Fire doors containing asbestos-impacted fire-retardant boards

Last updated: 2 October 2025

Building owners may have been supplied with fire doors containing asbestos-impacted fire-retardant board.

Fire-retardant boards (FRBs) distributed in Aotearoa New Zealand and imported from Australia and from China between 2021 and 2025, have tested positive as containing asbestos. This product has been used to manufacture fire doors.

Building owners who have been supplied with fire doors that may be affected need to understand and comply with the requirements of the Building Act 2004, the New Zealand Building Code, the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 and Health and Safety at Work (Asbestos) Regulations 2016.

Please also refer to

Imports and Exports (Asbestos-containing Products) Prohibition Order 2016 (LI 2016/218) — legislation.govt.nz

The following information will help building owners understand how to comply with the requirements of the Building Act, if the building contains potentially affected fire doors.

Responsibilities under the Building Act 2004

Under the Building Act, section 14B Responsibility of owner states that an owner is responsible for:

(a) obtaining any necessary consents, approvals, and certificates
(b) ensuring the building work carried out by the owner complies with the building consent or, if there is no building consent, with the Building Code
(c) maintaining the building and meeting Building Warrant of Fitness obligations for specified systems (such as fire doors and passive fire separations).
(d) ensuring compliance with any notices to fix.

Responsibilities under the Building Act — legislation.govt.nz

Aotearoa New Zealand-based manufacturers and importers need to make particular information about the building products they supply publicly available. This includes information about the scope and limitations of use for the product, how it is expected to contribute to relevant Building Code clauses, and any design, installation, and maintenance requirements.

Building product information requirements

Affected parties should have received notification from their supplier about the voluntary recall of fire doors containing potentially affected fire-retardant boards.

Contact your supplier if you have any concerns. Supplier information will be visible as a sticker or tag on the door.

Warnings or Bans under Section 26 of the Building Act 2004

Under the Health and Safety at Work (Asbestos) Regulations 2016, it is prohibited to carry out any work that involves manufacturing, supplying, transporting, storing, removing, using, installing, handling, treating, disposing of, or disturbing asbestos.

MBIE considers this prohibition sufficient grounds for those with responsibilities under the Building Act 2004 to take appropriate action in their specific circumstances.

As of today, MBIE has not issued a warning or declared a ban under Section 26 of the Building Act. This is because such actions are considered measures of last resort and there are specific legal provisions already in place (through the regulations). However, MBIE may review this position at any time if it determines that the level of risk has changed.

Buildings with doors that contain potentially affected fire-retardant board

If you have received notification from your supplier, follow their instructions.

Further installation of the affected fire doors, including hardware fitting, is strictly prohibited under Regulation 7 of the Health and Safety at Work (Asbestos) Regulations 2016. All regulatory requirements for handling asbestos apply when removing the affected doors.

For more information on safe practices for identifying, installing and disposal of asbestos, health advice, WorkSafe’s position on further testing, and frequently asked questions read

Fire safety doors response — worksafe.govt.nz

It is also important to check with your local council for their interpretation and requirements. Affected fire doors that have been installed as part of a building consent could be required by a building consent authority to be replaced before they issue a Code Compliance Certificate.

Building stages

Building owners who have potentially affected fire doors could be in one of the following stages of their build:

Doors supplied and uninstalled.
Doors supplied, installed, with further invasive work such as hardware install pending.
Doors supplied, fully installed and fire tags issued.

Doors supplied and uninstalled

If you have been supplied with potentially affected fire doors that have not been installed:

Follow the advice of WorkSafe and your supplier.
Add the doors to any existing asbestos management plan or implement a new asbestos management plan in relation to the doors.
Affected doors must be quarantined and disposed of as asbestos waste. This will need to be done in line with your Asbestos Management Plan.
A licensed asbestos removal specialist must carry out the work if 5 or more doors are to be removed cumulatively across your building/building site.

If you’re thinking about substituting a building product you need to:

Consider the legal context; for example, understand your responsibilities under the Building Act.
Consider the broader implications of using a different product to that specified including whether it’s fit for the same purpose.
Implement any changes; for example, if the building product requires an amendment to a building consent.

For more information read Product substitution

If you’re using a building product that makes a change to your consented building work, talk to your council about whether it requires a formal amendment.

Doors supplied, installed, and further invasive work pending

If you have been supplied with potentially affected fire doors, and they are partially installed:

Follow the advice of WorkSafe and your supplier.
Add the doors to any existing asbestos management plan or implement a new asbestos management plan in relation to the doors.
Further installation of these fire doors, including hardware fitting, is strictly prohibited under Regulation 7 of the Health and Safety at Work (Asbestos) Regulations 2016 — legislation.govt.nz

These doors are likely to be present on construction projects where building work is ongoing, and that are subject to a building consent. If the affected doors are removed and replaced with a door with exactly the same specification, ie the same make (manufacturer) and model (the specific product line or type) there will be no requirement to update the building consent.

Where doors are replaced with a door that is different to the one specified in the building consent, and noted in the draft compliance schedule, a variation to the building consent will be needed.

For more information read Product substitution

Contact your building consent authority for their interpretation and requirements.

Doors supplied, fully installed with fire tags issued

If you have been supplied with potentially affected fire doors, and they are fully installed with fire tags issued, please consider the following:

the initial building project may be complete, and the Code Compliance Certificate and Compliance Schedule issued
the building may also be occupied.

In these situations, replacing affected doors will be a new building project, and may require a building consent.

Replacing a fire-rated door with a different make/model is a significant change that requires building consent, compliance with the Building Code, proper asbestos management, and updating of your BWOF and compliance schedule. Always consult your local council and WorkSafe NZ for guidance.

The new door set must meet or exceed the original fire rating and comply with relevant Building Code Clauses.

You must use a building product that is suitable for the intended fire rating and installation context.

Buildings that are used by the public may also require a Certificate of Public Use until the Code Compliance Certificate for the door replacement has been issued.

Option 1. Immediate recall and replacement

All potentially affected fire doors will need to be identified by those who manage or control the property to:

adopt a blanket asbestos presence presumption for risk management purposes
add the doors to any existing asbestos management plan or implement a new asbestos management plan in relation to the doors
keep your asbestos management plan up to date, making careful note of where the doors are located and their condition.

When replacing an installed fire door then there are some key things to consider:

The replacement fire door and all associated work must comply with the Building Code. WorkSafe has more information on how to safely remove the doors.
The work may affect a specified system.
Building work that affects an existing specified system can require a building consent depending on the extent of the work and may require an update to the compliance schedule.

Some building work can be carried out without a building consent under schedule 1 of the Building Act, Exemption 1. General repair, maintenance, and replacement.

These exemptions include:

The repair and maintenance of any component or assembly incorporated in or associated with a building, provided that comparable materials are used.
Replacement of any component or assembly incorporated in or associated with a building, provided that:
1. a comparable component or assembly is used; and
2. the replacement is in the same position.
However, subclauses (1) and (2) do not include building work such as:
1. the complete or substantial replacement of a specified system; or
2. the complete or substantial replacement of any component or assembly contributing to the building's structural behaviour or fire-safety properties. If a fire door is replaced in a like-for-like manner with a door from the same manufacturer, same make and model, same fire-resistance rating and smoke control capability, it may fall under Exemption 1.

If the fire door is not the same specification or the replacement of a fire door involves adjustment of the door frame or alterations to the surrounding fire separation, this would not fall under the exemptions. The work will require a building consent and may require an amendment to the compliance schedule.

Speak to your local council to discuss the extent of the intended building work to confirm if a building consent is needed.

Option 2. Recall is pending, and the door/s will not be immediately replaced

All potentially affected fire doors will need to be treated by those who manage or control the property to:

Add the doors to any existing asbestos management plan or implement a new asbestos management plan in relation to the doors.
Keep your asbestos management plan up to date.
Make careful note of where the doors are located and their condition.
Follow the advice of WorkSafe and your supplier.

Option 3. Recalled door/s will be replaced with a different door, affecting the door set.