Fire Risk Assessments vs Fire Door Surveys: Why you need both for Compliance

Many landlords and property managers wonder whether a fire risk assessment alone is enough or if a separate fire door survey is required. The answer is that both are essential.

Each plays a different role in compliance and safety. A fire risk assessment gives the bigger picture of risks across the building. A fire door survey provides detailed assurance that doors will perform in an emergency. Together, they create a complete, compliant fire safety plan.

When it comes to protecting lives and property, fire safety isn’t just about ticking boxes. It’s about making sure every possible barrier against fire and smoke is in place and acting effectively.

While they are different in scope, both a fire risk assessment and a fire door survey play vital roles in keeping people and properties safe.

 What is a Fire Risk Assessment?

A fire risk assessment is the foundation of any fire safety strategy. It provides a detailed overview of how a building performs in the event of fire and highlights any risks or hazards that could put occupants at risk. 

During a fire risk assessment, a qualified assessor inspects the building and identifies potential issues. These can include blocked escape routes, inadequate signage, faulty alarms or poor compartmentation.

As part of a fire risk assessment, a visual inspection of the fire doors is completed. Our assessor will look for obvious issues that might compromise a door’s ability to contain fire and smoke. For example, they may make note of excessive gaps, damaged or missing seals, broken closers or doors that fail to shut properly.

It’s important to recognise that this inspection is non-intrusive. The assessor won’t dismantle the door, test its core or carry out hands-on inspections. The purpose is to highlight visible concerns and recommend whether a more detailed fire door inspection should be carried out by a specialist.

What is the Role of a Fire Door Survey?

Fire doors are specially designed and installed to reduce and contain the spread of fire and smoke, protecting escape routes for evacuation. Because of their critical role, fire doors require specialist inspection and maintenance.

A fire door survey, or inspection, goes further into the performance and effectiveness of your fire doors including:

• Checking intumescent strips and seals
• Test closes and hinges
• Review certification
• Intrusive checks on the core or glazing

The inspection results in a pass or fail assessment backed by a detailed schedule of works, often forming the evidence needed to demonstrate compliance with fire safety regulations.

Under the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022, landlords and responsible persons are required to carry out annual fire door surveys.

The Importance of Both Fire Risk Assessments and Fire Door Surveys

A fire risk assessment is the starting point. It gives you a broad overview of fire safety risks and identifies where further action is required. Whilst fire door surveys provide the technical assurance that each door will perform as intended in an emergency.

Together, they create a complete picture: the FRA sets the strategy, while fire door surveys ensure a key piece of safety equipment is fit for purpose.

Fire Risk Assessments at T2 Fire

At T2 Fire, we conduct and deliver comprehensive fire risk assessments that give you clarity and confidence. We will highlight any concerns with your fire doors as part of this process and advise if a dedicated fire door survey is required. This way, you can be sure there are no gaps in your fire safety plan.

Fire safety isn’t about choosing between assessments and surveys, it’s about recognising how they work alongside one another. A fire risk assessment builds the framework for safety, and fire door inspections fill in the details.

We provide fire risk assessments across the entirety of London, Kent and Essex. Request a quote online today to stay compliant.