Regular Inspections and Maintenance

Fire doors must be inspected regularly under the HSE guidelines, and it depends on the level of risk a building, business, or environment has. Monthly inspections are highly recommended for high-risk industries like construction sites and factories, while less frequent for low-risk ones like regular office spaces.

Aside from regular inspections, a routine visual inspection of the fire doors should be performed daily or weekly by safety officers or other personnel in charge. These help in identifying any visual damages or misuse of the fire doors.

Another detailed or comprehensive inspection should also be performed every 6 months by a competent person or a third-party certified fire door inspector. They check all parts of the fire door like the frames, seals, hinges, and self-closing devices.

Fire Door Condition and Functionality

The fire door must be fully functional and in good condition. There should be ample gaps and clearance between the fire door and the frame complying with the HSE guidance. The fire doors must close automatically and fully when released, and the self-closing mechanism should be tested after installation. HSE guidance adds that the fire doors should never be propped or wedged unless it is fitted with a hold-open device that only releases when there is fire. The door seals should be properly installed to block fire, and the cold smoke seals should also be properly installed to prevent the smoke from going through. All hardware on the firedoor should be fire-rated, firmly attached, and fully functional.

Certification and Labelling

The certification of the fire rating label should be visible on the fire doors. They should comply with the British Standards like the BS 476-22 or the BS EN 1634-1 for fire door testing. The evidence of certification should also be maintained and visible at all times. Only those who are certified fire door installers should install the fire doors to make sure that they inspect the labels before and that there are no damages on the fire door upon installing. These professionals should verify in every inspection the fire rating of the fire doors for compliance.

Maintaining HSE Records of Fire Door Checks

The HSE guidelines mandates proper documentation for all fire door checks, maintenance, repairs, and replacements. These documents are considered as verification and proof that the building’s fire doors are aligned with the HSE guidelines and are in legal compliance with the local authority’s fire safety standards.

Usually, for better record-keeping, businesses use digital tools, apps, and digitised forms to streamline their documentation process and ensure compliance.

Fire Door Accessibility and Clearance

Under the HSE guidelines, the fire doors must be accessible and unobstructed at all times. There should be nothing blocking the fire doors and along evacuation routes. No furniture or equipment should be placed anywhere near the fire doors that block fire safety routes so that nothing could impede movement during emergencies.

Fire doors should always have visible signages like “Fire Door Keep Shut”, or “Automatic Fire Door Keep Clear” to avoid misuse from occupants.

HSE Training and Competency

The HSE guidance indicates that the persons responsible for performing fire door checks, inspections, and maintenance should be trained and knowledgeable on the overall specifications and installation of the fire doors. They should know what to inspect and how to identify defects, damages, and issues. They should be trained in knowing the fire door components for various types of fire doors, how to maintain fire door systems, and the possible and common issues fire doors usually have.

For more detailed or comprehensive inspections, third-party certified inspectors should be hired who have years of expertise and experience with fire doors.

Fire Risk Assessments

Fire door decks are required to create the fire risk assessment of the building. This is also a requirement under the Fire Safety Order (FSO). Building owners, business owners, facility managers, or the person responsible for the overall fire safety of the building should prepare this legal requirement and regularly update the contents should there be any changes, for example regarding the building’s use, occupancy, or layout.

Fire risk assessments in high fire risk areas should be the main priority such as kitchens, boiler rooms, or electrical rooms where there’s a high-use of fire doors or the protection of a fire-door

Fire Door Maintenance and Repairs

Should there be any faults or damages identified during the inspections, the persons responsible should immediately repair or replace the parts. If, during an HSE inspection, a fire door does not comply with the HSE guidelines, penalties may be issued. Faulty fire doors should be immediately replaced with compliant and certified fire doors.