Annual Inspection of Fire Doors

[LGreene]

I know that several states have now adopted or referenced the 2007 edition of NFPA 80, which requires fire doors to be inspected annually and a record kept for the AHJ. There's obviously a need for these 3rd-party inspections and the associated repairs, since I see fire doors everywhere that have been damaged or modified improperly. I'd love any feedback you can give me on this topic, including:

1) Has your jurisdiction adopted this edition of the standard?

2) Are you enforcing this requirement?

3) Given the huge quantity of fire doors and relatively small number of fire door inspectors, do you have a plan for staged inspections (ie. high rise buildings first, certain occupancies first, new buildings first, etc.)?

4) Anything else?

If you're not familiar with this requirement, here's an FAQ page about it that includes the NFPA 80 language: http://www.ihatehardware.com/?p=543

Thanks in advance for your help. This board is an extremely valuable resource.

- Lori

P.S. If this topic was beat to death on the old board, I apologize. I can't find an archive to check.

 

[mtlogcabin]

Re: Annual Inspection of Fire Doors

703.2 Opening protectives.Opening protectives shall be maintained in an operative condition in accordance with NFPA 80

I can see where this portion of the IFC could get you to the inspection requirement that you reference. Does the 2009 IFC reference NFPA 80-07? I do not have a copy.

 

[FM William Burns]

Re: Annual Inspection of Fire Doors

Yep, it sure does

 

[LGreene]

Re: Annual Inspection of Fire Doors

The silence is deafening.

Has anyone heard of this inspection requirement? Per the 2009 edition of NFPA 101, certain egress doors have to be inspected annually too.

 

[JBI]

Re: Annual Inspection of Fire Doors

Lori - Just so you don't feel abandoned...

NYS uses a modified I-Code, we are currently enforcing a modified 2003, and will be updating to a modified 2006 I-Code early next year. We won't be using the 2009 as a base until at least 2012, maybe '13 or '14. :roll: Many of our 'approved' versions of the Referenced Standards are even older... the sad but true realities of life.

So, some of the silence you're experiencing is due to the lag that many of us deal with at the State level. Can't enforce it until they 'bless' it. Of course, once blessed it still needs to be seen before being enforced.

In all fairness to my home state, they do make code update classes mandatory within the first year after publishing.

 

[FM William Burns]

Re: Annual Inspection of Fire Doors

Has anyone heard of this inspection requirement?

101 has referenced NFPA 80 in “Features of Fire Protection” for many years and the requirement for annual inspections of fire door assemblies has been in 80 “Care and Maintenance” for many years, although some jurisdictions have not enforced it (who use 101). We have adopted and used 101 for many years and have enforced listed and labeled fire door inspection, maintenance, annual testing and records also.

In the event the “exit door” is part of a listed and labeled fire door assembly or part of a rated opening protective in a required fire resistive rated assembly, I believe you are correct that the annual testing, inspection and maintenance provisions of 80 will apply. Sorry for the late response, been out hunting

 

[Code Demon]

Re: Annual Inspection of Fire Doors

Bellingham, Washington, has required fire door inspection and testing for more than 20 years. Contact them at (360) 778-8400

for information and inspection records.