Fire doors are an essential element of passive fire protection and prevention. These doors are specially built to withhold dangerous flames and smoke for at least 30 minutes, ensuring that the occupants have a safe route to evacuate the building. They also minimise the financial losses by containing the fire and not letting it spread to other rooms.

In the UK, the average response time is 9 minutes and 13 seconds for primary fires.

Fire doors are a legal requirement in many premises and failing to properly install and maintain them could result in prosecution, hefty fines, and even prison time. If you run a business or owns/manages properties, you should be familiar with fire safety legislation.

What are the legal requirements for a fire door?

In this article we will discuss the main fire door regulations in the UK.

Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (RRO)

The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 consolidates fire safety legislation in England and Wales, placing a duty on the "Responsible Person" of non-domestic premises to ensure fire precautions are in place to protect occupants and reduce risks. It requires regular fire risk assessments, emergency planning, fire detection, and maintenance of fire safety measures.

The Order gives enforcing authorities the power to inspect, issue notices, and prosecute non-compliance, ensuring fire safety is prioritised across various premises.

The FSO highlights the importance of fire doors as an essential part of fire safety and prevention. Under this regulation, fire doors must be properly maintained, equipped with appropriate self-closing devices, and not obstructed or left open.

Fire Safety Act 2021

The Fire Safety Act 2021 amends the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (the Fire Safety Order). It clarifies and extends the responsibilities of Responsible Persons, such as employers, managing agents, or freeholders. It ensures that fire safety regulations cover the structure, external walls, cladding, balconies, and entrance doors between individual flats and common areas in multi-occupied residential buildings.

The Act emphasises that the "Responsible Person" must account for these elements in fire risk assessments. This Act expands the scope of the fire risk assessment previously established to include flat entrance doors that open into communal areas in multi-occupied residential buildings.

Fire safety (england) regulations 2022

The Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 were created in response to the Grenfell Tower tragedy imposing new duties on the Responsible Person. It became clear that the construction standards should be improved to ensure the occupants' safety and protect people’s lives.

This legislation establishes that the Responsible Person, including both building owners and others with control of the premises, should ensure that the premises are compliant. Under the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022, fire doors must be properly installed and maintained to adequately resist the spread of fire and smoke. The doors must be routinely checked and inspected to ensure they are in good working order.

The Building Safety Act 2022

The Building Safety Act 2022 was another piece of legislation introduced as a response to the Grenfell Tower tragedy with the goal of enhancing building safety in the UK. The Act focuses on creating a comprehensive regulatory framework for higher-risk buildings, which are defined as those over 18 metres tall or with seven or more stories. It also discusses the responsibilities of building owners and managers regarding safety, introducing stricter oversight and regulations, and establishes the Building Safety Regulator to enforce compliance.

Additionally, the Act provides legal recourse for residents to hold building owners accountable for safety failures, aiming to prevent future tragedies by ensuring safer living environments for all.The Act mandates that fire doors must be regularly inspected and maintained by the building owners and managers who are also required to provide the occupants with clear information about the importance of fire doors and how to properly use them.

What buildings need fire doors?

As already discussed, fire doors are extremely important to ensure safety, prevent the spread of fire and smoke, and allow for safe evacuation during an emergency. The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, Fire Safety Act 2021, Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022, and Building Safety Act 2022 together establish where fire doors are legally required. Failure to comply could result in prosecution and having the premises shut down.

Here is a breakdown of the kinds of buildings that should have fire doors:

Residential Buildings:
- Multi-Occupied Residential Buildings: Buildings with multiple flats or apartments, such as blocks of flats, should have fire doors installed in key areas. These include flat entrance doors leading into communal areas, staircases, and corridors to prevent fire from spreading between flats and to protect escape routes.
- Houses of Multiple Occupation (HMO): Houses with several tenants sharing common spaces should have fire doors in all occupied rooms, shared spaces, and kitchen.
Non-Domestic Buildings:
- Workplaces and Offices: Any commercial premises, including offices, factories, and warehouses, should have fire doors in place to protect employees and visitors. Doors are typically installed between different workspaces, corridors, stairwells, and in areas with higher fire risks, such as kitchens, storage rooms, and electrical rooms.
- Public Buildings: Schools, hospitals, government offices, libraries, and museums. Fire doors should be installed to divide different sections of the building, protecting evacuation routes and slowing the spread of fire.
- Retail and Hospitality Premises: Shops, restaurants, hotels, and other commercial hospitality establishments must have fire doors to protect customers and staff.
High-Risk Buildings:
- Buildings with External Cladding or Balconies: Fire doors are essential in buildings that have external walls with cladding, balconies, or other features that could accelerate the spread of fire.
- High-Rise Buildings: Buildings over 18 metres tall or with seven or more stories are considered higher-risk and must have fire doors installed in communal areas, staircases, and escape routes to enhance the safety of occupants.
Mixed-Use Buildings:
- Buildings with a Mix of Residential and Commercial Use: Buildings that have a combination of residential and commercial spaces, for example shops or offices on lower floors and flats above, must have fire doors installed in both the residential and commercial areas.
Hotels and Hostels:
- Accommodation Buildings: Hotels, hostels, and guest houses must have fire doors in key areas to protect guests and ensure a safe escape route. The doors must be installed in guest room entrances, stairwells, corridors, and communal areas such as dining rooms and kitchens.
Healthcare Facilities:
- Hospitals, Nursing Homes, and Care Homes: Fire doors are crucial in healthcare settings to protect vulnerable patients and staff. The doors must be installed in wards, between departments, in stairwells, and along corridors to ensure that fire is contained and evacuation routes remain protected.

Ensuring your premises are adequately equipped to prevent and stop fires is a legal requirement and can save lives. At MDC Fire Doors, we supply high-quality third-party certified fire doors for any needs. We provide FD30, FD60, Doubles, Flat Entrances, and other fire ratings under request.

Contact us today for a quote and protect your premises.

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Fire Doors Legislation & Regulations

What are the legal requirements for a fire door?

Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (RRO)

Fire Safety Act 2021

Fire safety (england) regulations 2022

The Building Safety Act 2022

What buildings need fire doors?

Here is a breakdown of the kinds of buildings that should have fire doors:

Residential Buildings:

Non-Domestic Buildings:

High-Risk Buildings:

Mixed-Use Buildings:

Hotels and Hostels:

Healthcare Facilities: