Commonly quoted figure
What does the “three in four fire doors” statistic mean?
The Fire Door Inspection Scheme reported in 2021 that more than 75% of over 100,000 doors inspected by its approved inspectors failed to meet required standards. That is a substantial professional-inspection dataset and a useful warning that defects are common.
It is not a random national census. Doors presented to specialist inspectors may be more likely to have known concerns, complex settings or clients actively seeking assurance. The percentage should therefore not be presented as the failure rate of every door in Britain.
Interpret findings
Does a recorded defect mean the door would immediately fail in a fire?
Not every inspection finding has the same consequence. A failed closer, severe leaf damage or incompatible glazing may be critical; incomplete records or a minor maintenance issue may require a different response. Inspection criteria can also combine operational, evidence and workmanship findings.
The report should connect each defect to the door’s role, people at risk and required action. A headline percentage cannot set the priority for an individual building.
| Data term | Ask for |
|---|---|
| Doors inspected | Selection method, building types and dates |
| Failed or non-compliant | Definition, criteria and severity distribution |
| Defects | Whether several defects can be counted on one door |
| Remediated | Evidence and method used to verify closure |
Use your own evidence
Which statistics should a responsible person track?
A door register can measure overdue checks, no-access rates, closing failures, high-priority defects, repeat failures, average repair time and verified closure. These figures are directly relevant to management performance.
Segment by building, door role, contractor and defect type. Use the results to improve specification, resident engagement, inspection frequency and maintenance—not to create a misleading league table.
- Percentage inspected by due date
- Access achieved for flat entrance doors
- Critical and high-priority defects open
- Median time to repair and verify
- Repeat failures by door and defect type