Following the Grenfell Tower Inquiry, the upcoming fire safety bill will state that fire door surveys will need to be conducted in all blocks of flats, every three months.
The FIA (Fire Industry Association) last week reported upon this proposed big change in the law. Currently there is no specific legislation in place that requires fire doors surveys to be underaken, but these sorts of assessments play a huge role in fire safety.
Although changes such as the fire door surveys have come about following the Grenfell Tower Inquiry Report, the report in itself only stated that “all fire doors, including their closers, should be routinely checked or inspected by a suitably qualified professional.” However, it seems the government wants to take this more seriously and it will be insisting on checks every three months.
The FIA’s article highlighted that “Housing secretary Robert Jenrick has stated that a fire safety bill that includes all of the Grenfell Tower inquiries recommendations will be implemented ‘very swiftly’”, whilst also then commenting that “we are currently in a period of systemic change in the fire and construction industries [and] it remains to be seen the extent of the role that the government will play in increasing fire safety.”
There is no doubt that changes will be made following the tragedy of Grenfell Tower but the government also wants to implement the changes correctly. The FIA further stated that “before this is legislated into law the The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government is understood to be asking building owners whether quarterly fire door inspections are feasible, with the aim of making it part of their wide-ranging fire safety reforms.”
Fire safety could not be more important, and to do it properly a suitably qualified professional needs to carry out the checks. There can be no room for error.
When did you last check your Fire Doors? If you don’t feel you’re up to date with your Fire Safety checks then please get in touch.
Stop fire before it stops you.