Fire Door Maintenance and Inspection: Supporting Fire Door Safety Week 2025

Fire Door Safety Week is a national campaign run by the British Woodworking Federation to raise awareness about the crucial role fire doors play in protecting lives and property. Fire doors are specifically designed to prevent the spread of fire and smoke, but their effectiveness depends on proper installation, maintenance and regular inspection.

This Fire Door Safety Week, take action to inspect and maintain your fire doors to ensure they are fully functional. Even simple checks can make a significant difference in keeping your property safe.

To make it easier, we’re offering a free downloadable Fire Door Inspection Checklist. This template helps you systematically check your fire doors, including the door leaf, frame and hardware for defects or damage.

Why fire door maintenance matters

Fire doors are a key part of fire safety in any building. Properly maintained doors slow the spread of fire, giving occupants extra time to evacuate and reducing property damage. Neglecting fire door maintenance can put lives and assets at risk.

During Fire Door Safety Week, businesses, landlords and homeowners are encouraged to check fire doors for compliance with current safety standards.

The 5-step fire door check

The 5-step fire door check covers the key areas that ensure a fire door will perform effectively.

Image sourced from the British Woodworking Federation.

For a full guide to each step, see our detailed 5-Step Fire Door Check.

What are the fire door regulations?

Fire door regulations are outlined in the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (FSO), which applies to all non-domestic premises and buildings containing multiple domestic dwellings.

Key points include:

• Testing
  Fire doors must meet British Standards and are currently tested to BS 476 or BS EN 1634. By 2029, all fire doors and related hardware will need to comply with EN 1634, reflecting stricter international fire safety standards and helping to ensure better protection for buildings and occupants.

• Responsible Person
  The landlord, building owner or manager is legally responsible for ensuring fire doors are properly maintained and regularly inspected.
  
• Inspection frequency
  Fire doors in busy environments should be checked frequently, with formal inspections recommended at least every 6 months.
  
• Residential buildings
  In multi-occupied residential buildings over 11 metres in height, communal fire doors must be inspected quarterly, while flat entrance doors that lead to a building’s common parts require checks once a year.
  
• Compliance
  All fire doors must be correctly installed by a competent person, maintained and capable of performing as intended in the event of fire.
  

Learn more about UK fire door safety regulations in our detailed guide.

Download our free Fire Door Inspection Checklist

Simplify your inspection process by downloading our free Fire Door Inspection Checklist. This handy template helps you check all fire door components and ensure compliance with safety standards.

Download now

How we can help

We are a family-run business with 50 years of experience in fire safety, providing a comprehensive range of fire door and firestopping products to safeguard buildings across the UK.

For advice on fire door safety, our expert customer care team is always happy to help. You can reach out via live chat, email us at [email protected], or call us on 02920 857 959.

You can also explore our Advice Centre, which offers a wide range of guides and useful information on fire safety, fire legislation and more.