More than three quarters (76%) of the fire doors inspected in 2019 were condemned as not fit for purpose, new data reveals.
The figures, published by the Fire Door Inspection Scheme (FDIS), also show that 30% of fire doors were condemned due to poor installation, with problems including excessive gaps around the door and the use of non-compatible foam.
The FDIS’ data refers to more than 100,000 inspections in over 2,700 buildings across the UK in 2019.
Nearly two thirds (63%) of the buildings inspected had additional fire safety issues and 57% of installed fire doors inspected needed small scale maintenance, with the top three reasons for failures including excessive gaps, smoke sealing issues and poorly adjusted door closers.
Louise Halton, the scheme manager of FDIS, commented: ‘The buildings that our inspectors visit include sleeping accommodation and those that house the elderly, the disabled, and people with mobility or cognitive needs – some of the most vulnerable in our society.
‘However, the latest data shows that the vast majority of fire doors are not fit for purpose. This paints a very worrying picture of the fire safety of the UK’s buildings, and one that we must all play a role in changing for the better to help protect lives.’
