As a Principal Accountable Person (PAP), you know that fire safety is paramount. Protecting lives and minimising property damage in the event of a fire should be a top priority. That’s why properly specifying, installing, and maintaining fire doors in your building is critical.
Fire doors play a vital role in a building’s compartmentation, helping to contain the spread of flames and smoke. This buys crucial time for occupants to evacuate and for the fire service to extinguish the blaze. However, in order to perform this life-saving function, fire doors must comply with UK regulations and standards.
Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, the “Responsible Person” for a building must ensure that all fire safety measures, including fire doors, are properly maintained. This duty typically falls on the employer, owner, or managing agent. Failure to comply can lead to hefty fines and even imprisonment.
Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 include requirements for multi-occupied residential buildings over 11 metres. Fire doors in communal areas must now be inspected every 3 months, and flat entrance doors checked annually. Residents must also be provided with fire door safety information.
If you own or manage a residential building such as a block of flats, or HMO, you almost certainly have legal obligations around fire doors. This is true for both new and existing buildings. Even some domestic residences, like homes with 3+ stories or integral garages, must have fire doors as specified in building regulations.
But it’s not enough to simply have fire doors installed. You must ensure they are the correct specification for the building, fitted with appropriate hardware, and properly maintained. Regular inspections by a competent person are essential for identifying any damaged or non-compliant doors.
The risks of getting it wrong on fire doors are severe. In the worst case, non-compliant doors could lead to injury or loss of life, exposing you to both criminal prosecution and civil litigation. Even without an incident, you could face enforcement action from the fire service if your doors are found to be defective.
Insurance companies are also paying increasing attention to fire door compliance. Failure to meet your obligations could invalidate your property insurance, leaving you financially exposed in the event of a fire.
The specific fire door requirements for your building should be determined by a thorough fire risk assessment conducted by a competent assessor. This will identify the rating of the door needed (e.g. FD30, FD60) based on the fire hazards and occupancy of the building.
Your doors should be sourced from a reputable, third-party certified manufacturer and include the appropriate intumescent strips, smoke seals, hinges, and closing devices. When installing the doors, pay close attention to the gaps around the frame, which should be no larger than 4mm.
To keep your doors in good condition, implement a regular inspection and maintenance regime. Train staff to identify any damage and keep detailed records of your checks and repairs. Remember, under Fire Safety (England) Regulation 10, your fire doors must be kept in “good working order and in good repair”.
The UK government states that the Responsible Person must “use best endeavours to check all flat entrance fire doors at least every 12 months and carry out checks of any fire doors in communal areas every 3 months”. Whilst specific checks are not mandated, regulation 10 requires that the Responsible Person should have evidence that the design, specification and instillation of the door is adequate for its location”.
A reputable fire door inspection partner will work with you to create an efficient checklist based on government standards. These criteria will involve checking:
Ensuring compliance with the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 is a crucial responsibility for Principal Accountable Persons. With fire door safety playing a vital role in protecting lives and property, staying on top of inspections and maintenance is essential. That’s where Innovus can help.
Our expert team provides comprehensive fire door inspections, detailed compliance reports, and tailored maintenance solutions to keep your building safe and legally sound. Whether you need an in-depth assessment, consultancy for new installations, or ongoing support, we offer a practical and reliable service with no hidden fees or minimum door volume requirements.
Don’t let fire door non-compliance put your building and occupants at risk. Contact Innovus today to learn how we can keep your doors safe and legally sound.