Fire Curtain Not Closing Fully During a Drop Test? Here's Why That's a Compliance Failure

TL;DR

• A fire curtain not closing fully during a drop test is an automatic compliance failure, not a minor snag to note and revisit later.

• Roller shutters used for fire compartmentation fail in exactly the same way and carry the same consequence.

• The most common causes are guide rail obstruction, a motor or gearbox fault, or a damaged fusible link or trigger mechanism.

• The fire certificate cannot be signed off until the curtain or shutter closes fully and the retest is passed.

• A competent passive fire protection contractor should carry out remedial works and reissue evidence before the next scheduled inspection.

If your fire curtain or roller shutter stops short, catches partway down, or fails to seal the opening during a scheduled drop test, that is an automatic compliance failure under current UK fire safety guidance. It is not a fault you can log and revisit at the next service. Until the curtain or shutter closes fully and passes a retest, the opening it protects has no verified fire separation, and the certificate cannot be signed off.

Fire curtains and roller shutters are passive fire protection measures fitted across openings, such as atriums, escalators, and service risers, where a conventional fire door is not practical. They are designed to drop automatically on activation and hold a fire-resisting barrier in place for a specified period. A curtain or shutter that will not close fully defeats that entire purpose, whatever else is working correctly around it.

Is a Fire Curtain Not Closing Fully Always a Compliance Failure?

Yes. Any fire curtain or roller shutter that does not fully close, seal the opening, or reach its end position during a drop test is treated as a fail under BS 7346-8 and the manufacturer's third-party certification scheme, most commonly Certifire or BM TRADA. There is no partial pass. A curtain that closes to within a few centimetres of the floor still leaves a gap a fire and smoke can travel through, so the assessment is binary: it either closes fully and holds, or it fails.

This matters because the drop test exists to prove the barrier will work under real conditions, not just that the mechanism moves. A Responsible Person who notes the failure but leaves the curtain in service is knowingly operating a compartment line that will not perform as designed, which creates direct exposure under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.

Why Fire Curtains and Roller Shutters Are Tested by Dropping Them

A drop test releases the curtain or shutter from its stored position exactly as it would activate in a real fire, either by simulated signal from the fire alarm system or by releasing the fusible link mechanism. The engineer times the descent, checks the curtain or shutter reaches full closure without obstruction, and confirms it seats correctly against the floor or guide track to form a complete seal.

This is different from a simple visual inspection. A curtain can look intact when retracted and still fail to close properly once released, which is why routine drop testing, not just a visual check, is the only reliable way to confirm compliance.

Common Causes of a Fire Curtain or Roller Shutter Not Closing Fully

Guide Rail Obstruction

Dust, debris, cabling, or building fixtures fitted after installation are the single most common cause of a partial closure. Anything protruding into the guide rail, even slightly, can catch the curtain edge or shutter lath and stop it before it reaches the floor. This is especially common after refurbishment works, when contractors run new cabling or ductwork close to the curtain housing without realising it will foul the drop path.

Motor or Gearbox Fault

Fire curtains and shutters are held in the open position by an electromagnetic brake or motor that releases on alarm signal or power loss. If the motor has seized, the gearbox has worn, or the release brake has partially failed, the curtain may drop slowly, stall partway, or not release at all. This is a mechanical fault that requires an engineer, not a reset.

Damaged Fusible Link or Trigger Mechanism

Many curtains use a fusible link or thermal trigger as a backup release in addition to the alarm signal. If this link is corroded, painted over, or physically damaged, the curtain may fail to release cleanly even if the primary system works, causing it to hang up partway through its travel.

Curtain Fabric or Shutter Lath Damage

Torn fabric, bent lath sections, or a curtain that has come off its guide track can all prevent a clean, full closure even when the motor and release mechanism are functioning correctly. This kind of damage is often caused by impact from vehicles, trolleys, or building works near the opening.

What Should You Do Next?

Report the failed drop test immediately to whoever holds responsibility for fire safety at the building, and record it in the fire safety logbook as an open compliance failure, not a scheduled maintenance item. Do not attempt to force the curtain closed manually or disable the alarm connection to work around it. Book a specialist passive fire protection contractor to diagnose the cause and carry out remedial works, and keep the opening under a fire watch or temporary alternative protection until the curtain passes a verified retest. The certificate cannot be reissued until that retest is complete and documented, so this evidence needs to sit alongside your other passive fire protection survey records for audit purposes.

How Often Should Fire Curtains and Roller Shutters Be Drop Tested?

Most manufacturers and BS 7346-8 recommend a full drop test and service every six months, with a simple visual and functional check carried out weekly or monthly depending on the building's risk profile and insurer requirements. High-traffic openings, such as those near loading bays or public atriums, often warrant more frequent checks because they are more exposed to the kind of guide rail obstruction and impact damage covered above. This should sit within the same testing schedule you use for other fire risk assessment activity, not as a separate, easily forgotten task.

Who Can Certify a Fire Curtain After Remedial Works?

Remedial works and recertification should be carried out by a contractor with third-party accreditation relevant to fire curtains and shutters, such as Certifire or BM TRADA Q-Mark, and the same competence expectations that apply to remedial works after a failed inspection on fire doors apply here. The contractor should provide dated evidence of the repair, the retest result, and the specific standard the curtain or shutter meets, so this can be filed as part of your BS 9999 compliance evidence and Golden Thread documentation. Using a single contractor who understands how curtain, shutter, and door remedial works interact with the wider fire strategy also reduces the risk that one contractor's work goes unnoticed or unrecorded, an issue covered in more detail in how building services can compromise passive fire protection without anyone noticing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I reset a fire curtain myself if it does not fully close?

No. Resetting or manually forcing the curtain closed without diagnosing the cause risks masking a genuine fault and leaves the opening unprotected in a real fire. Always get a qualified engineer to inspect the mechanism before the curtain is returned to service.

What standard governs fire curtain and roller shutter testing in the UK?

Fire curtains and shutters used for compartmentation are typically tested and certified to BS 7346-8, with product certification schemes such as Certifire or BM TRADA Q-Mark confirming the specific curtain or shutter model meets the required fire resistance period.

How much does fire curtain remedial work cost?

Cost depends on the cause. A guide rail obstruction or minor adjustment might be resolved in a single visit, while a motor, gearbox, or fusible link replacement typically costs more and may require parts to be ordered. A specialist contractor should always provide a written quote after diagnosis rather than a price over the phone.

Will a partial fire curtain closure fail my fire risk assessment?

Yes. A fire risk assessor will record an unclosed or partially closed fire curtain or shutter as a significant finding, since it represents a break in the building's compartmentation strategy that needs to be addressed before the assessment can be closed out.

How long does a fire curtain drop test take?

A single curtain drop test typically takes 15 to 30 minutes including setup, release, timing the descent, and confirming full closure, though this can extend if the engineer also carries out a full service or needs to investigate a fault found during the test.

Can a roller shutter be used as a fire curtain?

Some roller shutters are specifically designed and certified for fire compartmentation and can perform the same role as a fire curtain, but a standard security or weather shutter is not automatically fire-rated. The specific product certification, not just its appearance, determines whether it meets fire compartmentation requirements.

Who is responsible for fixing a fire curtain that will not close?

The Responsible Person for the building, as defined under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, is legally responsible for ensuring the fault is fixed and the curtain is returned to a certified, working condition, even if a facilities manager or contractor handles the practical arrangements.