The National Fire Chiefs Council guidance specifies that FD30S fire doors in care homes must be inspected at minimum every six months by a competent person. Buildings with higher-risk occupancy profiles, recent refurbishment or a history of door damage should move to quarterly inspections.
Why this matters
Six-monthly is the floor, not the standard. If your building has any indicators of elevated risk high footfall, dementia units, history of held-open doors quarterly inspection is the defensible position. NFCC guidance is what a Fire and Rescue Service officer will reference if they attend your premises.
What to do
- 1Review your current inspection frequency against NFCC guidance if you are at annual, move to six-monthly immediately.
- 2Document the inspection schedule formally, with named responsible person and sign-off requirement for each inspection.
- 3Consider moving to quarterly for any unit housing residents with dementia, where door-holding behaviour is common.
Primary source
NFCC Fire Door Guidance for Care Homes
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