Fire Door Survey
A fire door survey is a detailed inspection of fire doors within a building to ensure they are compliant with safety regulations and functioning correctly to prevent the spread of fire and smoke. These surveys are crucial for identifying any issues with fire doors, such as damage, improper installation, or missing components, and recommending necessary repairs or replacements.
What is a Fire Door Survey?
A fire door inspection survey verifies that your fire doors meet legal requirements. Under Article 17 of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, it is a legal obligation to ensure fire-resistant doors are properly installed and maintained to remain effective for their intended purpose.
The Fire Door Survey aims to check the following parts of a fire door function as designed:
Door leaf
Door frame
Door closer (self-closing devices)
Hinges
Intumescent door strip and cold smoke seals
Glazing (vision panels)
Locks and levers/handles
Fire safety signage
Hold open devices
Gaps around the doors and threshold gaps
Panic hardware devices for external final fire exit doors
What does the UK law say?
Under Regulation 11 of the Fire Safety Regulations 2022, ‘responsible persons’ for multi-occupied residential buildings in England taller than 11 metres (around four storeys) are legally obligated to carry out fire door inspections. Non-compliance can result in substantial fines and even imprisonment.
Insurance risks?
Increasingly, insurance companies require proof that a fire door inspection has been carried out before offering coverage or when processing a claim. Without evidence of a completed fire door survey, there is a risk that an insurance claim could be rejected.
Who Is Responsible for Conducting a Fire Door Survey?
The responsibility for ensuring a fire door survey is completed falls on the building owner, block Director or manager, often referred to as the "Responsible Person". This individual or entity is legally obligated to ensure fire doors, are properly maintained and inspected. In residential buildings, this responsibility may rest with the landlord or the lead Director of freehold.
How often do I need to do a Fire Door Survey?
It is a legal requirement to undertake quarterly checks of all fire doors in the common parts and undertake annual checks of all flat entrance doors that lead onto a building’s common parts.
Why Risk Vigil?
We focus exclusively on inspecting fire doors, which means we have no conflicts of interest or independence risks since we do not carry out or profit from any fire door repairs or remediation. This ensures that our surveys provide honest, unbiased assessments, recommending only what is truly necessary for your safety.
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