The Fire Door Inspection Scheme has warned of ‘a tragedy waiting to happen’ after revealing that three quarters of the fire doors inspected in the UK by its approved inspectors failed to meet the required standard.

More than half of failures (54%) showed care and maintenance issues and nearly a third failed due to improper installation. More than three quarters (77%) had excessive gaps between door and frame while 34% showed issues over smoke sealing.

Even more alarmingly, buildings with the most fire door inspection failures included healthcare buildings, local authorities and housing associations, and private housing.

FDIS Scheme Manager Louise Halton said: “With the vast majority of fire doors in the UK failing inspections, it’s sad to say that a tragedy is simply waiting to happen, especially so in buildings that are home to vulnerable residents.

“It’s crucial that reputable and trained fire door inspectors, such as those approved by the FDIS, carry out fire door inspections. However, the ongoing reporting of maintenance issues with fire doors is a role for us all – every building user should play a proactive role in reporting any faults to ensure they are quickly addressed so that the building’s safety is maintained.”

The positive news is that there is a will to improve, says the FDIS. Since the introduction of the Building Safety Bill (now the Building Safety Act 2022), 77% of FDIS inspectors have seen an increase in demand for fire door inspections. This indicates the importance and effect of the legislation in encouraging building owners and fire safety professionals to take a more proactive approach to fire door safety and maintenance. 

Louise Halton concluded: “The issues surrounding the understanding and knowledge of those responsible for fire safety was also highlighted in the FDIS’ inspection data released in 2020 as a key concern. This clearly demonstrates the need for individuals throughout the building safety sector to have access to quality training, assessment and examination to ensure their knowledge is up to date, and that they understand the fundamental role of a fire door – which is only fit for purpose if it is maintained correctly and inspected regularly.”

The survey is based on data gathered from 100,000 fire door inspections carried out by FDIS approved inspectors in 2021.

fdis.co.uk

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