Two years since it launched, the UK's Fire Door Inspection Scheme (FDIS) now has more than 400 candidates registered on its online training programme and more than 150 fire door experts who have passed the FDIS Diploma and are using the designation DipFD.
People are signing up to the Diploma programme at an increasing rate – including 50 in the past quarter alone.
There are now 15 certificated inspectors who are working with property owners and facilities managers to carry out full fire door audits and to provide appropriate recommendations for repair, maintenance and improvements. A campaign is being launched this year to get more of these inspectors approved through the FDIS certification process in order to meet the huge client demand.
FDIS has also received strong industry and public support for Theodore Firedoor, a fire door safety campaign using Facebook, YouTube and other social media to bring attention to the widespread problems of ill-fitting, damaged and poorly maintained fire doors in public buildings.
One of the drivers of the success of the scheme has been the numerous fines handed out to property owners for breaches of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order, also known as the RRO, because of incorrectly specified, installed or poorly maintained fire doors. The RRO identifies the property owner or representative as the ‘Responsible Person’ accountable for implementing a fire safety plan for the property, including the installation and maintenance of fire doors.
FDIS general manager Neil Ashdown says: “The last two years have seen the scheme go from strength to strength as more building owners and managers become aware of their fire door responsibilities and look for expert advice to help them stay on the right side of their professional, legal and moral duties.”
