Fire Door Inspection Schedule (UK) – How to Track Checks

A fire door inspection schedule helps Responsible Persons plan, record and track routine fire door checks.

It shows which doors need to be inspected, how often checks are due, when they were last completed and whether any follow-up action is still open.

This page explains what a fire door inspection schedule should include and how it can be used alongside record books, asset labels and inspection tags.

Quick answer: what should a fire door inspection schedule include?

A fire door inspection schedule should normally include:

• door reference or asset ID
• location
• inspection frequency
• last inspection date
• next inspection due date
• status, showing whether attention is required

The schedule should make it clear which doors are due, overdue or awaiting remedial action.

What is a fire door inspection schedule?

A fire door inspection schedule is a planned list of fire doors and inspection dates.

It helps manage routine checks across a building, especially where there are multiple doors or different inspection frequencies.

A schedule is different from an inspection checklist.

• The schedule shows when each door should be checked.
• The checklist shows what should be checked.
• The record log shows what was found and what action was taken.

Our Fire Door Inspection Record Book can help you to maintain all three elements together.

Why inspection schedules are used

Inspection schedules help record that fire door checks are organised rather than ad hoc.

They can help Responsible Persons:

• plan inspections
• avoid missed checks
• identify overdue doors
• track follow-up actions
• show evidence of ongoing management
• prioritise higher-risk doors

They are especially useful in buildings with many fire doors or repeated Fire Risk Assessment (FRA) findings.

Example fire door inspection schedule

The format can vary, but the schedule should be easy to maintain.

How inspection frequency is normally set

There is no single inspection frequency that applies to every fire door in every building.

Inspection frequency is usually based on:

• building type
• door location
• level of use
• risk profile
• Fire Risk Assessment findings
• whether the door protects escape routes
• whether the building includes sleeping accommodation or vulnerable occupants

High-use or higher-risk doors may need more frequent checks than lower-use doors.

The inspection schedule should reflect the approach set by the Fire Risk Assessment and site fire safety arrangements.

How to track overdue checks

A schedule should make overdue checks easy to identify.

This can be done by recording:

• next inspection due date
• whether the inspection has been completed
• whether any doors were missed
• why checks were delayed
• when the missed check was completed

Where checks are missed repeatedly, that may indicate the inspection system is not working properly.

How asset IDs support the schedule

Asset IDs make the schedule easier to manage.

If each fire door has a fixed reference number, the schedule can link directly to:

• inspection records
• inspection tags
• photographs
• contractor reports
• remedial action logs
• Fire Risk Assessment actions

This is especially useful where doors are similar, close together or inspected by different people.

Should inspection tags be updated from the schedule?

Inspection tags can be updated after checks are completed.

A typical process may be:

1. Check the schedule to see which doors are due.
2. Inspect each door using the checklist.
3. Record findings in the record book.
4. Update the inspection tag where used.
5. Raise any remedial actions.
6. Mark the schedule as complete or open.

This creates a clearer link between planning, inspection and evidence.

Common scheduling mistakes

Common problems include:

• not listing every relevant fire door
• using locations without door references
• setting frequencies but not recording completed checks
• recording inspections but not follow-up actions
• not tracking overdue checks
• not updating the schedule after remedial work
• using different schedules across the same site

A simple, maintained schedule is better than a detailed spreadsheet that is not kept up to date.