Fire compartmentation is the process of creating fire resisting compartments in rooms, spaces or even storeys within a building or adjoining building. Done properly, fire compartmentation should delay the spread of fire throughout the building(s).
This is often achieved using fire resisting walls and floors with between 30 minute and 120 minute fire resistance. It’s also important to ensure that any openings within the compartments such as windows and doors, service penetrations and ductworks should include special measures to ensure the fire resistance remains in place.
Where can you find fire compartmentation systems?
Fire compartmentation systems can be found in walls and ceilings as well as HVAC systems. It’s important that any wall or ceiling that defines a specific compartment should be reinforced using fire resistant materials. Using cavity barriers and insulation in the voids between the walls and floor should be used and any gaps should be fully sealed to remove the passage of smoke or flames.
Fire stopping requires specialist materials that have been designed to eliminate the spread of fire throughout a building. All buildings have different material requirements so it’s important that the correct materials are used.
Fire resistant materials include:-
- Intumescent materials that have been designed to fill any cavities when exposed to heat
- Fire collars that should be placed over pipeage to eliminate the possibility of weakness
- Fire resistant boards
Why is fire compartmentation important?
Fire compartmentation can play a vital role in the safety of people within the event of a fire in a building. Having fit and proper fire compartmentation in place provides individuals with extra time to escape the building safely and in some cases will even save lives.
Not only is fire compartmentation beneficial for the safety of individuals but it also acts as a way to limit the spread of fire throughout a building and reduce the amount of damage to your properties.
Fire compartmentation requirements
So what are the requirements of fire compartmentation?
You can find the most recent fire compartmentation regulations within Approved Document B. This document includes all of the regulations that relate to fire safety in and around buildings.
Who is responsible for the compliance of fire compartmentation?
Due to a number of high profile building fires in recent years, fire safety regulations have been tightened. Accountability of fire compartmentation has now been passed onto a ‘responsible person’.
This person is responsible for ensuring that fire safety surveys and fire risk inspections are conducted on a regular basis by a competent person or business. It’s also important that the ‘responsible person’ ensures that the fire survey report recommendations are swiftly acted upon to maintain an effective compartmentation strategy.
It’s important that fire safety and compliance is taken seriously by the ‘responsible person’. Should a fire lead to a fatality, injury, or even damage to property, courts may impose severe penalties if negligence can be found.
Book a fire compartmentation survey
If you’re looking for a fire compartmentation survey, we are a fully trained and accredited team of fire safety experts that offer fire compartmentation surveys nationwide. Get in touch with us and we will be happy to help!
