Before you start: establish what you are checking
A Fire Door should not be judged against a single generic specification without understanding its location, purpose and required performance. For a competent inspection, establish the relevant doorset information and expected fire- and smoke-resistance performance where that information is available.
Routine Responsible Person checks are different. The current GOV.UK guidance for England describes simple checks intended to identify obvious defects that could undermine a door already assessed as suitable by the fire risk assessment.
Practical Fire Door inspection checklist
1. Door identity and location
- Record a clear door reference.
- Record property, floor/area and location.
- Record door type or configuration where known.
- Confirm you are inspecting the intended door before recording findings.
2. Door leaf, frame and surrounding construction
- Look for damage, splits, holes, warping or unauthorised alterations.
- Check the frame and its visible condition.
- Note visible issues at the interface with the surrounding wall.
- Record anything that may affect the ability to resist fire or smoke.
3. Glazing and apertures
- Check visible glazing for damage.
- Check any letterbox or other aperture for obvious damage, alteration or jamming.
- Where components have been added or replaced, record uncertainty about compatibility for competent review.
4. Hinges, locks and ironmongery
- Check hinges and visible fixings for condition and movement.
- Check locks, latches and other fitted ironmongery for obvious defects.
- Record missing, loose, damaged or altered components.
5. Gaps around the door
- Check the fit of the leaf within the frame and at the threshold.
- Measure where the inspection scope requires measurement.
- Assess results against the applicable doorset requirement or inspection standard rather than assuming one gap value fits every door.
6. Intumescent strips and smoke seals
- Where strips or seals are present, check that they are not obviously damaged, missing or interrupted.
- Do not assume their absence automatically proves failure on an older door; the relevant design, risk assessment and competent judgement matter.
7. Self-closing and operational behaviour
- Check that a self-closing door closes properly from an appropriate open position.
- Check that it is not wedged or otherwise prevented from closing.
- Where a selector or hold-open arrangement is present, check only within the scope and competence of the inspection.
8. Alterations, damage and anything unusual
- Record visible alterations or repairs.
- Record damage not covered elsewhere.
- Record access limitations or items not checked.
- Escalate uncertainty where the door’s required performance or component compatibility cannot be established.
Record the issue and the next action
A useful inspection record should do more than mark a door as “pass” or “fail”. Record the specific observation, its location on the door, supporting evidence, what follow-up is proposed and who is responsible for deciding or carrying out that action.
The GOV.UK routine-check template for England includes the issue identified, proposed action, timescale and responsible person. That is a useful minimum discipline even when a more detailed competent inspection uses a richer defect schedule.
When should a routine check become a competent inspection?
Escalate where the issue cannot be resolved through simple observation, where the required performance is uncertain, where there may be incompatible components or significant alteration, or where the fire risk assessment requires specialist assessment. Software can structure the record; it does not replace competent judgement.
Run Fire Door inspections from your phone or tablet.
Capture structured findings and evidence against the correct Fire Door, work offline after preparation and keep the inspection connected to review and reporting.