Fire Door Defects Still Being Found Across UK Buildings Despite Tougher Safety Rules
Despite increased scrutiny on building safety and stricter regulatory requirements in recent years, fire door defects continue to be identified across residential, commercial and public sector buildings throughout the UK, according to fire safety consultancy MAF Associates.
Fire doors are designed to slow the spread of fire and smoke, providing vital protection for building occupants and emergency responders. However, issues such as damaged seals, excessive gaps, faulty self-closing devices and poor maintenance remain common findings during inspections.
MAF Associates is urging building owners, housing providers and facilities managers not to view fire door compliance as a one-off exercise, warning that ongoing inspection, maintenance and record-keeping are essential to ensuring fire doors perform as intended in an emergency.
Mike Fox, Managing Director at MAF Associates, commented:
“Fire doors are one of the most important life safety features within a building, yet they are often overlooked once they have been installed. The reality is that a fire door can only do its job if it is properly maintained and regularly inspected throughout its lifespan.
“We continue to see defects ranging from damaged seals and excessive gaps through to issues with self-closing mechanisms. While some may appear minor, these faults can significantly affect the ability of a fire door to resist the spread of fire and smoke when it matters most.
“The introduction of stronger building safety legislation has undoubtedly improved awareness across the sector, but compliance is about far more than ticking a box. Building owners and responsible persons need to be able to demonstrate that fire safety measures are being actively managed, maintained and documented. The organisations leading the way are those treating compliance as an ongoing responsibility rather than a one-time project.”
Fire doors form a critical part of a building’s passive fire protection strategy by helping to compartmentalise fire and smoke, reducing the risk of rapid fire spread and providing occupants with additional time to evacuate safely.
As regulatory expectations continue to evolve, MAF Associates is encouraging organisations to review their fire door management processes and ensure they can evidence:
- Regular fire door inspections
- Timely remedial works and maintenance
- Competent assessors and contractors
- Accurate records of inspections and repairs
- Integration with wider fire risk management procedures
The consultancy says organisations that take a proactive approach to fire door compliance will be better positioned to meet regulatory expectations, reduce risk and improve building safety outcomes.
MAF Associates provides fire safety engineering, fire risk management and façade fire safety consultancy services across the UK, supporting organisations in understanding and meeting their fire safety responsibilities.