Fire door inspections are typically required on an annual basis. Building owners are generally responsible for ordering these inspections to ensure compliance and must maintain thorough documentation for review by the authority having jurisdiction (AHJ). This article covers effective fire door inspection reporting, including tips and resources to help inspectors efficiently generate documentation for their clients.
Fire Door Reporting Tips
Every commercial fire door inspection is different. Some properties may have just a few fire doors, while others may have many. Different properties require different approaches to inspection and reporting. It is important to discuss the property’s details, inspection scope, and documentation expectations with your client ahead of time.
Keep the following inspection and reporting tips in mind:
- Use life safety drawings or schematics. A life safety drawing is a floor plan identifying fire protection and life safety features. Some may label fire doors in fire-rated wall openings using an identification number. If not, you can often infer that openings are fire doors and use the drawing during your inspection for notetaking and routing.
- Use fire door identifiers. A fire door identifier is a labeling system that will help you refer to fire doors in your report. Some doors may have an existing identifier as a label on the door itself or in life safety drawings. Otherwise, inspectors may choose to create their own.
- Use a report schedule. A schedule is a chart that organizes and lists each fire door’s information and any relevant notes. This helps inspectors clearly summarize what is present at the property and identifies any issues.
- Create a consistent report form. Many AHJs require specific information to be listed on the inspection report for proper documentation.
For instance, the NFPA requires the following items to be documented and provided to clients, at a minimum:
- date of inspection;
- name of facility;
- address of facility;
- name of person(s) performing the inspection and testing;
- company name and address of each inspected and tested fire door;
- signature of inspector of record;
- individual record of each inspected and tested fire door;
- opening identifier and location of each inspected and test fire door assembly;
- type and description of each inspected and tested fire door;
- verification of visual inspection and functional operation; and
- a list of deficiencies.
Fire Door Inspection Report Generator
The Fire Door Inspection Reporter is an online report generator for inspectors to use in the field. This Reporter consists of a form to complete for each fire door present, including single and dual-leaf swinging doors, rolling doors, and sliding doors. It allows you to follow the inspection procedure and scope of Section 17 of the ComSOP’s International Standards of Practice for Inspecting Commercial Fire Doors and to document any issues with photos. Once the form is completed, an editable Word.doc is generated for you to download that summarizes the information. Each form generated will note whether a specific fire door passed or failed your inspection.
Inspectors can compile the forms generated for each door to provide clients with easy-to-follow documentation, including an executive summary and/or schedule. Consider adding a note in your report stating that any fire door that fails inspection requires re-inspection once the issue has been resolved. Updated documentation is required for the fire door once it meets a passing condition.
Fire Door Inspection Training
Get trained to perform fire door inspections with this online, on-demand course. Learn how to inspect swinging, sliding, and rolling fire doors in commercial buildings using industry standards. You’ll identify common issues, communicate findings effectively, and follow a three-part inspection process: visual inspection, operational check, and simulation (drop) test. The course is based on Section 17 of the ComSOP’s International Standards of Practice for Inspecting Commercial Fire Doors.
Fire Door Inspection Checklist
Additional fire door field guides and inspection checklists are available to help inspectors develop their own protocols and understand the scope of a fire door inspection. Separate checklists are provided for swinging fire doors and for sliding and rolling fire doors that outline key items to assess and report on.