Fire Door Inspection & Maintenance
As with any similar life-saving product, a fire door should be regularly checked to ensure it functions properly and is ready to use. It is exactly the same as testing the battery of a smoke alarm or having the pressure of a fire extinguisher checked regularly.
What the law says
Article 17 of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (FSO) makes it a legal requirement to ensure that fire resisting doors and escape doors are correctly installed and adequately maintained in order for them to be fit for purpose.
The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, often referred to as the FSO, applies to all buildings other than domestic housing, and replaces 118 pieces of previous fire legislation, including the old fire certificate. The law now shifts responsibility from the fire authorities for fire safety to whoever has day-to-day control of premises.
The authorities have the power to enforce the FSO and do prosecute or even close buildings down where breaches are discovered.
Why you need to inspect and maintain your fire doors
Everyday use of fire doors can result in slight alterations to the door and its surroundings, and this can affect the performance of the door in the event of a fire.
Regular inspections by a competent person, as previously discussed, will ensure the identification of any defects to the fire door that need to be addressed through maintenance.