Fire safety is something that should be taken very seriously by businesses. They need to ensure their employees are safe in their workplace and have appropriate means to escape should there be a fire. This is why fire doors are so important and you should even consider getting fire rated glass doors for the building, to add another layer of protection.
With this being said, NFPA 80 requires building owners to maintain new and existing fire door assemblies in working condition. These fire doors must be inspected and tested NO LESS THAN ANNUALLY.
*CODE UPDATE: All fire door maintenance must be recorded and ready to present during inspections as of July 1, 2016; Documentation will be called upon during surveys as of January 1, 2018 (2012 Life Safety Code). CMS requires compliance documentation annually in healthcare facilities. Fire safety inspections will also check for documents showing that fire alarms in designated areas are in full working order, along with proof of regular system tests.
What do the inspections require?
- No open holes or breaks exist in surfaces of either the door or frame.
- Glazing, vision light frames, and glazing beads are intact and securely fastened in place, if so equipped.
- The door, frame, hinges, hardware, and noncombustible threshold are secured, aligned, and in working order with no visible signs of damage.
- No parts are missing or broken.
- Door clearances do not exceed clearances listed in 4.8.4 and 6.3.1.7.
- The self-closing device is operational; that is, the active door completely closes when operated from the full open position.
- If a coordinator is installed, the inactive leaf closes before the active leaf.
- Latching hardware operates and secures the door when it is in the closed position.
- Auxiliary hardware items that interfere or prohibit operation are not installed on the door or frame.
- No field modifications to the door assembly have been performed that void the label.
- Gasketing and edge seals, where required, are inspected to verify their presence and integrity.
- Labelling
- NFPA 80 requires that all fire door openings (both doors and frames) are required to have a fire rated certification label clearly visible for the AHJ and should not be removed or painted over during the life of the building.