Fire-safe doors: practical checklist for businesses

With this checklist, you can easily check whether your doors function correctly and if a doorcloser is needed.

Fire-safe doors with a properly working doorcloser play a crucial role in limiting fire and smoke spread within buildings. In practice, however, many doors do not close properly or are used incorrectly, putting fire safety at risk.

On this page, you will find a practical checklist and clear explanations to quickly check whether the doors in your building function correctly and meet the basic principles of fire safety.

Why well-closing doors are important

Fire-resistant doors are designed to temporarily hold back fire and slow the spread of flames and smoke. This only works if the door actually closes fully and independently with the help of a doorcloser.

In practice, doors often remain open or do not close properly, often because they are not equipped with the right doorcloser. As a result, the door loses its function and fire can spread more quickly within a building.

👉 Important: a door that does not close fully no longer meets fire safety requirements in practice.

Common mistakes with fire-rated doors

  • Door remains open

    The door is held open with a wedge or object and therefore does not close automatically.

  • Does not close completely

    The door does not close properly and thus loses its fire-resistant function.

  • Incorrect adjustment

    The doorcloser is not properly adjusted, causing the door to close too slowly or not completely.

  • No maintenance

    The door and door closer are not regularly checked, causing problems to go unnoticed.

Checklist fire-safe doors

Check with this checklist whether your fire-safe doors function correctly and are used safely.

1. Does the door close properly?

  • Does the door close automatically without assistance?
  • Does the door fully latch?
  • Does the door not get stuck anywhere?

2. Is the installation in order?

  • Is a doorcloser present where needed?
  • Is the closing force correctly set?
  • Does the door close controlled and not too hard?

3. Is the door used properly?

  • Is the door not propped open with a wedge or object?
  • Is the passage free of obstacles?
  • Can the door close unhindered?

4. Is maintenance arranged?

  • Is the door regularly inspected?
  • Does the doorcloser still operate smoothly?
  • Are there no visible damages or wear?

👉 ⚠️ Attention: if a fire door does not fully close, it loses its function in practice.



When is a doorcloser required?

In many situations, doors must close automatically to limit the spread of fire and smoke. This is especially true for fire-resistant doors in partitions between fire compartments and on escape routes.

According to the Building Decree, fire-resistant doors must be self-closing in practice. This means that the door must close automatically and completely after being opened.
A doorcloser is the right solution for this.

In practice, this is almost always solved with a doorcloser. Only in specific situations, such as accessibility or intensive use, can a free-swing doorcloser be applied.

Are you unsure whether a door in your situation must be self-closing? Then it is wise to check this based on the applicable regulations or to carry out an inspection.

View suitable door closers

Do you want to be sure that your doors close correctly and reliably? Check out our range of door closers suitable for professional use and fire-safe applications.

View suitable door closers

Download the checklist (PDF)

Do you want to use this checklist for internal audits or inspections? Download the checklist as a handy overview that you can use directly within your organization.

Suitable for:
- offices and commercial buildings
- warehouses and logistics
- homeowners' associations and property management
- facility and technical management

Download free checklist