Fire Door Inspection: Complete Guide for UK Assessors

Fire doors are one of the most frequently defective elements you will encounter during fire risk assessments. A 2019 survey by the British Woodworking Federation found that 76% of fire doors inspected in a sample of UK buildings had at least one deficiency.

This guide covers what to check, how to report findings, and the standards that define a compliant fire door.

Why Fire Doors Matter

A properly functioning fire door serves two purposes:

1. Compartmentation. It contains fire and smoke to the compartment of origin for a defined period (typically 30 or 60 minutes), giving occupants time to evacuate and the fire service time to respond.
2. Protected escape routes. Fire doors to corridors and stairways keep escape routes clear of smoke and heat for long enough to allow evacuation.

A single compromised fire door can undermine the entire compartmentation strategy. If a door does not close properly, has damaged seals, or gaps that exceed tolerance, fire and smoke spread as if the door were not there.

What to Inspect

Use our interactive fire door inspection checklist on-site, or work through these items systematically.

Door leaf

• Condition. Look for holes, cracks, warping, delamination, or surface damage. Any breach in the door leaf compromises fire resistance.
• Fire rating evidence. Check for a certification label (typically on the top edge), colour-coded plug, or other evidence of fire rating (FD30 or FD60). If there is no evidence and the door is claimed as a fire door, that is a finding.
• Glazing. If the door has glazed panels, verify they are fire-rated glass. Standard glass will fail in a fire. Look for markings on the glass or a label on the beading.

Frame

• Condition. The frame must be secure, plumb, and undamaged. Separation from the wall or loose fixings compromise performance.
• Intumescent strips. These strips swell in heat to seal the gap between door and frame. Check they are present on the door edge or frame rebate, intact, and not painted over.
• Cold smoke seals. Brush or blade seals that prevent cold smoke passing through the gap. Check they are present, not compressed or damaged, and correctly positioned.

Self-closing device

• Fitted. Every fire door on an escape route or forming part of a compartment boundary must have a self-closing device (overhead closer, concealed closer, or other approved mechanism).
• Function. Test from fully open: the door must close fully into the frame and latch without manual assistance. Test from 45 degrees and from near-closed — many closers fail at narrow angles.
• Not held open. Wedges, hooks, and improvised hold-open devices are one of the most common fire safety violations. Magnetic hold-open devices linked to the fire alarm system are acceptable.

Gaps

• Top and sides. Maximum 4mm gap between the door edge and frame (when closed). This tolerance allows the intumescent seal to function.
• Bottom. Maximum 8mm to a hard floor, or 10mm over carpet. Larger gaps allow smoke to pass beneath the door.

Hardware

• Hinges. FD30 doors need at least 3 hinges; FD60 doors may need more. Check that all hinges are secure with no missing screws.
• Latch. The latch must engage when the door closes. A door that bounces off the frame without latching is not functioning as a fire door.

Signage

• "Fire door keep shut." Required on all fire doors that should remain closed during normal operation.
• "Fire door keep locked shut." Required where the door is locked when premises are unoccupied.

Common Defects and How to Report Them

Defect	Priority	Recommended action
Self-closer removed or missing	High	Fit approved self-closing device within 1 month
Door held open with wedge	Immediate	Remove wedge immediately. Consider magnetic hold-open device if door needs to be routinely open
Intumescent strips missing or damaged	High	Replace intumescent strips (15mm x 4mm minimum for FD30)
Gaps exceeding 4mm at top/sides	Medium	Adjust door or frame. May require door replacement if warped
Bottom gap exceeding 8mm	Medium	Fit threshold seal or adjust door
No fire rating evidence	Medium	Investigate provenance. Replace with certified fire door if rating cannot be confirmed
Glazing not fire-rated	High	Replace with fire-rated glass assembly
Hinges loose or insufficient	Medium	Tighten or replace. Ensure 3 hinges minimum for FD30

Standards and Guidance

• BS 8214:2016 provides guidance on fire door installation and maintenance. It is the primary reference for what constitutes a compliant fire door assembly.
• BS 476-22 covers fire resistance testing for doors (being replaced by BS EN 1634-1 for new products).
• BS EN 1634-1 is the European standard for fire resistance testing of door and shutter assemblies.
• Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, Article 17 requires the responsible person to maintain fire safety equipment, which includes fire doors.

Recording Fire Door Findings

For each fire door inspected, record:

1. Door reference (location or tag number)
2. Fire rating (FD30, FD60, or unknown)
3. Each item checked (pass, fail, N/A)
4. Photograph of any deficiency
5. Recommended action with priority

Our fire door inspection checklist generates a summary with pass/fail counts and a list of items requiring attention — ready to include in your PAS 79 report.

Summary

Fire doors are critical life-safety elements. Inspect every fire door on escape routes and compartment boundaries. Check the leaf, frame, seals, closer, gaps, hardware, and signage. Document defects with photographs and prioritised actions.

AssessKit is being built with fire door inspection integrated into the assessment workflow — photograph, record, and report in one step. Join the waitlist for early access.

Sources

• BS 8214:2016 — Timber-based fire door assemblies — BSI
• Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 — UK Legislation