Fire doors are a vital line of defence in the event of a fire, particularly at night when people are most vulnerable. Getting their specification, installation, maintenance and ongoing management right can literally be the difference between life and death.

Yet, despite their importance, breaches involving fire doors remain one of the most common reasons for fines under the Fire Safety Order. Problems frequently include doors being wedged open, missing or damaged doors, or even non-fire doors being incorrectly installed.

As this week marks Fire Door Safety Week, it’s an ideal time to highlight the simple steps everyone can take to ensure fire doors are doing their job.

To help ensure your fire doors are fit for purpose, here are some key checks you can carry out:

• Certification – Look for a label or plug on the top (or sometimes the side) of the door to confirm it is a certificated fire door.
• Gaps – Make sure the gaps around the top and sides of the door are consistently less than 4mm when the door is closed.
• Seals – Check for intumescent seals around the door or frame. They should be intact and free from damage.
• Hinges – Ensure there are at least three hinges, all firmly fixed, with no missing or broken screws.
• Closing action – Open the door halfway, release it, and see if it closes on its own. It should shut firmly onto the latch without catching on the floor or frame.

By carrying out these simple checks, you can help make sure fire doors provide the protection they are designed for.

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