Dispelling Myths for Fire Doors as from 23rd January 2023

The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 has been updated with the Fire Safety Act 2021 and requires all fire doors to be regularly inspected including apartment doors to ensure they’re damage-free and in good working order as well as resist the passage of smoke and flame.

The changes came into effect from 23^rd January 2023, but have been causing some confusion, so here are the facts to dispel some of those myths:

• The changes are only particular to England.
• The door inspections now fall under the Responsible Person’s remit, which means that if you’re a building owner, property manager, agent or leaseholder you need to ensure that this is completed by a Competent Person!
• The door inspections are NOT only just relevant to buildings over 11m tall, the Fire Safety Act 2021 has clarified that in any residential building which contains two or more sets of domestic premises are within the scope of the Fire Safety Order.
• Responsible Persons for residential buildings below 11 metres in height have a duty to put in place general fire precautions in these buildings, this duty includes making sure that all fire doors – including flat entrance doors – are capable of providing adequate protection.
• Responsible Persons will also be required to provide residents in all residential buildings with two or more sets of domestic premises with information on fire doors such as;
• the importance of keeping doors closed;
• that doors and self-closing devices are not tampered with; and
• that any faults or damage to doors should be raised immediately.
• Any apartment door which is on the escape route should be fire-rated to a minimum of FD30s regardless of the height of the building.

For buildings 11m and over:

• Responsible Persons for all multi-occupied residential buildings in England must:
• undertake quarterly checks of all fire door (including self-closing devices) in the common parts
• undertake – on a best endeavour basis – annual checks of all flat entrance doors (including self-closing devices) that lead onto a building’s common parts

So, if you require your fire door (s) inspected by that Competent Person, then simply contact one of our team on 0800 246 1802 for a quick and easy quote and booking!