Compartmentation is a critical line of defence for fire safety, with accurate specification being essential to delivering life-saving performance in the event of a fire breaking out. Here Joshua Slack, UK Commercial Director for passive fire-protection specialist Promat, defines what effective compartmentation looks like and why it matters.
For fire-safety policies to work effectively and meet building safety regulations it’s critical that buildings are designed and constructed to allow time for occupants to evacuate and get to safety, and to enable the fire and rescue service access to tackle the blaze – and protect the integrity of the building. Compartmentation is essential to this, providing fire protection for walls, ceilings and steelwork to contain the spread of heat and smoke, and, crucially, allow time to clear a building.
Compartmentation is one of the most effective ways to protect buildings from fire and involves a process of dividing a structure into ‘compartments’ that are protected using fire-resistant materials. For effective protection a holistic approach is required, in addition to the walls and ceilings themselves, any element that forms that part of that compartment line, such as doors, firestopping or steelwork encasements, must maintain the performance of the element as a whole.
By creating compartments using fire-protection boards along walls and ceilings, and to encase structural steel, fire can be contained within a determined area for a set period, as long as the correct level of passive fire protection has been specified. This underpins the effectiveness of any measures taken to address a fire risk in a building, including ‘Stay Put’ policies and the creation of a fire-safety corridor to allow vital access to the emergency services responding to a fire.
As well as offering the equivalent protection of the walls and ceilings beneath to form a contained fire-protected compartment, structural steel also commonly sits on compartment lines and, as such, should be specified appropriately to protect the integrity of the building, allowing firefighters access.
Specifying compartmentation
Fire-rated partitions play a crucial part in ensuring the safety of all buildings, from warehouses and commercial premises up to managing the fire risk in high-rise office blocks. With such a wide range of applications there can be a vast difference in the scope of specification for passive fire protection.
For compartmentation to provide the fire protection required, it’s essential that the correct system is specified. Promat manufactures fire-protection boards that can be built into fire-rated systems to provide protection from the spread of heat and smoke for 30, 60, 90, 120 and 240 minutes with the correct fire-resistance period specification being dependant on the type of building, the height, size and complexity of application.
This must be supported by the effective use of fire-stopping systems to provide a protective seal where penetrations have been made into the board to accommodate, for example, pipework.
A simple, straightforward structure will see the use of fire-protection boards on ceilings and walls that have been tested and certified in that application. However, a more complex building may require a bespoke approach, including the support of a fire engineer to ensure compliance with Approved Document B fire regulations, and more recently the Building Safety Act.
To demonstrate it meets the required standard, all passive fire-protection systems must have a valid testing report. Here at Promat we advocate that boards and products are certified by a recognised third party, where possible, as well as meeting the necessary EN fire-test standards.
In more complex projects, the sheer variety of applications means there may not be existing test standards and certification systems to cover that particular use, such as when boards are being used to provide compartmentation for steelwork penetrating compartment lines. In this case a fire engineer will need to be involved to demonstrate how the use of separately tested systems can meet the project demands – potentially requiring additional technical support and testing.
Likewise, variants in the substrate may also affect the performance of passive fire protection. In this case the application becomes more complex and may require additional technical support to demonstrate compliance.
Technical support
With the introduction of the Building Safety Act there is a greater emphasis on the need for early specification so it is important that compartmentation is factored into any new build or refurbishment at the design stage. Early engagement with technical specialists in passive fire protection will ensure any potential issues are flagged at the design stage, and the necessary support sought to ensure the correct specification of the fire-protection systems for each building project.
While specification and installation of the most effective compartmentation is essential to provide protection from the rapid spread of fire to other areas of the building, adequate maintenance is also vital to ensure it continues to perform as required throughout the life of a building, ensuring any damage is repaired promptly and any post-installation penetrations, such as for new pipework, are firestopped with products certified for the specific application.
Passive fire-protection specialists must be able to demonstrate competency to support the specification of compartmentation systems as well as wider passive fire-protection systems. At Promat all the specification team, and the technical team, are qualified to, or working towards, IFE Level 3 qualification in Passive Fire Protection to enable them to offer the specialist advice needed. In addition, Promat offers training courses to enhance understanding of the application of passive fire protection, including compartmentation.
With the support of technical experts and through early engagement in the specification process, compartmentation can deliver the protection needed to protect people in the building and those responding to an emergency.
About the Author
Joshua Slack
Joshua Slack is the UK Commercial Director of passive fire specialist Promat – part of Etex. Having previously worked as the company’s National Specification Manager within the UK, he is a member of the Institute of Fire Engineers. Promat specialises in protective board solutions used to maintain compartmentation and provide structural integrity in the event of a fire.
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