Fire Door Inspections: New legal requirements for 2023
A new legal requirement for many across the UK...
February 13, 2023
With Fire Door Inspections now a new legal requirement for many across the UK, we explore why they’re necessary and their benefits…
This week, here at pm Connections, we’re pleased to have launched our brand new service: Fire Door Inspections.
If you hadn’t heard yet – as of January 2023, it is now a legal requirement for all responsible persons of multi-occupied residential buildings in England, with storeys over 11 metres in height to…
- Carry out four Fire Door Inspections annually on all fire doors (these should be done quarterly).
- Carry out one annual inspection of all flat entrance doors that lead into a building’s common parts.
This has been introduced under The Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022, Regulation 10. The new legislation is placed under Article 24 of the Fire Safety Order 2005.
But legislation can be wordy and confusing for many people, so we’ve broken down who is actually affected by this, and why the government has opted to make Fire Door Inspections necessary.
Who does this affect?
These new changes to legislation are likely to affect the following demographics of people…
- Landlords
- Homeowners
- Building managers
- Building owners
- Managing agents
It’s estimated that scores of landlords and building managers may be unaware of their new legal responsibilities to ensure fire door safety throughout multi-occupied residential buildings – so it’s crucial to be proactive and seek professional advice where needed.
Why have the new laws been introduced?
The government has increased efforts to ensure safety in multi-occupancy residential buildings following the tragic Grenfell Tower fire in 2017, which resulted in over 70 deaths after a fire broke out in a 24-storey block of flats in North Kensington.
Reports suggest that the fire doors in Grenfell Tower didn’t perform as expected, due to generally poor maintenance and inspections – as well as a lack of self-closers on many entrance doors of the building.
Alongside various other fire-prevention failings, fire, smoke and dangerous gases spread much more rapidly throughout the building than had been originally anticipated.
Did you know that: During an inspection by the Fire Door Inspection Scheme, it was revealed that a shocking…
- 76% of fire doors were deemed not fit for purpose
- 30% of fire doors were poorly installed and had issues such as excessive gaps around doors, inadequate closers and issues with smoke sealing
- 57% of small-scale doors needed small-scale maintenance
How will conducting Fire Door Inspections benefit you?
Whilst Fire Doors have been a legal requirement in all non-domestic properties (businesses, commercial buildings and public buildings) as well as in residential flats and Houses of Multiple Occupants (HMOs) since 2005 – Fire Door Inspections have only just been clearly defined as a legal requirement for multi-occupancy residential buildings over 11m in height.
The benefits of the new legislation…
- Compliance with regulations – As a new legal requirement, failure to carry out quarterly Fire Door Inspections could result in hefty fines and severe legal consequences.
- Improved Fire Safety – If it wasn’t clear by now, Fire Door Inspections play a crucial role in preventing the spread of fire and smoke, providing a barrier to protect people and property.
- Maintenance and repairs – With over 76% of fire doors deemed unfit for purpose, carrying out quarterly checks and inspections gives responsible persons for buildings a chance to make amendments and repairs before a tragedy occurs.
- Peace of mind – Knowing that your building is fully compliant with compliance requirements and that you’ve minimised the risk of fire spreading throughout a building should give you peace of mind. Quarterly checks allow you to check that door closers, hinges and fire doors are all working properly.
How can pm Connections help?
Our new Fire Door Inspection service has been introduced to help alleviate the stresses and concerns many individuals may feel in regard to their new responsibilities. We provide comprehensive and quality inspections to protect the wider population and responsible persons from the risks associated with residential and commercial fires.
“We know that for many landlords and building managers, the new regulations may feel overwhelming or confusing – which is why our team of experts are eager to clarify the legal requirements of responsible individuals, and help give them one less thing to worry about.” explains pm Connections Managing Director, Stuart McCreedy, “We’re really excited to have launched our new service in order to support those affected by these regulatory changes – and as always, are on hand for any queries people may have surrounding this topic.”
Our new Fire Door Inspections service is perfect for all non-commercial and residential properties. For more information on how our team of experts can help you, please get in touch with us on 01925 649 818 or email us here.
