UK fire safety law requires fire doors to be maintained in efficient working order, and they should be kept closed when not in use – never wedged open. In England, the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 add specific duties for multi-occupied residential buildings: communal fire doors must be checked at least every three months and flat entrance doors at least every 12 months (on a best endeavours basis) in buildings over 11 metres tall. If a fire door needs to stay open for everyday use, the accepted solution is an automatic hold-open device or door retainer that releases the door when the fire alarm operates.
This guide summarises the rules, explains how hold-open devices work and points to the standards involved.
What the law says about fire doors
The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005
For most non-domestic premises in England and Wales, and the common parts of blocks of flats, the Fire Safety Order places duties on the "responsible person". Article 17 requires that the premises and any fire safety facilities, equipment and devices are subject to a suitable system of maintenance and are kept "in an efficient state, in efficient working order and in good repair". Fire doors, their self-closing devices and any hold-open devices fall within this duty. What is needed in your premises should come from your fire risk assessment.
The Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022
Regulation 10 of the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 applies to multi-occupied residential buildings in England and became legally binding on 23 January 2023. It sets out three main duties for the responsible person:
- Information for residents – in any building with two or more sets of domestic premises and common parts, residents must be told that fire doors should be kept shut when not in use, that self-closing devices must not be tampered with, and that faults or damage should be reported immediately. This must be given to new residents as soon as reasonably practicable and to all residents every 12 months.
- Quarterly communal door checks – in buildings above 11 metres in height (measured to the top storey), all fire doors in the common parts, including their self-closing devices, must be checked at least every three months.
- Annual flat entrance door checks – in the same buildings, the responsible person must use best endeavours to check flat entrance doors (including self-closers) that lead onto common parts at least every 12 months.
Government guidance explains that these checks are mainly to confirm that self-closing devices work and that doors are in good working order, looking for obvious faults, damage or signs of tampering. Points to consider include alterations to glazing or air grilles, gaps around the frame, the condition of seals and hinges, and whether the closer shuts the door properly.
The regulations apply in England; different rules apply in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Why fire doors must not be wedged open
A fire door only works when it is closed. Wedging or propping it open lets smoke and fire pass through, compromises protected escape routes and can weaken or damage the self-closing device. Official fire risk assessment guidance identifies fire doors being wedged open as one way fire and smoke spread through a building, and London Fire Brigade stresses that doors can save lives if they are shut. Never remove or disconnect a self-closer.
Clear fire safety signs, such as "Fire door keep shut" or "Fire door keep locked", help remind occupants of the rules. Doors fitted with hold-open devices can be marked "Automatic fire door keep clear".
Fire door hold-open devices and door retainers
Where fire doors are used regularly by large numbers of people, or by people who find heavy doors difficult to open, an automatic hold-open device lets the door stay open (or swing freely) during normal use. When the fire alarm operates, the device releases the door and the self-closer shuts it.
Common types
- Electromagnetic door retainers – wall- or floor-mounted magnets wired to the fire alarm system that release the door when the alarm activates or power fails.
- Hold-open door closers – closers with an electromagnetic hold-open feature built in.
- Free-swing (swing-free) closers – the door moves freely in normal use, and the closing spring engages when the fire alarm operates. Government guidance notes these may not suit draughty corridors or buildings used by vulnerable people, as doors could swing uncontrolled.
- Addressable and radio-linked retainers – devices connected to an addressable fire alarm loop or a compatible wireless system.
- Acoustic (battery) devices – self-contained units that listen for the fire alarm sounder and release the door.
You can find electromagnetic, addressable, wireless and acoustic retainers, plus closers and power supplies, in our door hardware and retainers range, alongside fire alarm panels and smoke detectors.
When should a hold-open device release?
Government guidance for premises in England says an automatic hold-open device should release the door so it closes fully within its frame when any of the following happen:
- smoke is detected by an automatic detector;
- the fire alarm is operated manually, for example at a manual call point;
- the fire detection and alarm system fails; or
- the electrical power fails.
The same guidance says devices on doors protecting escape routes should only be installed with an automatic fire detection system that includes smoke detectors designed to protect those routes (see our guide to BS 5839-1 fire alarm categories). It must always be possible to close the door by hand, and a site-specific risk assessment should be carried out before any hold-open device is fitted. Self-contained devices not connected to the fire alarm may be acceptable where a risk assessment shows they are suitable, but they are unlikely to be suitable for doors protecting single stairways or other critical escape routes.
BS 7273-4 and BS EN 1155
BS 7273-4 (currently BS 7273-4:2015+A2:2023) is the code of practice for actuating release mechanisms for doors. It covers the interface between door release mechanisms and the fire detection and alarm system, including acoustic and radio links, for devices that hold open a self-closing door, unlock a secured door or open a powered sliding door on a fire signal. It sets three categories of actuation:
- Critical (Category A) – the highest level of fail-safe performance. Acoustically actuated systems are not suitable for this category.
- Standard (Category B) – fail-safe for faults on the critical signal path or power failure; acoustic actuation might be suitable.
- Indirect (Category C) – for release via other control equipment, such as access control.
The standard recommends a category depending on where the door is. For example, doors enclosing stairways in hotels, HMOs and buildings containing flats call for critical actuation. BS EN 1155 is the product standard for electrically powered hold-open devices for swing doors.
Frequently asked questions
Is it illegal to wedge a fire door open?
Wedging a fire door open defeats its purpose and can put the responsible person in breach of their duty to maintain fire safety measures. Use a hold-open device that releases on fire alarm activation instead.
How often should fire doors be checked?
In multi-occupied residential buildings in England over 11 metres, communal fire doors must be checked at least every three months and flat entrance doors at least every 12 months. In other premises, follow your fire risk assessment.
What is a fire door hold-open device?
A device that holds a self-closing fire door open, or lets it swing freely, and releases it automatically when the fire alarm operates so the door closes.
Do fire door retainers need to be linked to the fire alarm?
Government guidance expects devices on escape routes to be linked to an automatic fire detection system. Self-contained acoustic devices may be acceptable where a risk assessment supports them, but they are unlikely to be suitable for critical escape routes such as single stairways.
This guide is general information; follow your fire risk assessment and a competent person's advice.