Installing and Maintaining Doors

Have You Checked Your Fire Doors Recently?

18 May 2021

Camila Pena

You may know that building owners are required to supply an annual fire safety statement to their local authorities and the local fire service. What you may not know is exactly what is involved in acquiring this statement. If you are wondering how to get the statement completed, here is everything that you need to know.

You can't complete the statement

If you were hoping to pick up a form and fill it in on your own, you would be disappointed. The annual fire safety statement must be completed by a competent fire safety practitioner (CFSP). It will be the responsibility of the CFSP to confirm that the building remains safe for use and that the same fire safety measures exist as when the building was finished. The CFSP must walk through the entire building and check that the routes to each building exit are available for use in an emergency, but this is not all that a CFSP must do.

What's included in the annual fire safety statement?

An annual fire safety statement will cover every element relating to fire safety. Having a clear exit path for your staff is essential, but there is more to be done. Before an annual fire safety statement can be produced, the CFSP must check each of the building's fire doors to ensure that they are clear of obstruction and that they can be closed properly to prevent a fire from spreading and quickly engulfing the building. Fire doors are available in several varieties, and you must determine what type of fire doors are fitted to the building and see how frequently they must be inspected.

Finding a competent fire safety practitioner

When you need a CFSP to complete an annual fire safety statement for your building, you must make the right choice. If your statement is incomplete or not filed on time, you could be exposing your company to operational restrictions or financial penalties. To avoid any inconvenience, you must find a CFSP who has completed many inspections on buildings that are similar to yours. An experienced individual will know what to look for when they tour the building. They will understand how to complete the paperwork and ensure that it reaches the relevant departments in good time. If you have any concerns about the inspection process, an experienced CFSP will be able to supply the answers and put your mind at ease.

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