Fire Door Safety Week 2025: What do employers need to know?

Fire doors are an integral part of fire safety in any industrial, commercial and even residential premises. With September 22^nd heralding the arrival of Fire Door Safety Week we put the focus on what employers need to know when it comes to their legal responsibilities and proper maintenance so that the people under their charge remain safe and their business doesn’t suffer any reputational and financial losses. We also have produced a FREE downloadable Fire Door Checklist (click the download link at the footer of this article).

Talk to a Croner Health and Safety professional, to get expert advice on how to ensure compliance with fire safety legislation, today. Call 0808 501 6651.

Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 and Section 156 of the Building Safety Act 2022, employers must conform to legislation or be held liable. This includes the appointing of a responsible person, whose responsibility is to correctly risk assess and ensure that all fire doors are properly maintained and function as they should.

A responsible person, under the aforementioned pieces of legislation, can be anyone with control of a premises, including individual areas of and/or individual systems. There can be multiple responsible persons to ensure that fire doors are operational and to standard, depending on the size and nature of your organisation.

Director of Health and Safety, Chris Wagstaff comments:

“Whatever industry your business is involved with, it is a legal requirement of the ‘responsible person’ to check fire doors periodically, in compliance with the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. This is to ensure the safety of all persons using the property and includes staff, clients, customers and members of the general public.”

• What is a fire door?
• Maintaining fire doors, the role of the responsible person
• How frequently should fire doors be inspected?
• What should be inspected during fire door assessment?
• Go to Download (FREE Checklist)

What is a fire door?

Fire doors are purpose built for withstanding the effects of fire, keeping it contained in one area for as long as possible and delaying the spread of the blaze. They are tested to meet strict standards, ensuring that they withstand the effects of fire for as long as possible allowing for a safe route of escape for the building’s occupants.

Chris says:

“Fire doors provide crucial protection in the event of a fire and can be the difference between a safely evacuated building or potential injuries”

Maintaining fire doors, the role of the responsible person

Responsible persons have the responsibility of not only carrying out risk assessments but documenting and recording all findings. This is regardless of the size and the purpose of the premises. All fire safety arrangements must now be recorded these include all policies and procedures you have in place.

How frequently should fire doors be inspected?

As fire doors are your premises’ first line of defence against the dangers of fire, you should inspect them at least every six months, however inspections can depend on the age and condition of the fire door. In the first year of use as a commercial premises , fire doors may require more frequent inspections.

Doors that experience frequent foot traffic may pick up damage, as well as standard wear and tear. These doors could be in need of being examined as much as once a week, in the case of heavy use.

Chris Wagstaff comments:

“As a rule, it is best to perform fire door checks at least once a month. Yet with that said, in 2022 research found that a third of the British public would not report a problem with a fire door.

It’s of paramount importance that employers don’t take chances by not addressing issues with fire doors immediately, as a properly performing fire door can be the difference between people making it out of a burning building safely or not making it out at all.”

What should be inspected during fire door assessment?

There are five key things to check to ensure fire door safety. During a risk assessment the responsible person should check the following in order to keep it fit for purpose:

Certification

Ensure that the fire door being inspected has a certification mark, typically located at the top or the side of the door. This needs to have been issued by an approved fire testing centre.

Apertures

Check for alterations for glazing apertures (the space where glass is mounted within the door) or air transfer grilles (appear as vent panels). These will void the certification of the door.

Gaps and Seals

There should be a consistent gap (between 2mm and 4mm) around the door or frame. There should also be a gap of no more than 8mm under the door, and there should be no visible light appearing under the door and report damage to seals.

Closures

The door should shut onto the latch from any position.

Operation

 Fire doors should close around all parts of the frame without obstruction from floors or frames.

Chris says:

“By sticking to the fire door assessment criteria, a responsible person can be confident that their fire doors offer the correct level of protection and support their fire evacuation procedure.”

Need advice on fire safety?

Talk to a Health and Safety professional at Croner today and ensure your fire doors are up to standard. You can also download our fire door checklist, designed to aid responsible persons when assessing fire doors.

Call 0808 501 6651.