In brief
A fire door only works when it is closed; a door wedged open lets smoke into the stairway and the neighbouring section and makes the escape route unusable. The Regulation on the Protection of Buildings from Fire requires these doors to be fitted with self-closing devices; doors that need to stay open can only be held open with hold-open devices released by fire detection. Closing, latching, seals and hold-open devices should be tested regularly and recorded.
What is a fire door for?
Art. 4 of the Regulation on the Protection of Buildings from Fire (BYKHY) defines a fire door as a door, hatch or shutter that allows the passage of people, air or objects and that, when kept closed, resists the passage of smoke, heat and flame for a certain time. The key word in the definition is "closed". As long as it stands open, a fire door is no different from an ordinary door.
These doors divide the building into fire compartments and protect the escape stair from smoke. When a fire breaks out, this is how people reach the stairway, and from the stairway, the outside; the fire brigade also approaches the fire via the same stairway. We described the rules for escape route width, travel distance and door opening direction in our article on escape route and emergency exit door rules; this article focuses on keeping the door closed and checking it.
Where are fire doors mandatory? Requirements in the regulation
In the BYKHY, the provisions on fire doors are not in a single article but are spread out according to where the door is:
| Location of the door | Requirement in the regulation | Article |
|---|---|---|
| Opening in a fire wall | The door is self-closing and smoke-tight | Art. 25/2 |
| Passage between compartments | There can be no non-fire-resistant opening between compartments | Art. 24/7 |
| Fire safety lobby | Separated from other sections by a smoke-tight door with at least 90 minutes' resistance | Art. 34/2 |
| Escape stair and fire safety lobby doors | Smoke-tight; at least 60 minutes' resistance if serving fewer than 4 floors, at least 90 minutes if serving a basement or more than 4 floors; fitted with a self-closing device | Art. 47/3 |
| Exit doors opening onto an internal escape corridor | Resistance equivalent to escape stair doors, automatic self-closing device | Art. 36 |
| Escape stair doors in existing buildings | At least 60 minutes' resistance if the building is less than 30.50 m high, 90 minutes if higher, and smoke-tight; fitted with a self-closing device | Art. 157 |
These properties are shown by letters on the label or plate on the door. According to the symbols in Annex 3/A of the regulation, S stands for smoke leakage and C for self-closing; the number in expressions such as "EI 60" is the resistance time in minutes. Do not paint over or remove the label; in an inspection it is often the only document showing what the door is. You can find how a building's fire safety is assessed as a whole in our article on the fire brigade compliance report.
Holding a fire door open: the cost of the wedge
On site, fire doors are most often wedged, chained open or have their closers removed for these reasons: forklift and pallet truck traffic, wanting air flow in a hot section, smoking breaks, moving materials and complaints that "the door is heavy". The reason for each is understandable; the result is the same.
- The stairway fills with smoke: Smoke on the fire floor enters the stair shaft through the open door and spreads to the upper floors. The stairway, the only safe route for employees on upper floors, becomes unusable.
- The compartment disappears: The door's resistance time applies when the door is closed. An open door connects one section to the next.
- Pressurisation does not work: In pressurised stairways, the regulation requires a pressure difference of at least 50 Pa between the stairway and the occupied area with all doors closed (Art. 89). The calculation is based on doors being closed and a certain number of doors opening during evacuation; doors wedged open on several floors fall outside this calculation.
- The door is damaged: A leaf constantly held open with a wedge strains the closer and hinges; over time, even if the door closes by itself, it does not latch.
Self-closing and sealing: fire door checks
The BYKHY does not set a separate check frequency for fire doors; it requires detection, extinguishing and smoke control systems to undergo periodic checks, testing and maintenance (Arts. 84, 85, 100). Tying door checks to the maintenance schedule of these systems and basing them on the manufacturer's maintenance instructions is the most practical course. You can use the list below for fire door checks:
| Check | How to look | Common finding |
|---|---|---|
| Self-closing | Open the door fully and let go, then let go from a gap of 20–30 cm; in both cases it should close and latch | The door stops in the last few centimetres, the latch does not engage |
| Double-leaf sequence | Open both leaves together and let go; the selector should close the correct leaf first | The leaves catch on each other and a gap remains |
| Sealing | Look at the gap between frame and leaf, under the leaf and at the seals | Torn, painted over or removed seals; worn bottom of the leaf |
| Leaf and frame | Look for impact damage, bending and holes made later | Holes made for cables or ventilation, forklift impact |
| Closer and hinges | Oil leaks, loose screws, removed arm | Oil leaking from the hydraulic closer |
| Glass | Broken, cracked or replaced with ordinary glass | A broken panel replaced with ordinary glass |
| Label and the area in front | Is the label legible, is there an obstruction in the closing area? | A pallet or roll in front of the door |
The routine we recommend: weekly visual checks on busy doors, a monthly function test on all doors and annual detailed maintenance by the manufacturer or an authorised service. In any repair to the door (changing a lock, handle, glass or seal), only parts suitable for the fire resistance should be used; an ordinary lock or a hole removes the door's certified properties.
Doors that need to stay open: hold-open devices released by the alarm
Some doors may genuinely need to stay open all day. The legal way to do this is not a wedge but a hold-open device connected to the fire detection system. BYKHY Art. 82/1-a lists among the duties of the emergency control system in a fire the release of electromagnetic door holders that normally keep fire doors open. Art. 50/6-d, written for hotels and dormitories, sets out the principle most clearly: smoke-tight doors are normally kept closed; they can be kept open if they can be closed automatically by electromagnetic or electromechanical devices operated by the detection system.
In practice there are three options:
- Wall or floor-mounted electromagnetic holder: Holds the door in the open position and releases it on alarm or power failure; the closer closes the door.
- Closer with integrated hold-open: The hold-open function is inside the closer; the appearance is neater.
- Free-swing closer: The door moves without closer resistance during use and closes like a normal closer on alarm. Preferred for passages where there are complaints about heavy doors.
In all three, two conditions are essential: the holder must be connected to the fire detection system and must release the door when power is cut. During periodic testing of the detection system, it should also be checked that every door released by the holders closes fully and latches. A single pallet placed in the door's closing area makes this whole system useless.
Responsibility, training and drills
Under BYKHY Arts. 124–125, responsibility for fire safety lies with the most senior manager in public and private organisations, and with the building owner or manager in other buildings; the designated fire safety officer is obliged to check and have measures taken in their area. Fire doors should appear explicitly on this officer's checklist. If the workplace is rented, who is responsible for door maintenance should be written in the lease and in the emergency plan.
The message to give in training is simple: a fire door stays closed; if you see it open, close it; if you see a wedge, remove it and report it; in an evacuation, the last person out closes the door behind them. In a drill, give one of the observers the sole task of watching fire doors: did the holders release on alarm, did the doors latch, was any door wedged during the evacuation? For planning the drill, see our article on the emergency drill; for the place of fire doors in the plan, see our article on how to prepare an emergency plan; and for the weekly walk, see our article on the fire prevention checklist.
Bursa Sistemer demonstrates door behaviour on site in its fire training sessions; in emergency plan work, it marks fire doors on the layout plan and designates the person responsible for checking them. You can track check and maintenance dates with the OHS calendar tool; for the sanctions for breaching emergency obligations, see the OHS administrative fines tool.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a fire door be kept open?
It cannot be held open with a wedge, chain or hook. Doors that need to stay open can be kept open with an electromagnetic holder or similar device connected to the fire detection system that releases the door when power is cut.
How often should fire doors be checked?
The regulation does not set a separate frequency for doors. Weekly visual checks on busy doors, a monthly closing test on all doors and annual detailed maintenance according to the manufacturer's instructions is a practical routine.
Can the lock or handle on a fire door be changed?
Only with parts suitable for the door's fire resistance and permitted by the manufacturer. An ordinary lock, ordinary glass or a hole made in the door removes its resistance properties.
When should a fire door that does not self-close be repaired?
Immediately. Until the repair is made, the door should be kept closed and the finding recorded; a fire door that does not close has the same result as an open door in a fire.
Fire classes, choosing the right extinguisher, hands-on extinguishing in a safe open area and an evacuation drill, all in one training.
Bursa SİSTEMER OSGB Technical Team — written from the field experience of our OHS specialists and workplace physicians. Legal information is valid as of the publication/update date; contact us for an assessment specific to your business.