue to function properly and meet current safety standards. These doors are a critical part of a building’s passive fire protection system, designed to contain fire and smoke and protect escape routes.
Over time, even well-installed fire doors can become damaged, misaligned, or compromised through daily use and standard wear and tear. A professional inspection ensures that all components are working correctly and that the door will perform as intended in a fire.
Understanding inspection frequency is essential for maintaining a compliant fire safety strategy. Industry guidance (including BS 9999 and BWF recommendations) suggests fire doors should be inspected at least every six months by a competent person, with frequency increased based on usage and risk. High-use doors in offices, schools, hospitals, or residential blocks may require more frequent checks.
High-traffic doors and those on escape routes should be subject to regular (often weekly or monthly) visual checks by the responsible person or designated staff. These checks help spot obvious issues such as damage, obstructions, or doors that fail to close properly.
Professional inspections always go further, assessing every component to ensure the door set meets all required standards. Our team identifies both visible faults and less obvious compliance issues that could compromise fire safety.
A common question for building owners and managers is whether fire door inspections are a legal requirement. While legislation such as the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 does not prescribe specific inspection intervals, it legally requires fire safety systems—including fire doors—to be maintained in efficient working order. Regular inspections are therefore essential to demonstrate compliance.
While legislation such as the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 doesn’t specify exact inspection intervals, it requires all fire safety equipment to be maintained in efficient working order.
Fire doors fall into this category, meaning regular inspections are essential to demonstrate compliance. Under the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022, responsible persons in residential buildings over 11 metres must ensure that fire doors (including flat entrance doors) are inspected at least every 12 months, with communal doors checked more frequently.
These inspections not only support legal responsibilities and compliance but also provide clear evidence that fire risks are being properly managed.
These inspections are essential for maintaining a safe and compliant property. Although fire doors are designed to resist fire, their effectiveness depends on their condition and correct installation.
Over time, everyday use can lead to issues such as damaged seals or gaps around the frame. Even minor faults can reduce performance and allow smoke and heat to spread more quickly to surrounding areas. Faulty fire doors can allow toxic smoke to block escape routes, which is a leading cause of fire-related deaths.
Consistent inspections help identify these issues early, ensuring fire doors continue to keep escape routes open and hold back fire. This provides valuable time for evacuation and reduces risk to occupants. A properly functioning fire-resistant door can:
Protect escape routes
Contain fire and smoke
Support emergency services
Our inspections ensure your fire doors are functioning as intended, allowing for remedial work to be identified and implemented, helping to protect people and reduce the risk of serious damage in the event of a fire.
Fire doors are a key part of a building’s passive fire protection system, working alongside measures such as compartmentation, fire extinguishers, smoke alarms, and emergency lighting.
Their role is to resist fire and smoke for a set period, helping to contain a fire and protect escape routes. However, this relies on correct installation and ongoing maintenance.
Regular inspections ensure all components are working as intended. By identifying issues such as damaged seals or incorrect gaps, inspections help maintain the effectiveness of the wider fire safety strategy.
Without regular checks, faults can go unnoticed, increasing the risk of failure in an emergency.
Fire door inspections are also important for meeting insurance and compliance requirements. Regular maintenance of fire doors prevents costly full-door replacements and helps support insurance compliance, and may be required by insurers as evidence of proper maintenance.
Many insurers require evidence that fire and safety systems are properly maintained. A documented inspection helps demonstrate this and supports compliance with legal obligations.
In the event of a fire, inspection records may be requested as part of a claim. Poorly maintained fire doors could affect the outcome or lead to increased scrutiny. Frequent inspections and accurate record-keeping help reduce risk and ensure you are prepared if an incident occurs.
OCD Fire Management Solutions (OCD FM) offers comprehensive inspections for buildings of all types and sizes, including commercial, industrial, educational, and residential premises.
Our services cover all aspects of fire safety, including fire detection and warning systems, emergency lighting, escape routes, and firefighting equipment. Our team of experts will ensure that all fire doors are inspected to the highest standards and in compliance with all relevant fire safety regulations.
Whether you manage a single property or a large portfolio, regular fire door inspections are key to maintaining safety across your properties.
We’ll carry out a thorough non-destructive and non-obtrusive inspection of all fire doors in the building(s), including their location, type, condition, and function.
The inspection will be carried out in compliance with all relevant regulations and standards set out in Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) 2005 and any subsequent amendments, as well as industry best practices.
We’ll identify any issues or defects with the fire doors and provide a comprehensive report of our findings. We’ll also provide recommendations for any necessary repairs, replacements or upgrades to ensure your fire doors meet the required standards.
Our certified fire technicians are accredited experts, ensuring inspections are completed by a fully trained and competent person. Our extensive inspection checks follow a detailed checklist, ensuring every component is assessed thoroughly. We pay particular attention to any signs of damage, faults, or wear and tear. The following is a checklist of all the components that we inspect:
We consult with all clients, building managers and local authorities (where appropriate) to discuss any of the findings of the inspection and provide advice on any necessary actions that need to be taken.
Clear communication is a key part of our offering. We ensure you fully understand the condition of your fire doors, the level of risk involved, and the steps needed to stay compliant with fire safety regulations.
In addition to fire door safety inspections, we offer all our clients ongoing maintenance checks for all safety doors, including regular inspections and any necessary repairs or replacements.
Routine maintenance is essential to ensure continued performance. Even minor issues such as worn seals or loose hinges can significantly impact the effectiveness of a fire door if left unaddressed.
We provide all relevant documentation, including inspection reports, product data sheets, and maintenance records.
This documentation serves as proof of compliance and can be required during audits, insurance assessments, or inspections by enforcing authorities. Maintaining accurate records is a vital part of any fire safety strategy.
We carry out all inspections in full compliance with all relevant regulations and standards set out in Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) 2005 and any subsequent amendments.
Staying compliant isn’t just about meeting legal obligations – it’s about ensuring the safety of everyone within the property.
We follow all relevant health and safety guidelines during the inspection. The client must provide safe and unrestricted access to all areas being assessed and identify any potential hazards or risks associated with the area being assessed.
We always take appropriate measures to minimise any environmental impact of the inspection. The client is responsible for ensuring that any necessary permits or permissions are in place for the inspection.
Clients are required to provide any necessary keys, access codes, or permissions to allow our inspectors to access all relevant areas of the property. Full access ensures that every fire door can be properly assessed without limitation.
Our inspection may cause some disruption to your operations, but we always aim to keep this to an absolute minimum and work with complete professionalism. To that end, clients must work with us to cooperate with our inspectors and provide any necessary assistance to minimise disruption.
All information obtained during the inspection is treated with strict confidentiality. We won’t disclose any information to third parties without the client’s written consent, except where required by law.
There are many reasons to choose OCD FM for your fire door safety inspections. As experienced fire protection specialists, we pride ourselves on delivering a reliable, professional, and high-quality service. Here are five key reasons why clients choose us:
Outstanding commitment to deliver high standards
Technology-led inspection methods and solutions
Flexible and adaptable service delivery
Focus on customer satisfaction and clear communication
Highly experienced and Professional staff
At OCD FM, we’re confident we can deliver a fire management service that meets your needs and exceeds your expectations. We provide our inspections in Hertfordshire and the following locations: Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Buckinghamshire, Essex, Greater London, Suffolk, Kent, Surrey, Northamptonshire and Warwickshire.
If your business is outside these areas but within England, please get in contact, as our teams often operate outside our immediate location.
Supply, Installation, Maintenance & Risk Assessments of fully certified fire doors.
Concise and accurate site survey and reports.
Fire stopping and compartmentation protection systems.
OCD FM delivers Fire Door Inspections and a whole range of Fire Protection Services across a wide range of commercial and residential properties. Specialising in fire doors, risk assessments, dry lining and passive fire protection. FIRAS Certificated.
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