Introduction
Hello and welcome to the fifth issue of Industry insights. This insight will focus fire compliance and fire doors.
Ever since the horrible tragedy at Grenfell, fire compliance has been more important than ever. Regulation 38 dictates that property owners, factors, RSLs etc have robust procedures and checks in place by suitable qualified persons in order to meet compliance requirements.
I hope you find this article useful and as always contact details are included should you require a quote or further information.
Fire Doors Aren’t Decorative: Regulation 38, the Golden Thread—and Who Might Die if You Fail to Deliver
Why Regulation 38 Matters—Lives Depend on It
Since the tragic Grenfell Tower fire in 2017, the UK has elevated fire safety to national urgency. A key lesson? Design intent without documentation is worthless. The “golden thread” concept demands accurate, accessible firesafety data from design to occupation—entrusted by Regulation 38 to the “Responsible Person” .
If regulators can’t establish whether a door fitted in a building matches its tested specification, that door is just a decorative hole in the wall.
Regulation 38 in a Snapshot: Responsibilities & Delivery
Who must act?
Anyone involved in building work—contractors, designers, developers—must supply a fire safety information package, no later than practical completion or first occupation—whichever comes first .
What must be handed over?
At the very minimum:
- Asbuilt plans marking escape routes, compartment walls, fire doors and their fire‐ratings (e.g., FD30/FD60)
- Precise fire door data: location, certificate, door leaf, frame, seals, hardware, installation info, inspection and maintenance instructions
- Where relevant: full fire strategy documents, passive/active systems, disable evacuation provisions, instructions for maintenance/management of systems in complex buildings And the Responsible Person must acknowledge receipt and confirm the package is sufficient to operate, maintain, and perform fire risk assessments effectively .
Fire Doors: The Weakest Link in Compliance
A fire door doesn’t act alone—its frame, intumescent seal, hinges, closers, latch and even glazing must match the tested assembly. A mismatch can render an FD30-rated door worthless under fire stress .
Failures often involve:
- Noncertified hardware
- Improper gap tolerances
- Missing or wrong intumescent/smoke seals
- Misaligned or disabled closers
Regulation 38 is only effective if this granular detail is fully documented and handed over.
Why So Many Fail—Then Get Proscribed
In theory, Regulation 38 is straightforward. In practice, it’s widely ignored until a fault appears, or worse, an incident occurs. Common failures include:
- Relying on generic paperwork rather than doorbydoor certificate traceability
- Assuming hardware will last—without a maintenance plan
- Ignoring the Responsible Person’s acknowledgement duty
- Failing to update the fire strategy when plans change midbuild
Once enforcement kicks in under the Fire Safety Order 2005 (Article 30), expect unlimited fines, potential imprisonment, and reputational ruin. Landmark cases such as New Look in 2011, fined £400,000, illustrate severity if fire precautions fail .
The 2025 Pressure Cooker: New Regulations & Spotlight on Fire Doors
While Regulation 38 predates the Fire Safety Scotland) Regulations 2032, the combination of these rules tightens the noose: in highrise residential buildings, flat entrance doors and communal fire doors must be regularly inspected, selfclosing devices maintained, and signage enforced .
Suspicion from regulators is now standard auditing practice. If your handover documentation doesn’t align with actual installations—and routine maintenance logs—you’re walking a legal tightrope.
6. What Needs to Be Done Now
| Action | Why It Matters |
| Start with the fire door inventory: confirm each doors rating, certificate, frame, hardware, seal type and installation notes | Ensures the handover pack matches reality |
| As built drawings and strategies: mark door locations, escape routes, passive and active systems, occupant loads | To support ongoing fire risk assessments |
| Document the maintenance: frequency, responsibilities, how to reinstall certified components | To ensure doors stay compliant over time |
| Ensure the Responsible Person acknowledges: documented handover confirmation is required by law | |
| Train inspectors/users: ensure staff/residents know why doors are critical and how to report faults | |
| Audit changes during construction: update golden thread info if door models or hardware change mid build | |
Final Provocation: What happens if you cut corners?
A fire spreads fast. A degraded or wrongly assembled door doesn’t just violate standards—it kills. A single missing seal or incompatible hinge can nullify a firetested door. A lack of traceable certification turns every fire safety inspection into guesswork.
You didn’t build a castle—and hand your tenant a paper trail—that crumbles under scrutiny.
Regulation 38 is a paper chain. But more importantly: it’s the chain that keeps the door closed when flame comes knocking.
Conclusion: Build Responsibly or Face the Consequences
Fire door compliance is not optional, not minor, and not technical bureaucracy. It’s a moral, legal, and operational responsibility.
Regulation 38 isn’t a boxticking exercise—it’s the final line between safe evacuation and catastrophe.
Stay ahead. Audit your projects. Update your fire safety handover protocols. And if you’re still relying on PDFs and assumptions: get real. Because the real consequences don’t arrive with polite notices—they come as incinerated corridors, broken lives, and criminal courts.
Regan Consultancy works with a number of suitable trained contractors with BM TRADA certification as well as manufacturers who produced goods to BS EN 13501-1:2018 classification should you require to discuss matters further
For any further information on Regan consultancy or any other matters, please feel free to contact us.
