22 September ‘Recgonise it, report it’: Fire door safety week 2025 Fire door safety week 2025 Fire doors are a fundamental component of fire protection in commercial, industrial and many residential and healthcare settings. Designed to contain the spread of fire and smoke, they provide vital time for safe evacuation and emergency response by preventing the spread of fire in an emergency. When is a fire door not a fire door? Fire doors will only work if they are kept closed and in good condition. Research shows that whilst most people believed that propping a fire door open stops it from working, over half of those surveyed would not take action if they saw a propped fire door, or may not know who to report this to. Two common issues are the removal of self-closing devices and propping fire doors open. Reasons for doing so are often not malicious – for example to allow better airflow, for the ease of foot traffic, or to move large items through doorways. However, these actions will render the fire door useless in an emergency. By leaving a fire door open, it is no longer able to delay the evacuation window, and provide no protection against the damaging effects of fire and smoke inhalation. If you have a fire door in a heavy footfall area, consideration could be given to fitting an automatically closing fire door retainer (such as a Dorgard). These hold doors open, and automatically close on the sounding of a fire alarm. Often, people prop fire doors open without thinking about or understanding the consequences. Clear signage, proper instruction and regular fire safety training can help everyone understand and appreciate the role fire doors play in building safety. What makes a fire door compliant? Fire Door Safety Week is an annual campaign run in September by the British Woodworking Federation and the BWF Fire Door Alliance. As part of the campaign. A five-step fire door checklist has been shared to help people recognise and report problems with fire doors: Certification: The door is third-party certified to meet fire safety standards Gaps: Gaps around the fire door do not exceed the recommended maximum Seals: Intumescent seals are fitted correctly and are undamaged Closing: The door closes fully without sticking Hinges: Secure, fixed and functional with no missing or broken screws How to maintain fire doors There is a legal duty to maintain fire doors for all tenanted buildings. Landlords/building managers are required to ensure that fire doors are maintained. This can be done through inspection as part of a fire risk assessment and professional fire door inspection. Routine inspections should be conducted to ensure all doors are functional and compliant. Fire door policies should be shared with and reinforced to all building users/tenants. Adopting a ‘recognise it, report it’ approach encourages vigilance in fire door safety, not only with those in charge, but across the board. If you need any support with fire door inspections, fire risk assessments or safety training, reach out to LRB Consulting Ltd.