Free checklist · Fire damper testing and inspections
Fire damper inspection checklist, eight things to record
A plain checklist for the visual inspection between fire damper tests. Use it on site, print it, or see how the same steps work on the engineer's phone.
The checklist
Fire damper inspection checklist: what to look at and record
- Find it on the register. Match the damper to its register entry - reference, building, floor and room. A damper that is not on the register gets added before you move on.
- Reach it. Note whether there is an access panel, whether it opens, and whether the damper can be seen. No access is a finding in itself.
- Look at the blade or curtain. Free of debris, dust build-up and anything that would stop it closing. Not bent, not wired or propped open.
- Check the release. Fusible link present and intact, or the actuator and its indicator showing as expected on a motorised damper.
- Look at the fixing and sealing. The damper sits in the wall or floor as installed, with the fire-stopping around it visibly intact and no new holes beside it.
- Look for damage and corrosion. Casing, frame and blades free of corrosion or damage that could stop the damper working.
- Take photos. At least one photo of the damper and one of anything wrong, tied to the damper's reference.
- Decide what happens next. No concern: the damper keeps its test date. A concern: bring its test forward and list the remedial. An inspection never clears a test and no certificate follows it.
Why it matters
Why the inspection record matters
The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, Article 17, asks for fire safety equipment - fire dampers among it - to be kept in efficient working order. BS 9999 asks for a test on completion and then at least annually. The visual inspection in between is how a firm spots the damper that will fail before the test day, and the record is how it shows it looked.
An inspection is never a test. It can bring a test forward; it never clears one, and no certificate follows it.
On the phone
The same checklist on the engineer's phone
In SMART Reports the engineer opens the site, sees every damper from the imported register and records each inspection with photos against its own entry. A concern brings that damper's test forward on the planner. Inspections are included at no extra cost with fire damper inspection software - £90 a month, every engineer and office user included, no VAT charged.
FAQ
Fire damper inspections: questions firms ask
Is an inspection the same as a test?
No. An inspection is a visual check between tests. It can bring a test forward, but it never replaces a test, and no certificate follows an inspection.
How often should fire dampers be tested?
BS 9999 asks for a test when the damper is installed, then at least annually. Inspections in between help catch problems early.
Can I use this checklist for free?
Yes. Print it or save it as a PDF from your browser. It names no standard as met - it is a list of what to look at and record.
Is there a fire damper inspection app?
Yes. In SMART Reports the engineer records each damper's inspection on the phone, with photos, against its own register entry. Inspections are included at no extra cost.