6 ways to automate fire door checks

#1 - Simple checklist

Who it's for: Single-site venues where the manager runs the check themselves and wants the paper checklist on a phone.

What it is: A fire door check is an inspection of each fire door to ensure it closes properly and hasn't been damaged or propped open. This version is the tick-list of 10 checks, a pass/fail result, and a notes field. It covers the self-closer pulling the door fully shut, the gaps around the door, the intumescent seals and smoke strips, the hinges, the glazing, whether it is wedged or held open, and whether the signage is in place.

In practice: A single-site hotel checks its fire doors monthly. The manager works each door, confirms it self-closes into the frame, marks pass or fail, notes a corridor door propped open with a chair, and the check is logged with the issue to fix.

Why it works: The list lives on the canvas, so the check covers the same ten points on every door. The pass/fail makes the outcome explicit, and the notes field flags the common problem, a wedged-open door, that defeats the whole point of a fire door.

Steps included:

• 1 checklist (10 inspection points)
• 1 pass/fail result
• 1 notes field

#2 - With guidance

Who it's for: Venues where the check is delegated to whoever is on the rota.

What it is: The simple checklist with a guidance note at the top: a fire door only works if it self-closes fully into the frame, the seals and strips are intact and unpainted, the gaps are even and small, and it is never wedged or held open.

What it adds to the simple checklist:

1. What makes a fire door actually work is spelled out, not assumed
2. New staff understand why a wedged-open door is a serious failure
3. The check is consistent whoever runs it

Why it works: The guidance sits with the checklist, so a new starter reads what they're checking and why as they work, not in a training session weeks ago.

Steps included:

• 1 guidance note (what makes a fire door work)
• 1 checklist (10 inspection points)
• 1 pass/fail result
• 1 notes field

#3 - With a signature

Who it's for: Venues where each check needs a name against it. Groups where a manager wants to know who signed off each door, and single venues where a different person closes or checks on different days.

What it is: A signed fire door check is the simple checklist plus a signature captured at sign-off. The 10 checks and the pass/fail stay the same; the signature confirms who did the check and when they signed it.

In practice: A venue with a rotating check rota. Whoever runs the check works the 10-point list, marks pass or fail, notes anything wrong, and signs. The next day the manager knows exactly who to ask about any notes flagged, not just that someone checked it.

What it adds to the simple checklist:

1. A signature naming who did the check, captured at sign-off
2. A record of when the check was signed, next to the outcome
3. Accountability without asking anyone to take a photo

Why it works: The name goes on the record at the moment the work finishes, not from memory later. When a fire inspector asks who signed off a particular check, the conversation starts with a real name, not a guess.

Steps included:

• 1 checklist (10 inspection points)
• 1 pass/fail result
• 1 notes field
• 1 signature (sign-off)

#4 - With photo evidence

Who it's for: Venues that want proof each door was checked to standard, not just a ticked list. Whether for a fire inspector, head office, or their own peace of mind.

What it is: The simple checklist plus a close photo of the intumescent seal and self-closer on the fire door, captured at the time. One specific, telling spot rather than a vague wide shot is proof it was checked and working, and a record of any damage you flagged.

What it adds to the simple checklist:

1. A close photo of the seal and self-closer, captured at the time
2. Proof that holds up to an inspector, not just a ticked box
3. A visual record tied to what was actually checked

Why it works: A tick can be done from memory; a photo proves someone went to each door and looked at the critical parts. A single named spot like the seal is easy to shoot and easy to check later.

Steps included:

• 1 checklist (10 inspection points)
• 1 pass/fail result
• 1 notes field
• 1 photo of the intumescent seal and self-closer

#5 - With Poppi checking the photo

Who it's for: Venues where photos get taken but nobody reviews them. Multi-site groups where head office can't check every location's fire doors every time.

What it is: A photo-checked fire door check is the simple checklist plus a close photo of the intumescent seal and self-closer that Poppi (AI) reviews the moment it is saved. Poppi answers one question about that photo, set by you: does the intumescent seal look intact and unpainted, with the self-closer mechanism working? If the answer is no, Poppi posts what it spotted to the team chat, so the problem gets fixed before everyone moves on.

In practice: A three-site hospitality group closes at the same time every day. The venue manager photographs the seal and closer as always. Poppi reads the photo: seal intact, closer working, no issues. Verdict yes, and nothing changes. On a rushed night the photo shows the seal is blistered and bubbling from age. Poppi answers no and posts the reason to the team chat ("The seal looks blistered and compromised"). The manager notes it needs urgent repair before the next inspection.

What it adds to the simple checklist:

1. A photo of the seal and closer that gets checked the moment it is saved, not just stored
2. A team chat message with Poppi's reason the moment a photo fails the check
3. The manager stops being the only person who ever looks at the photos

Why it works: The check happens in the seconds between the photo being taken and the person leaving. That is the only moment a problem can still be caught and fixed. A manager reviewing photos the next day can only record that a seal is compromised; Poppi catching it on the spot gets it flagged to the team that night.

Steps included:

• 1 checklist (10 inspection points)
• 1 pass/fail result
• 1 notes field
• 1 photo of the intumescent seal and self-closer
• 1 Poppi decision (judges the photo against your question)
• 1 Poppi action (posts to the team chat if the photo fails the check)

#6 - With a team alert if the check is overdue

Who it's for: Facilities teams that run a scheduled fire door check but sometimes it gets forgotten or skipped. Multi-site groups where a missed check creates liability, or venues under fire-risk scrutiny where every check matters.

What it is: An overdue-check alert is the simple checklist plus a Poppi (AI) action set to the check's scheduled time. If the fire door check is not completed by its scheduled time, Poppi posts a message in the Pilla team chat so the team knows to get it done before end of shift. It watches the deadline, so it catches the check that quietly got skipped, not just the one that was delayed.

In practice: A 40-bed hotel runs a daily fire door check at 9am before the first guests arrive. On busy mornings with staff shortages, the check gets pushed back and forgotten. The team moves on without logging it. With this version, if the check is not signed off by 9am, the team chat gets a message, so the facilities manager knows to get it done that morning rather than discovering it is missing at handover.

What it adds to the simple checklist:

1. A message in the team chat if the check is not completed on time
2. A catch for the check that got skipped, not just delayed
3. A record of when the check was due, next to when it was done
4. The manager finds out during the day, not from the next day's review

Why it works: The alert is tied to the scheduled check time, so an overdue check raises its own hand. Nobody has to remember to chase it; the deadline does.

Steps included:

• 1 checklist (10 inspection points)
• 1 pass/fail result
• 1 notes field
• 1 Poppi action (posts to the team chat if the check is not completed by its scheduled time)

How to pick the right version

You don't need to know our product to choose. Every version here is the simple checklist plus one addition, so pick the additions your venue actually needs.

Do other people run the check, or just you?

If you check yourself and know what makes a fire door work, the plain list is enough. The moment rota staff check, the guidance needs to be on the screen. If it is just you, #1 is fine. If anyone else does it, start at #2.

Does the check need a name against it?

If knowing it was done is enough, skip this one. If you want who signed it off on the record for an inspector or auditor, #3 adds a signature.

Do you need photo proof?

A ticked checklist says the work was done. A photo shows it was actually checked. If you want visual proof of the seal and closer condition, #4 adds a photo of one telling spot.

Does anyone actually look at the photos?

If a manager genuinely reviews every photo, #4 is enough. If photos get taken and filed unseen, #5 has Poppi (AI) check each one as it is saved and tell the team chat if something is wrong.

Does the check have a scheduled time, and does it sometimes get forgotten?

If your facility has a scheduled check time and a busy team sometimes leaves it to the end of the day, #6 posts a message to the team chat if the check is not done by its scheduled time. If the check always happens on time, #1 to #5 are enough.

Need more than one addition? Open the version with the addition that matters most in the playground and add the others as steps. That is how the product works anyway: every option here is one step added to the same check.

Related workflows

• Fire exit check - keeping the escape routes the doors protect clear
• Fire extinguisher check - the monthly extinguisher check
• Fire alarm testing - the weekly alarm test

Conclusion

A fire door is only doing its job when it is closed and in good order, and the most common failure, propping it open, is invisible on a tick-only log. A recorded, checked-at-source approach turns it into something you can prove. Every version above is the same simple check plus one addition: guidance, a signature, a photo, AI photo-checking, or a deadline alert. Pick the ones your venue needs and combine them in the playground.

→ Build your own fire door check on Pilla.