Fire Door Inspection Points to Add to an Annual Fire Safety Statement

Every commercial building should have a fire safety policy for protecting assets and occupants against fire outbreaks. A robust fire policy includes an annual safety inspection schedule which should be documented and issued as a statement to the local council and the Commissioner of Fire and Rescue. Notably, fire doors are a significant part of annual fire safety inspections and for good reasons. The doors are designed to keep flames and smoke away from specific rooms. Thus, periodic examinations are necessary to ensure fire doors are in excellent condition to offer critical protection. This article highlights crucial inspection points when preparing an annual fire safety statement.

Fire Door Labels -- Quality fire doors must be appropriately labelled, and the labels should contain assembly details. The particulars must be visible so that an inspection officer can read and understand what a fire door offers. The reason is that a fire door label provides a summary of its construction and specifications. For instance, a label informs a fire inspection agent of the temperature range a door can withstand because different doors have varying temperature specifications. Similarly, a label contains information on glazing capabilities regarding fire exposure. Therefore, a fire door without a label could fail an annual fire safety statement inspection. If you notice that a fire door label is missing, arrange to have another mounted by an authorised labelling service provider. Doing it before annual fire safety inspections increase the chances of passing the yearly assessment.

Self-Latching Mechanism -- Another inspection area in an annual fire safety statement is the latching mechanism. Ideally, an effective fire door must have a self-latching mechanism. It is critical during a fire because a fire door with a faulty self-latching mechanism does not stay closed. Thus, it allows flames and smoke inside protected spaces. Conversely, a properly functioning self-latching mechanism ensures that a door remains closed during a fire breakout, keeping out flames, smoke, and toxic gasses and protecting occupants. Thus, expect an inspector to open a fire door and release it to test the self-latching mechanism.

Unauthorised Modifications -- Modifying fire doors during installations, repairs, and maintenance services is common in commercial facilities. However, most facility managers forget that a listing laboratory must approve such modifications. Therefore, fire doors are likely to fail an annual fire safety inspection if you implement changes without seeking approval. For instance, you should consult a fire safety laboratory and ask about the consequences of adding hinges to fire doors. If modifications are approved, you should capture the changes in an annual fire safety statement so that inspectors are aware during inspections.