A suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment is required under article 9 of the Regulatory Reform Fire Safety Order 2005 (RRFSO) and is therefore required by law. Several companies have been prosecuted under the RRFSO for not having a suitable and sufficient risk assessment in place since it was introduced. A fire risk assessment/ Fire strategy Plan will identify the general fire precautions and measures for securing the means of escape which will include information on the location and rating of the fire doors. It will not therefore be possible for a maintainer to implement a suitable maintenance programme in the absence of a fire risk assessment.

It is recommended within the fire safety risk assessment guidance documents produced to incorporate a line drawing showing the fire precautions as part of the risk assessment process. If a line drawing plan has not been compiled it will be necessary for the Responsible Person to provide information on what doors within the building are fire doors and where they are located. This information may be communicated by way of a floor plan and coding reference for each of the doors highlighted. This information must be provided to implement a suitable maintenance programme.

Approved Document B contains an appendix covering fire doors and states performance requirements giving reference to British and European Standards. Where the building is new or undergoing a change of use the fire doors should conform to BS 476-22:1987 or BS EN1634-1:2014 and the local authority building inspector may request evidence of compliance. Any material change or change of use to a building for which the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety Order) 2005 already applies, needs to adhere to the Regulation 38 requirement. This states that fire safety information including all details relating to fire doors and their installation should be provided to the Responsible Person for that building.