The “responsible person” must undertake regular risk assessments to make sure their building is maintained and safe to use. It is well recognized that items such as fire extinguishers, smoke detectors and alarm systems need annual inspection and periodic maintenance. Fire and smoke door assemblies, however, are often overlooked.

 

Through everyday use of the door assembly, the sealing systems, which provide the barrier to unwanted sound transfer, and the transfer of hazardous smoke and flames in a fire situation, become damaged or worn over a period of time. In fact, in older buildings the doorways may not even have an existing sealing system.

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The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, Building Regulation 10 (2022) and BS 9991 Code of Practice (2024) highlight the importance of fire door inspections and point out that fire and smoke door assemblies require inspecting at least every 6 months, or every 3 months for buildings over 11 metres in height.

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Experienced DTC personnel will undertake surveys and compliance assessments on each doorway in a particular building. A written report with recommendations for any corrective action will be submitted, together with an estimate for the work.