Form library · Fire safety

Dry riser inspection and testing checklist

An inspection and test record for a dry rising main. Record the building and whether it is a high-rise residential building, and the type of check: monthly routine, six-monthly visual or annual pressure test. Check the inlet box, sign, valves, drain and access, then each floor's outlet valve, blank cap and box. Record the test pressure and duration, the result and faults, and whether a fault must be reported to the fire and rescue service, with the date reported. Every question is listed below, and you can fill the live form in on this page.

Try the live form ↓Use it in SiteSurvey See completed form (PDF) ↗

Ready to use from the form library, and every question is yours to edit. Trial from £1, cancel any time.

Try it on your phone

Try it on this phone

Fill in the dry riser inspection on your phone now

See how the dry riser inspection looks on your phone

Scan the code with your phone camera. It opens the real form, no sign-up needed.

Open the live example and fill it in, just as your team would on site. No sign-up needed.

See it on this phone

Every question is editable. Add this form to your account, then change the wording, add or remove questions and options, and make it fit your own jobs.

Or start your trial with this form ready →

Prefer paper? Download a printable copy: PDF or Word

How often should a dry riser be tested?

BAFSA guidance on rising mains designed to BS 9990 says dry risers should be checked every six months and given a wet pressure test every year. Article 38 of the Fire Safety Order requires equipment provided for fire-fighters to be maintained in efficient working order and good repair. In high-rise residential buildings in England (two or more homes, at least 18 m high or at least 7 storeys), the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 also require monthly routine checks of dry riser inlets and outlets.

Last updated 17 October 2026. Facts checked by the SiteSurvey team on 17 October 2026 against regulation 7 of the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022, regulation 3 of the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 (meaning of high-rise residential building), article 38 of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (maintenance of measures for fire-fighters) and BAFSA information file 21: wet and dry risers designed to BS 9990.

Try the dry riser inspection form live

Answer a few questions and watch it adapt. Your answers are not saved, and any photos you add are deleted within the hour.

Live form: Dry Riser Inspection RecordOpen full screen ↗

See a filled-in example

Open the completed example to see fictional readings, notes, photos and calculations. Choose Blank form to try entering your own answers.

Want to see one filled in? See a completed dry riser inspection report (PDF), made by SiteSurvey from a fictional site visit.

Every question in the dry riser inspection template

A dry riser inspection and test record: building and check type, inlet box, each outlet's valve, cap, strap and signage, the annual pressure test, faults, and the 24-hour reporting rule for high-rise residential buildings. 4 sections and 56 questions. Follow-up questions and guidance appear only when an answer calls for them, so the person on site never sees the ones that do not apply.

Make it your own: every question is editable

This is a starting point, not a fixed form. Once it is in your SiteSurvey account you can reword any question, add or remove questions, sections and answer options, and add your own logo, so it fits the way your team works and the jobs you do.

Details you only enter once

Add this form to a project in SiteSurvey and it fills in what the project already knows, so nobody on site retypes it and every form on the job uses the same names. Anything filled in can still be changed.

Project: the project name
Client: the project's customer
Site: the site, when the form is opened for a space or a product
Site address: the site address, from the space or the project

Building

ProjectShort answer
Fills in from the project name
ClientShort answer
Fills in from the project's customer
Site*Short answer
Fills in from the site, when the form is opened for a space or a product
Site addressShort answer
Fills in from the site address, from the space or the project
Date*Date
TimeTime
Engineer or checker*Short answer
Company and competence (for example BAFSA or third-party certification)Short answer
Check*Choose one
- Monthly routine check
- Six-monthly visual inspection
- Annual pressure test
StoreysNumber
Does the building have two or more homes and is it at least 18 m high or 7 storeys?Yes or No
CheckFire Safety (England) Regulations 2022, regulation 7: in a high-rise residential building the responsible person must carry out monthly routine checks of essential fire-fighting equipment, which includes dry riser inlets and outlets, and keep a record that residents can see. If a fault cannot be fixed within 24 hours, it must be reported to the fire and rescue service electronically, and reported again when fixed.
Shown when “Does the building have two or more homes and is it at least 18 m high or 7 storeys?” is Yes
GuidanceBAFSA guidance on rising mains to BS 9990: check dry risers every six months and carry out a wet pressure test every year. Article 38 of the Fire Safety Order requires equipment provided for fire-fighters to be maintained in efficient working order and good repair.

Inlet

Inlet locationShort answer
Inlet positionShort answer
Mark current location at the inlet box, so the fire service and the next engineer can find it.
Inlet box, door and glassChoose one
- OK
- Defect
What is wrong?Short answer
Shown when “Inlet box, door and glass” is “Defect”
Dry riser inlet signChoose one
- OK
- Defect
What is wrong?Short answer
Shown when “Dry riser inlet sign” is “Defect”
Inlet valves and capsChoose one
- OK
- Defect
What is wrong?Short answer
Shown when “Inlet valves and caps” is “Defect”
Drain valve closedChoose one
- OK
- Defect
What is wrong?Short answer
Shown when “Drain valve closed” is “Defect”
Clear access for the fire serviceChoose one
- OK
- Defect
What is wrong?Short answer
Shown when “Clear access for the fire service” is “Defect”
Photos of the inletPhotos
Inlet items with a defectWorked out by the form

Outlets

Outlets
Repeat for each outlet. Each one asks:
- Floor*Short answer
- Landing valve closed, strapped and padlockedChoose one
  - OK
  - Defect
- Blank cap and chainChoose one
  - OK
  - Defect
- Outlet box and signChoose one
  - OK
  - Defect
- What is wrong?Short answer
  Shown only when the answers above make it relevant
- Photos of the outletPhotos
Outlets checkedWorked out by the form
Outlets with a defectWorked out by the form
Defects found (inlet items and outlets)Worked out by the form

Pressure test and result

Test pressure in the test procedure (bar)Number
From the maintenance contract or the written test procedure for this main. The form compares the test with what you enter.
Shown when “Check” is “Annual pressure test”
Hold time in the test procedure (minutes)Number
Shown when “Check” is “Annual pressure test”
Test pressure applied (bar)Number
Shown when “Check” is “Annual pressure test”
Held for (minutes)Number
Shown when “Check” is “Annual pressure test”
Pressure at the end of the hold (bar)Number
Shown when “Check” is “Annual pressure test”
Drop over the hold (bar)Worked out by the form
Shown only when the answers above make it relevant
Test against the procedureWorked out by the form
Shown only when the answers above make it relevant
Pressure held with no leaks?Yes or No
Shown when “Check” is “Annual pressure test”
CheckThe test did not meet the procedure, or the pressure did not hold. Record the leak or the shortfall under faults and plan a retest.
Shown only when the answers above make it relevant
Result*Choose one
- In efficient working order
- Faults found
Faults and actionNotes
Shown when “Result” is “Faults found”
Will the faults be fixed within 24 hours?Yes or No
Shown when “Result” is “Faults found” and “Does the building have two or more homes and is it at least 18 m high or 7 storeys?” is Yes
WarningReport the fault to the fire and rescue service electronically, and report again when it is fixed.
Shown when “Will the faults be fixed within 24 hours?” is No
Date reported to the fire and rescue serviceDate
Shown when “Will the faults be fixed within 24 hours?” is No
Report referenceShort answer
Shown when “Will the faults be fixed within 24 hours?” is No
Actions
Repeat for each action. Each one asks:
- Action*Notes
- PriorityChoose one
  - Urgent
  - High
  - Medium
  - Low
- OwnerShort answer
- DueDate
- StatusChoose one
  - Open
  - In progress
  - Completed
Next check dueDate
Monthly routine check where regulation 7 applies; six-monthly visual inspection and annual pressure test under BS 9990.
Days until the next checkWorked out by the form
Shown when “Date” is answered and “Next check due” is answered
CheckCheck the date. The next date is before the date of this visit.
Shown only when the answers above make it relevant
Completed by*Short answer
SignatureSignature

See it filled in

A completed dry riser inspection report, made by SiteSurvey from a fictional site visit: every answer, the photos, the guidance that applied and the sign-off, ready to send as a PDF.

See completed form (PDF) ↗

Dry riser inspection FAQs

What does regulation 7 require?

In high-rise residential buildings, the responsible person must check firefighting lifts, evacuation lifts and essential fire-fighting equipment every month and keep a record that residents can access. A fault that cannot be fixed within 24 hours must be reported to the fire and rescue service electronically, and reported again when it is fixed.

What is checked on an outlet?

That the landing valve is closed, strapped and padlocked, the blank cap and chain are in place, and the outlet box and sign are in good condition.

What is recorded for the pressure test?

The test pressure, how long it was held and whether it held with no leaks. Use the pressure and duration in BS 9990 or the manufacturer's instructions.

What about access to the inlet?

The form checks there is clear access for the fire service and records any obstruction, such as parked bikes or bins, and what was done about it.

Does it work for wet risers?

It is written for dry risers. Wet risers have pumps and tanks that need their own checks.

Who uses this?

Fire protection contractors, facilities managers and housing providers with high-rise blocks.

Fire risk assessments software AOV inspection checklist Fire hydrant inspection checklist Fire alarm test log Fire door inspection checklist All forms in the library

Related templates

Templates that go with the dry riser inspection form

AOV and smoke vent inspection checklist

A smoke vent and AOV inspection: control panel and power, detector and switch activation, each vent opening fully and resetting, obstructions, faults and the reporting rules for high-rise residential buildings.

3 sections · 54 questions · See every question →

Fire hydrant inspection checklist

A private fire hydrant record covering identification, access, visible condition, authorised test references, defects and impairment notifications.

5 sections · 51 questions · See every question →

Fire alarm test log

A fire alarm test record: the weekly call point test with the call point used, sounders and reset, and the service visit with each device tested, faults, photos and the date of the last service.

5 sections · 75 questions · See every question →

Fire door inspection checklist

Door by door checks (gaps, seals, closers, signage, glazing), 12 month flat entrance door record and remedial work list.

7 sections · 91 questions · See every question →

Browse all 315 forms in the library