Fire doors, as we all know, prevent the spread of fire and smoke within a structure. For this reason, an effective fire protection system must have fire doors as an essential part of the overall layout.

The disastrous loss of so many lives in recent years has led to modifications of the standards related to fire doors. Unfortunately, running a large facility requires addressing a variety of other issues besides fire hazards. Nevertheless, if there is a fire, fire doors are critical to the safety and well-being of building occupants and emergency responders.

To ensure maximum compliance with fire door regulations, follow these five simple tips:

1. Know Your Codes

The first step in ensuring your fire doors are compliant is knowing the codes and standards of your jurisdiction. 

For example, NFPA 101, Life Safety Code, requires that all fire doors be inspected annually and maintained in a state of serviceability. 

Annual fire door inspections are not only required by code, but they also help ensure the protection and well-being of building occupants and emergency responders. Additionally, these inspections are essential for documenting a fire door’s service history to ensure the integrity of your fire door system.

In addition, you must know if it is a normal-use fire door or a special-use fire door. Another vital code to know is NFPA 80, Fire Doors and Fire Windows, which defines the minimum performance capabilities of fire doors.

2. Know Your Fire Doors

Knowing your fire door code isn’t enough. You must also be familiar with the types and characteristics of your fire doors, including how to inspect and test them. 

You must know, for example, if your fire doors are normal-use fire doors or special-use fire doors because the recommended inspection methods differ.

Normal-use fire doors must be inspected annually by a qualified person to verify the door can be closed and locked, that the door is in a state of serviceability, and that the operating hardware is in working order. 

Special-use fire doors, like fire doors in stairways, must be inspected annually by a qualified person to verify its authenticity. Signs should show no visual indication that the door has been tampered with, that the door is in a state of serviceability to ensure that operating hardware is in working order.

3. Update Your Inspection Certifications

Remember, you’re responsible for inspecting all fire protection components, including fire doors. For example, if you have a fire door that is not in a state of serviceability, you violate NFPA 101. This is why it is important to have fire door certificate holders on your staff knowledgeable about fire door inspection, test, and maintenance.

4. Know Your Fire Door Inspector

Don’t forget to check in on your fire door inspectors. Are they familiar with the fire door codes? Are they inspecting fire doors per code? Are they familiar with the types and characteristics of fire doors? If you don’t know the answers to these questions, have a conversation with your fire door inspection staff.

5. Document Your Fire Door Inspections

Documenting your fire door inspections is just as important as the inspection itself. Ensure to include the inspection results (whether they be successful or unsuccessful) along with the date, name, and signature of the inspector. This documentation will be necessary if you are audited and help ensure your fire doors remain in compliance.

Digital documents are your best friend in maintaining compliance. With digital document management, you can use a PDF maker to create a PDF from one or multiple scanned documents in one shot. This not only lessens time but also helps ensure accuracy.

Conclusion

Even if you have fire doors that comply, do you know if they are still in working order? Fire doors are fundamental elements of any fire protection system. This is why it’s your role to ensure that building occupants and emergency responders are protected from fire and smoke. Thankfully, you can get the right tools to ensure your building’s safety.

All Things Inspector is your one-stop resource for building code training and solutions such as fire door inspection and more. We are striving to be the top eLearning marketplace. We offer a blog, and an online store where you may acquire specialty products you require, such as a door gap gauge. If you work in the inspection business, we have the inspection tools you need. Call us today!