04/15/2026
Fire door certification training was held here at Facilities Management, in March 2026. The training is aligned with our continuous education learning for the lock shop. The lock shop falls under a peculiar trade because, if you touch it, you are responsible for closing and self-latching the door, and for ensuring the door locks and unlocks properly. There is a 13-point fire door inspection checklist:
Label Verification: Confirm that all required labels are clearly visible, legible, and compliant (e.g., manufacturer’s name, serial number, type of approval).
Openings and Surface Integrity: Ensure no open holes or breaks are present in the door or frame surfaces.
Vision Panels and Glazing: Verify that glazing, vision light frames, and glazing beads are intact and securely fastened.
Door, Frame, and Hardware Condition: Ensure components are secured, aligned, functional, and free of visible damage.
Missing or Broken Parts: Confirm no parts of the door assembly are missing or broken.
Clearances: Measure door clearances to verify they do not exceed NFPA 80 limits (per 4.8.4 and 6.3.1.7).
Self-Closing Operation: Test that the self-closing device fully closes the active door from the full-open position.
Coordinator Function (Double Doors): Verify that the inactive leaf closes before the active leaf to allow proper latching.
Latching Hardware: Confirm that latching hardware engages and secures the door when closed.
Prohibited Hardware: Ensure no auxiliary hardware is installed that interferes with or prohibits proper door operation.
Modification Prohibition: Verify that no field modifications have been made that void the fire
The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) requires that commercial fire doors be tested after initial installation and once every year.
Training is imperative for our locksmith team and is crucial to the role safety and security play in our jobs. This training was conducted within 8 hours and is paramount to our continuous training and education for the locksmith department.
A special thank you, Vernon Kelley Consultants for conducting the training, which covered NFPA 80, the Standard for Fire Doors and Other Opening Protective Systems.