Compartmentation is a vital step in safeguarding people and protecting buildings from the devastating effects of a fire. It is the process of subdividing a structure into smaller, fire-resistant elements. Allowing more time for people to safely evacuate the building and for fire services to extinguish the flames. Compartmentation can also help to prevent dangerous materials from being exposed to the blaze and spreading throughout the building.

To ensure full efficacy of this it is important to regularly inspect and maintain fire stopping and fire doors. Fire stopping ensures that compartment lines are not breached by third party-installers  and will certainly help delay the spread of fire, smoke and hot gases. Examples of fire stopping products/methods such as fire resisting boards, mineral fibre batts, Gypsum-based plaster, intumescent mastic, and ‘seal bags’ filled with intumescent granules are all used to guarantee fire stopping is effective.  Certain specialist products such as intumescent fire collars may also be used to protect certain types of service penetrations such as combustible plastic pipes.

Fire doors are another important component of fire compartmentation. Fire doors can be misused or neglected which can lead to the “chimney effect.” Usually this is where fire doors are left wedged open. In 2018, 64% of buildings visited by fire services had a fire door wedged open. This caused property owners to invest in regular fire door inspections and maintenance.

Don’t let your building become a statistic. Take the steps necessary to ensure fire compartmentation is properly maintained and secure. For further information on fire compartmentation surveys contact us.

For more guidance on fire stopping regarding suitability for different applications and guidance on test methods, seek the Association for Specialist Fire Protection (ASFP) Red Book.