The 5 Step Fire Door Safety Checklist

Fire doors are an integral part of a building’s fire safety system and are designed for fire compartmentation, i.e. they slow the spread of flames and smoke in the event of a fire. 

Keep reading to discover 5 crucial parts of a fire door safety checklist that every workplace should comply with. 

1. Fire safety signs 
2. Intumescent fire and smoke seals
3. Hold open devices 
4. Door closing devices
5. Emergency exit hardware

1. Fire Safety Signs

Fire door safety signs are absolutely crucial for protecting lives in the event of a fire. 

Signs that remind people to keep fire doors shut or locked will ensure they do their job should they ever be needed in the event of a fire. Likewise, signs that prompt people to keep a fire door clear can keep the importance of these vital barriers in mind. 

Fire exit signs contribute to the effectiveness of workplace fire drills, directing workers and any other people out of the building by the nearest escape route. 

As well as saving lives, fire door safety signs are a legal requirement. The Health and Safety Regulations 1996 and BS5499 lay down standards for the size and siting of Fire Door Safety Signs. It states that signs should be fitted on all non-domestic fire doors and be visible at eye level. If these have been damaged or removed, they must be replaced immediately.

What Are the Different Types of Fire Door Safety Signs?

Escape route signs

Escape route signs are typically green in colour and are designed to streamline the process of escaping from a building. They work to direct people to the closest and safest escape route and are commonly placed above doors, in the centre of hallways.

Emergency exit signs 

Emergency exit signs are similar to escape route signs in the sense they are green and help indicate a suggested action/ route rather than a danger, caution, or mandatory action. 

They should be placed in clear view, on both sides of the door and besides the door or mechanism that the sign is referring to so that people can easily understand how to use the mechanism, for example ‘push bar to open’. 

Fire action signs

Fire action signs are mostly blue to indicate actions that must be taken, however colours such as yellow and red can be used to highlight danger.

These signs should be placed next to call points as they will help the user understand what they should do after triggering the alarm, for example what emergency number they should call, where to evacuate and what they should not do. 

2. Intumescent Fire and Smoke Seals

For a door to work effectively, the door leaf must have free movement, and therefore there must be a gap around the perimeter. Intumescent seals are the strips set into the door that quickly swell up when heated to fill the gap between the door and its frame. Intumescent seals should be checked and monitored regularly to check they are not worn, missing or damaged. 

The fire door should also have cold smoke seals which are designed to stop smoke passing through any gaps in the early stages of a fire prior to the fire reaching the high temperatures at which the intumescent strips operate. 

Intumescent seals should be checked regularly to ensure they are in place and are not worn, damaged or missing.

3. Hold Open Devices

Hold open devices work to keep a fire door held open under normal conditions but release the moment the fire alarm goes off. It is essential that as part of the regular maintenance the link to the fire alarm or sound trigger is tested to ensure the door releases.

Regular checks should be undertaken on these devices,  looking for indications of wear and ensuring that the device is fixed securely to the door and frame, not putting excessive stress on the door that will affect performance in the event of a fire. 

4. Door Closing Devices

The door closer is an essential requirement on any fire door that must be “kept shut”. Therefore it is vital that these devices are regularly checked and maintained in the workplace.

Check that the fire door closer is CE marked, and fitted at a minimum power size of 3. You should also check that the arm is securely fixed to the closer body, and all the fixings from the door closer body into the door are present and well secured. If these are all good to go,  ensure the door closes correctly from a wide and narrow angle. You also need to ensure that, when closed, the fire doors are fully and tightly shut, and that the smoke seal is doing its job effectively. 

5. Emergency Exit Hardware

While fire doors are in constant use, others are designated for use only in the event of a fire emergency. If the fire doors in your workplace feature emergency exit devices, these must be CE marked to ensure they have the correct accreditation and should also be tested regularly.

For all of your workplace fire safety needs, take a look at MoreSafe’s wide range of fire safety products, which range from fire extinguishers to fire alarms and everything in between. We also stock fire safety signs to show the location of fire fighting equipment and to help gather people to safe areas in an evacuation.

Written by Kate, for MorSafe Supplies.