Fire Doors in Schools: What Every Site Team Should Check
Fire doors are one of the most important — and most neglected — pieces of fire safety equipment in a school. Here's what to check, how often, and what the law expects.
Fire doors are life-safety equipment. When a fire starts, they hold back smoke and flames long enough for pupils and staff to evacuate — but only if they close properly, seal properly and haven't been wedged open with a chair since September.
In our audits, fire doors are one of the most common areas of non-compliance we find in schools. The good news is that most problems are cheap and quick to fix once you know what to look for.
Why fire doors fail in schools
Schools are hard on doors. Hundreds of pupils pass through them every hour, trolleys and lunch carts knock them out of alignment, and busy corridors create a strong temptation to prop them open. The most common failures we see are:
- Doors wedged or propped open — the single most frequent issue, and it completely defeats the purpose of the door
- Damaged or missing intumescent strips and smoke seals around the frame
- Excessive gaps between the door and frame (more than 4mm means smoke gets through)
- Broken or disconnected self-closers, or closers adjusted so weakly the door doesn't latch
- Unapproved repairs — an ordinary hinge or a hardware-store letterplate can invalidate the door's fire rating
The simple monthly check
Your site team can carry out a basic fire door check in a few minutes per door:
- Close the door fully. Does it close and latch by itself from any position?
- Check the gaps around the door with the door closed — aim for 2–4mm at the sides and top.
- Inspect the intumescent strip and smoke seal. Are they intact, continuous and firmly fixed?
- Look at the hinges. Three hinges minimum, all screws in place, no visible damage or leaking oil.
- Check the glazing. Any cracks in fire-rated glass, or loose beading, need attention.
- Confirm the door isn't wedged, propped or tied open anywhere along its swing.
Record every check. If it isn't written down, an inspector will treat it as if it never happened — and after an incident, so will an insurer.
What the law expects
Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, the responsible person must ensure fire doors are maintained in efficient working order. For schools this usually sits with the headteacher, business manager or trust estates lead — and "we didn't know it was broken" is not a defence if no inspection regime exists.
Our guidance is straightforward:
| Check | Who | How often |
|---|---|---|
| Visual walk-through | Site team | Weekly |
| Functional check (closing, seals, gaps) | Site team | Monthly |
| Full inspection and survey | Competent specialist | Annually |
Where Schools Safe fits in
Fire door surveys are part of our FireSafe service. Every door on your site is inspected, photographed and logged in your dashboard, with clear actions where remediation is needed — so you always have live evidence of a working inspection regime.
If you're not confident your fire doors would pass an inspection tomorrow, that's exactly the sort of thing a free safety review will tell you.
Need help with this in your school?
Our specialists deal with exactly these issues every day. Book a free safety review and get a clear picture of where your school stands.
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