Fire Curtain Servicing in Open-Plan Commercial Buildings

An open-plan office can allow fire and smoke to travel across a large area before occupants have time to escape. A correctly installed and maintained curtain can close a designed opening and help limit that spread.

That makes fire curtain servicing an important part of commercial fire safety management. A curtain that looks fine when retracted may still fail because of a weak battery, blocked guide, faulty detector, damaged fabric, or failed release mechanism. The right maintenance schedule checks the full system, not only the visible curtain.

Why open-plan buildings need reliable fire curtains

Open-plan layouts often contain fewer internal walls. Offices, reception areas, retail floors, atria, and shared workspaces may depend on active fire barriers to protect openings within the building’s fire strategy.

A fire curtain normally stays concealed inside a headbox or ceiling void during everyday use. When a fire alarm, smoke detector, thermal device, or manual control initiates deployment, the curtain descends into position. Depending on its design, it can protect a compartment line, stairway, atrium edge, lift opening, or escape route.

The system must close fully and in the correct position. A curtain that stops halfway, lands on furniture, or leaves a gap beside its guides cannot provide the protection expected from the design.

Open-plan buildings also change frequently. A tenant may add suspended lighting, move desks, install partitions, or place storage beneath a concealed curtain. Temporary displays and event furniture can create new obstructions. Each alteration can affect deployment without leaving obvious damage to the curtain itself.

Fire curtains should be included in the building’s fire risk assessment, emergency plan, and planned maintenance programme. They should also be considered during office refits and layout changes, not only during annual safety reviews.

What fire curtain servicing involves

Professional servicing examines the complete assembly and its controls. An engineer may inspect:

• The fabric, stitching, bottom bar, guides, headbox, fixings, and seals.
• Motors, batteries, power supplies, control panels, and backup arrangements.
• Fire alarm, smoke detection, manual release, and reset connections.
• Warning devices, signage, indicators, and emergency controls.
• The space below and around the curtain for new obstructions.
• Deployment speed, final closure, alignment, and safe reset.

The engineer should record faults clearly and explain whether the issue needs adjustment, repair, replacement parts, or further investigation. A quick visual inspection by building staff has value, but it cannot replace testing by a competent person.

A fire curtain is an active safety system. Its reliability depends on the controls, power supply, release devices, and surrounding space as much as the fabric.

Fire curtain servicing requirements for UK commercial buildings

The correct maintenance plan starts with the product documentation, the building fire strategy, the manufacturer’s instructions, and the findings of the fire risk assessment.

The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 places duties on the responsible person to maintain relevant fire safety measures. However, it doesn’t create one universal service interval for every fire curtain. The required frequency depends on the system, its location, its use, and the risk if it fails.

BS EN 16034 and BS 8524

BS EN 16034:2014 covers fire-resisting and smoke-control characteristics for products such as certain doorsets, rolling shutters, and operable fabric curtains. It relates to the product’s performance and intended application.

BS 8524 is more focused on fire curtain systems. Part 1 covers system requirements, while Part 2 provides a code of practice for installation, commissioning, servicing, inspection, and maintenance.

These standards work alongside each other. BS EN 16034 doesn’t replace a proper maintenance procedure for active curtain systems. It doesn’t, by itself, answer every practical question about deployment speed, initiation devices, warning signals, hot motor testing, or repeated operation.

A useful comparison of BS 8524 and EN 16034 can help facilities managers understand how the standards relate to one another.

The service provider should know which standard applies to the installed product and should work from the manufacturer’s approved procedures. Where certification or a particular third-party accreditation is required, the responsible person should confirm those credentials before appointing a contractor.

Records are part of the maintenance system

A completed service should produce more than an invoice. Keep the inspection report with the fire risk assessment and other building safety records.

A useful record includes:

• The date, location, and asset identification.
• The engineer’s name and company details.
• Tests completed and results recorded.
• Faults found, parts replaced, and adjustments made.
• Any restrictions placed on the system.
• The recommended next service and outstanding actions.

Records help facilities teams track recurring faults and demonstrate that identified defects received attention. They also give the next engineer useful history, especially where a building has several curtains or changes contractors.

How often should commercial fire curtains be serviced?

Many commercial fire curtain maintenance plans use a six-monthly professional service as a practical baseline. Other schedules specify an annual minimum. The manufacturer’s instructions and fire risk assessment should decide the final interval.

A shorter period may be appropriate where the curtain protects an escape route, operates in a busy area, sits near dust or grease, or forms part of a smoke control arrangement. A curtain exposed to frequent false alarms or repeated daily cycles also deserves closer attention.

The following schedule gives facilities managers a useful working framework.

Check or test	Typical frequency	What it should cover
Visual condition check	Regular building inspections	Damage, obstructions, contamination, loose parts, and visible warning faults
Automatic and self-closing device test	Monthly	Release function, closing action, and reset
System operation	At least monthly	Full deployment and return to normal operation
Curtain on an escape route	Weekly operation	Staff familiarity and confirmation that the route remains clear
Professional service	Commonly every six months	Detailed mechanical, electrical, control, and fabric inspection
Full periodic test	At least annually, or as specified	Activation by all available methods, closure, alignment, speed, and fault response
Smoke control integration	At least quarterly where applicable	Operation with the associated smoke control system

Weekly operation shouldn’t be treated as a substitute for professional servicing. It helps staff recognise normal movement and identify an obvious change before the next engineer’s visit.

Testing should follow a controlled procedure. Notify affected occupants, coordinate with the alarm monitoring company where required, and prevent the test from creating confusion during working hours. Afterward, return every control to its normal operating state and record the result.

What a competent engineer should inspect

A proper fire curtain service should test the system under conditions that reflect its intended use. The engineer should first review previous reports, manufacturer information, and any changes made to the building.

The inspection normally includes these stages:

1. Check the physical assembly. The engineer examines the curtain fabric for tears, holes, fraying, staining, and signs of heat or impact damage. Guides, brackets, bottom bars, fixings, and headboxes need to remain secure and aligned.
2. Test every activation method. The curtain should respond to the fire alarm interface, smoke or heat detection, local manual controls, and any other approved release method. A system that works from one trigger but fails from another still has a serious defect.
3. Observe the descent. The curtain should deploy at the specified speed, travel smoothly, and reach its intended final position. The engineer checks for dragging, twisting, excessive noise, gaps, and contact with nearby objects.
4. Check power and controls. Batteries, chargers, motor units, control panels, wiring, indicators, and connections should receive appropriate checks. Backup power matters because a fire may occur during a mains failure.
5. Reset and repeat where required. The system should reset correctly after deployment. Fault indications should clear only when the fault has genuinely been addressed. The engineer should follow the manufacturer’s limits for repeated cycles and any hot motor test.

At commissioning, the assembly should be drop-tested to confirm full closure and correct operation. A second test checks that the automatic closing device resets correctly. Later periodic testing should follow the system’s documentation and the applicable maintenance procedure.

Faults that need prompt action

Several defects deserve immediate attention because they can stop or weaken deployment. These include a damaged or displaced guide, a curtain that closes unevenly, a failed battery, loose fixings, unreliable detection, and a bottom bar that hits an obstruction.

A curtain that has been cut, altered, painted, drilled, or modified in the field may no longer match its tested configuration. Replacement fabric or components should come from the manufacturer or an approved source. Improvised repairs can change the curtain’s weight, movement, fire performance, or control response.

If a fault leaves an opening unprotected, the responsible person should record the temporary risk and arrange corrective work without delay. Staff may need an alternative control measure until the system returns to service.

Managing fire curtain risks between service visits

Facilities managers can reduce failures by keeping the curtain’s operating zone clear. Mark the floor area beneath the drop line and prevent furniture, stock, displays, cables, partitions, and cleaning equipment from entering it.

Include the curtain in routine workplace inspections. After a refurbishment, lighting change, ceiling repair, or office rearrangement, ask whether the work affects the headbox, guides, detectors, wiring, or drop path.

Staff should know what a normal test looks and sounds like. They shouldn’t force a curtain upward, wedge it open, disconnect an alarm interface, or attempt repairs without authorisation. Any unusual noise, delayed movement, warning light, or incomplete closure needs a logged report.

Related fire doors require the same level of attention. If your building also relies on pedestrian fire exits, arrange suitable fire exit door installation and maintenance alongside the curtain checks.

For associated powered shutters and workplace doors, a planned maintenance record can also support PUWER roller shutter compliance. The exact duties depend on the equipment and how employees use it, but inspection records should remain clear and traceable.

Choosing a fire curtain servicing contractor

Ask a contractor how they will test the particular system installed at your premises. A generic door service may not cover fire alarm interfaces, smoke control links, automatic release devices, or approved fire curtain components.

Before booking, check that the contractor can provide:

• Evidence of relevant training, competence, and experience.
• A service report that identifies each curtain and its location.
• Access to manufacturer instructions and compatible replacement parts.
• Clear fault reporting and quotations for remedial work.
• A maintenance schedule that matches the building’s fire strategy.
• Emergency support if the curtain fails or remains deployed.

A local specialist can also coordinate work around trading hours and occupancy. UK Doors & Shutters, based in Bolton, provides door and shutter installation, repair, and maintenance across the North West and wider UK. Its wider commercial servicing work covers powered shutters and related door systems, with same-day support available where possible.

If a curtain or linked fire-rated shutter has failed, Contact Us to arrange an assessment. Emergency repair support can often reach a site within one to two hours of the initial call, subject to location and availability.

Conclusion

Open-plan buildings depend on reliable active fire barriers because one failed curtain can leave a large opening exposed. Fire curtain servicing should cover the fabric, guides, controls, power supply, detection links, deployment, closure, and reset function.

A six-monthly professional service is a sensible starting point for many commercial sites, supported by monthly operation and more frequent checks on escape routes. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions, fire risk assessment, and applicable standards, then keep every result in the building’s safety records.

Regular testing won’t remove every risk, but it gives facilities managers a clear way to find faults before an emergency exposes them.