In the current compliance climate, productivity targets are under pressure. Clients want programmes delivered quickly. Principal Accountable Persons want assurance. Contractors want certainty on cost.
But when it comes to fire door surveys, setting a fixed numerical target such as 80 doors per day is not just unrealistic. It is potentially dangerous.
For those operating under the requirements of the Building Safety Act 2022 and the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022, competence, accuracy and evidence are no longer optional extras. They are statutory expectations.
Every door is different
A fire door survey is not a tick box exercise.
Each door set must be assessed in context. That includes:
• Door leaf condition
• Frame and lining integrity
• Intumescent and smoke seals
• Hinges and ironmongery
• Closer performance
• Threshold gaps
• Glazing and vision panels
• Signage
• Installation quality
• Compartmentation interface
No two buildings are the same. No two doors perform in identical conditions.
A residential high rise built in the 1970s presents different risks to a modern student block or a mixed use development. An experienced surveyor will adjust their time and scrutiny accordingly.
Imposing a blanket target such as 80 doors per day assumes uniformity that simply does not exist.
Competence cannot be rushed
The Building Safety Act places clear emphasis on competence. That applies to designers, contractors and those carrying out inspections.
If a surveyor is expected to complete 80 doors in a single day, the mathematics quickly becomes uncomfortable. Allowing for access, travel within the building, documentation, photography and reporting, the time per door drops sharply.
What is sacrificed first is not speed. It is detail.
And detail is precisely what regulators, insurers and residents now expect to see evidenced.
Evidence is the deliverable
Under the Fire Safety England Regulations 2022, responsible persons must ensure fire doors are routinely checked and maintained. For higher risk residential buildings, flat entrance doors and communal doors carry specific inspection requirements.
The output of a compliant survey is not simply a spreadsheet with pass or fail. It is a defensible record.
That means:
• Photographic evidence
• Clear defect categorisation
• Reference to relevant standards
• Practical remedial recommendations
• An audit trail
Rushed surveys increase the likelihood of missed defects, inconsistent grading and inadequate reporting. In the event of enforcement action or post incident scrutiny, that creates exposure for everyone in the dutyholder chain.
Commercial pressure versus regulatory reality
There is understandable commercial pressure to price surveys competitively. A headline rate based on high daily door numbers can appear attractive.
However, under scrutiny, those numbers rarely stand up.
If the survey scope includes intrusive checks, difficult access, resident liaison, multiple risers or legacy installation defects, throughput drops. If the building is occupied and doors are in daily use, time must be allowed for engagement and explanation.
A rigid numeric target ignores these variables.
The more sustainable approach is to programme based on:
• Building type and complexity
• Occupancy profile
• Access arrangements
• Known historic defects
• Required reporting depth
This is the difference between compliance theatre and genuine risk management.
The reputational risk
For managing agents and freeholders, the reputational risk of inadequate fire door inspections is significant.
Following the introduction of the Building Safety Act 2022, residents are more informed and more willing to challenge standards. Regulators have greater powers. Documentation is increasingly requested as a matter of course.
If a survey appears rushed or formulaic, it undermines confidence in the wider safety case.
Quality surveys take professional judgement. They require time on site. They demand experienced surveyors who understand compartmentation, passive fire protection and the regulatory framework.
A measured, defensible approach
At Block Compliance Ltd, our position is straightforward.
Fire door surveys should be scoped properly, priced realistically and delivered competently. Throughput is a by product of building type and complexity, not an arbitrary headline figure.
Setting a number such as 80 doors per day may look efficient on paper. In practice, it risks superficial inspections, weak evidence and increased liability.
In the current regulatory environment, that is not efficiency. It is folly.
If you are reviewing your fire door inspection programme or preparing for further regulatory scrutiny, our team can provide a proportionate, compliant and defensible approach tailored to your building portfolio.
