Fire Door Inspections vs Fire Risk Assessments
Fire door inspections and fire risk assessments are both important, but they serve different purposes. This guide explains how they differ, how they relate to each other and what duty holders can expect from each.
This is general guidance only. Always refer to competent advice and the latest legislation and guidance for your specific premises.
What is a fire risk assessment?
A fire risk assessment looks at the building as a whole. It considers how fire might start and spread, who could be affected and what measures are in place to manage and mitigate that risk. It typically covers management arrangements, escape routes, compartmentation, fire detection, alarms, emergency lighting, signage and more.
A fire risk assessment is usually a higher-level review. While the assessor will consider fire doors as part of the wider picture, they may not inspect every individual door in detail.
What is a fire door inspection?
A fire door inspection focuses specifically on the fire doors within a building. It involves a detailed check of each door set included in the scope, looking at:
- The door leaf, frame and surrounding structure
- Gaps and clearances at the head, jambs and threshold
- Intumescent strips and cold smoke seals
- Hinges, closers, locks and other ironmongery
- Glazing and vision panels where present
- Signage and condition
The result is a door-by-door report that identifies non-conformities and recommends remedial actions or replacement where appropriate.
How do they relate to each other?
A fire risk assessment and a fire door inspection are complementary. The risk assessment gives you an overall view of how well your fire safety measures are working together. The fire door inspection provides detailed information on one of those measures – the fire doors.
In many cases, a risk assessment will recommend that a separate, detailed fire door inspection is carried out, especially in larger or higher-risk buildings.
If you are looking for an independent view on the condition of your fire doors, our independent fire door inspectors page explains how we work with duty holders across London and the South East.
When might you need a specific fire door inspection?
You might commission a dedicated fire door inspection when:
- You have a large number of doors and need a clear, structured view of their condition
- You have carried out significant refurbishment or replacement works
- Your fire risk assessment has highlighted concerns about door condition or performance
- You are taking on a new building or portfolio and need a baseline
- You are planning a long-term maintenance or investment programme
What does each type of report look like?
While formats vary, you can usually expect:
- Fire risk assessment: narrative findings and an action plan at building level, perhaps with some examples of issues found.
- Fire door inspection: a door-by-door schedule, photographs, defect descriptions and specific recommendations for each door.
Using both effectively
Together, a robust fire risk assessment and a structured fire door inspection give you both the big picture and the detailed information you need to manage risk. The key is to ensure that findings are acted on and that both documents are treated as live tools rather than one-off exercises.
If you would like to understand what a fire door inspection report could look like for your buildings, we are happy to talk through example structures and approaches.