Fire doors are the most inspected, most failed, and most misunderstood element of passive fire protection. Here's everything responsible persons need to know about the new inspection requirements.. Fire Doors: The Most Critical — and Most Failed — Element Fire doors are the workhorses of passive fire protection. They compartmentalise buildings, protect escape routes, and buy time for evacuation and firefighting. Yet they are also the element most likely to fail inspection. The Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022, Article 24, introduced mandatory quarterly inspection of fire doors in common areas of residential buildings over 11 metres. Since enforcement began, the failure rate has been staggering . What the Law Requires For buildings over 11 metres: Quarterly checks of all fire doors in common areas (including self closing devices) Annual checks of flat entrance doors (best efforts basis) Records of all inspections must be maintained Residents must be informed of the importance of their flat entrance doors For buildings over 18 metres (higher risk): All of the above, plus Fire door information must be included in the Residents' Engagement Strategy Building Safety Case must include fire door condition assessment Monthly checks recommended by BSR guidance The Most Common Failures Based on Magnus Opifex inspection data from 15,000+ fire doors inspected in 2025: Defect Failure Rate Self closer not functioning correctly 34% Excessive gaps ( 3mm at head/jambs) 28% Intumescent strips missing or painted over 22% Smoke seals damaged or absent 19% Door leaf damaged (holes, splits) 15% Wrong door furniture (letter plates, cat flaps) 12% Glazing not fire rated or missing beading 8% Hinges incorrect (fewer than 3, non CE marked) 7% How to Conduct a Compliant Inspection Visual check (every door, every quarter): 1. Close the door — does the self closer fully latch it? 2. Check gaps — 2 4mm at head and jambs, maximum 8mm at threshold 3. Inspect intumescent strips — present, intact, not painted over? 4. Check smoke seals — present and intact? 5. Examine door leaf — no holes, damage, or unauthorised modifications? 6. Verify glazing — fire rated glass with intact beading? 7. Check hinges — minimum 3 hinges, CE marked, secure? 8. Inspect door furniture — no letter plates, cat flaps, or oversized spy holes? Record keeping: Date of inspection Door location (unique identifier) Inspector name and competence Defects found Remedial actions required and timeline Confirmation of remedial completion The Cost of Getting It Wrong Fire door non compliance carries serious consequences: Enforcement notices from fire and rescue services Civil penalties from the Building Safety Regulator (up to £150,000) Criminal prosecution for persistent non compliance Insurance invalidation if fire doors are found non compliant after an incident Personal liability for responsible persons In the Grenfell Tower Inquiry, fire doors were identified as a critical failure point. Doors that should have provided 30 minutes of fire resistance failed in as little as 15 minutes due to poor maintenance and incorrect specifications. Building a Sustainable Inspection Programme 1. Create a fire door register — unique ID for every fire door in the building 2. Use digital inspection tools — tablet based inspection with photo evidence 3. Train inspection staff — minimum FDIS Level 3 or equivalent 4. Establish a replacement programme — budget for door replacement at 25 year intervals 5. Engage residents — explain why flat entrance doors must not be modified 6. Maintain audit trail — digital records accessible to BSR on request Magnus Opifex provides fire door inspection programmes, training, and replacement specifications. Contact us for a fire door audit.