Care Homes

FD30S as a minimum at every bedroom door and habitable room entrance, with smoke seals. FD60S is needed at doors onto protected stairways and in care homes above 11 metres. The "S" denotes smoke seals, which are mandatory in care homes because cold-smoke inhalation is one of the larger fatality risks in this setting.

The CQC does not inspect fire doors directly, but its KLOEs (Key Lines of Enquiry) under the "Safe" domain explicitly check whether the registered manager is maintaining fire safety in line with the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. In practice, this means a documented fire door inspection programme — quarterly checks on communal fire doors are recommended best practice. The local fire and rescue authority can carry out audits separately at any time.

Only certified hold-open devices that release automatically on fire alarm activation. Door wedges, hooks, and any manual hold-open device are never acceptable. The hold-open device must be tested to BS 7273-4 and connected to the building's fire detection system so that all doors close simultaneously when the alarm sounds.

Yes — pyro-resistant glazed fire doors are common in care-home corridors because they allow staff to see into bedrooms without opening the door. The glazing must be part of the manufacturer's tested assembly. FD30S glazed doors are widely available; FD60S glazed doors are more restricted on maximum panel size, so check the test evidence before specifying.

The CQC does not enforce fire safety law directly, but it inspects whether a registered provider meets its fundamental standards — principally Regulation 12 (Safe care and treatment) and Regulation 15 (Premises and equipment). In fire-safety terms that means: a current, competent fire risk assessment that explicitly covers compartmentation and fire doors; a documented fire door inspection and maintenance regime; traceable certification for every fire door with a clear remedial-action trail; and trained staff carrying out routine visual checks. Missing or out-of-date evidence can lead to the "Safe" domain being rated inadequate.

When CQC inspectors look at fire safety they assess evidence rather than carrying out a technical fire-door survey themselves. A CQC fire assessment checks that the registered manager can produce a current fire risk assessment, a fire strategy, fire door inspection records, staff fire-training logs and a remedial-action trail, and that fire safety is being managed in line with the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. The technical inspection of the doors should be carried out separately by a competent inspector under BS 8214.