Fire safety matters, but we still find fire doors propped open more often than you'd expect. A wedged-open fire door looks harmless. It isn't.
In this post, we explain the risks of an open fire door, what the law says, and how to keep yours open safely and within the rules.
Fire doors are a core part of a building's fire safety system. They slow the spread of fire and smoke between rooms.
When a fire starts, heat and smoke rise and spread fast, searching for any gap or opening. A closed fire door blocks that route. It buys occupants time to get out and firefighters time to get in.
Keep your fire doors shut, and they stop a fire reaching the next room. Prop them open, and that protection disappears.
Every fire door carries a fire rating, usually FD30 or FD60, showing how many minutes it can hold back fire before it fails. These ratings come from testing to BS 476-22:1987 or the newer BS EN 1634-1.
Wedge a fire door open, and that rating means nothing. There's no barrier left, and nothing to stop fire reaching the next room.
Fire doors sit on escape routes for a reason. A door wedged in the wrong position can obstruct people escaping through smoke-filled corridors, especially if lighting has failed too.
At the exact moment people need a clear route out, an open fire door can be the thing standing in their way.
Smoke and toxic gases kill more people in fires than flames do. Containing them matters as much as containing the fire itself.
Wedge a fire door open, and smoke and gases travel freely through the building. In the worst cases, this creates a chimney effect that pulls fire through a building fast, putting the whole structure and everyone in it at risk.
Propping or wedging a fire door open stops it doing the one job it has.
Wedging a fire door open isn't a criminal offence in itself, but it can put you in breach of your legal duties. Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, the Responsible Person for a building must keep fire doors and other fire safety measures in efficient working order.
If a fire starts and someone is injured or killed because a fire door was wedged open, you could face serious fines, and the Responsible Person could face prosecution. Most fire doors hold back a fire for 30 or 60 minutes, long enough for an alarm to be raised and the fire service to attend, provided the door was doing its job.
Your insurer may also refuse to pay out if a wedged-open fire door contributed to the damage. It's a real risk, not a technicality.
If you manage a multi-occupied residential building above 11 metres, the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 go further still, requiring quarterly checks of fire doors in common parts, plus best-endeavours annual checks of flat entrance doors.
"A fire door is a Life Safety Product, which is why it's so important to maintain them correctly."
Martin Blake, our Passive Fire Safety Manager, puts it plainly, and he's right.
Fire door failure isn't rare. Research from the British Woodworking Federation and Fire Door Inspection Scheme found that 76% of fire doors inspected were not fit for purpose, most commonly because of poor gaps, damaged seals or missed maintenance.
Fire doors get wedged open because they're heavy, awkward and in the way when people are moving between rooms all day. We understand the temptation. But there's a compliant way to solve that problem.
If you need a fire door to stay open during the working day, don't wedge it. Fit a certified fire door retainer instead. These hold the door open and release it automatically when the fire alarm activates, closing it and giving occupants time to evacuate safely.
Not every retainer on the market is fit for purpose. When you're choosing one, look for a device tested to BS EN 1155, the British Standard for electrically powered hold-open devices on swing doors. Check it suits your door type too. A double door needs a double-door retainer, and getting that wrong is a surprisingly common mistake.
Fitting matters as much as the product. A retainer fitted incorrectly can damage the door and frame, and once that happens, your door may no longer be compliant. Have it fitted by a qualified fire door engineer.
For a quick way to spot problems yourself between full inspections, see our 5 quick checks you can make on your fire doors.
People often mix these up. Fire doors are internal doors that hold back fire and smoke between rooms or compartments. Fire exit doors are external doors used to leave the building in an emergency, and they don't need to be fire-resistant.
Because fire exits are also used for everyday access, you can leave them open. Fire doors, unless fitted with a certified retainer, should stay shut.
A wedged-open fire door is a real safety hazard. It lets fire and smoke spread fast and puts lives at risk, and it can leave you exposed legally and financially.
We're BM TRADA Q-Mark certified for fire door installation and maintenance, and our engineers work to BS 8214:2026. Get in touch on 01702 447800 or info@blakefire-security.co.uk, and we'll install and maintain your fire doors designed to meet current standards.
Wedging a fire door open isn't a specific criminal offence, but it breaches the maintenance duty under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. If it contributes to injury, loss of life or property damage, the Responsible Person can face prosecution and the building's insurance could be affected.
Most commercial fire doors are rated FD30 or FD60, meaning they're tested to hold back fire for 30 or 60 minutes under BS 476-22:1987 or BS EN 1634-1. That rating only holds if the door is closed, undamaged and properly maintained.
Look for a device tested to BS EN 1155, matched to your door type, whether single or double, and fitted by a qualified fire door engineer. An uncertified or badly fitted retainer can invalidate your fire door's compliance.
The Responsible Person named under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, usually the employer, building owner or landlord, is responsible for maintaining fire doors and other fire safety measures.
Yes. Under the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022, responsible persons for multi-occupied residential buildings above 11 metres must check fire doors in common parts quarterly, and use best endeavours to check flat entrance doors annually. For other commercial premises, regular checks form part of your general maintenance duty under the Fire Safety Order.
Last reviewed: September 2026
