What a fire-door RAMS has to cover
Fire doors are passive fire protection, and since the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 and the Building Safety Act they are under more scrutiny than almost any other building element. A fire-door RAMS has two jobs: it covers the physical work — handling heavy certified doorsets, dust from any trimming, working in occupied and often residential buildings, and access — and it shows the compliance context reviewers now expect, because a fire door only performs if it is the right certified product installed exactly to its tested specification.
More detail
Split the work by task: installation of new certified doorsets, inspection of existing doors against the regulations, and fire-damper work in ductwork. They carry different risks and different competence, and reviewers can tell when an inspection RAMS has been copied from an installation one.
Installation: certification and the manufacturer's scheme
A fire door only achieves its rating if it is installed exactly as the tested doorset was certified — so the RAMS and the method must follow BS 8214 and the manufacturer's third-party certification scheme (for example BWF-Certifire or BM TRADA Q-Mark). That means the correct frame, the right intumescent strips and cold-smoke seals, gaps held within tolerance (typically around 2–4 mm), CE/UKCA-marked hinges and a compliant self-closing device, and no on-site modification beyond the certified limits. Over-trimming a leaf or swapping in uncertified hardware voids the certification — and reviewers know it.
Inspection: competence and the regulations
The Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 require the Responsible Person for multi-occupied residential buildings over 11 m to carry out quarterly checks of communal fire doors and to make best endeavours to check flat entrance doors annually. Inspectors are not legally required to be on a register, but they must be demonstrably competent — many now hold a Level 3 fire-door inspection qualification, and the RAMS should name that competence. An inspection checks the intumescent strips and smoke seals, the gaps, the hardware and self-closer, any glazing, and damage, with photographic records — because the dutyholder needs those records to evidence compliance to the fire authority and insurers.
Fire Doors RAMS FAQs
Do fire doors have to be installed to a standard?
Yes. A fire door only performs if it is a certified doorset installed to BS 8214 and the manufacturer's third-party certification scheme. Over-trimming the leaf, wrong gaps or uncertified hardware void the rating, so the method statement has to follow the tested specification exactly.
How often must fire doors be inspected?
Under the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022, the Responsible Person for a multi-occupied residential building over 11 m must carry out quarterly checks of communal fire doors and make best endeavours to check flat entrance doors annually. Other buildings are inspected on a risk basis.
Does a fire-door inspector need a qualification?
There is no mandatory register, but inspectors must be demonstrably competent — able to show they understand the regulations, standards and inspection procedure. In practice many building owners now expect a recognised Level 3 fire-door inspection qualification, and the RAMS should name the competence.
Is there a fire-door report in the builder?
The fire-door templates are in the library now; a configurable builder report is on the way. Open any template and use "Request this RAMS" to be notified. Free during early access.