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Passive Fire Protection

To conform to fire safety regulations, active fire protection, passive fire protection and fire prevention measures needs to be in place. All three are integral components for the protection and safety of a building by helping to prevent fire, contain fire or slow the spread of a fire. While active fire protection covers measures like fire extinguishers, sprinkler systems and fire detection alarms, passive fire protection involves compartmentalising an overall building through the use of fire resistant walls, floors and fire doors. In this article we'll take a look at fire doors as well as the essential hardware that ought to be in place to offer passive fire protection.

Fire resistant doors

A building or premises should be compartmentalised to slow the spread of fire from one area to another. This is accomplished using doors which allow foot traffic to move through the premises. These doors should comply with fire door regulations and be manufactured to perform two functions: form a fire resistant barrier when shut to prevent the spread of fire, and provide a means of escape from fire when opened.

Different areas of a building should form compartments built of fire resisting materials. The openings leading into and out from these compartments should have internal fire doors to act as a barrier against fire and provide adequate resistance to smoke or combustible products through first stages of a fire.

A fire door needs to provide 30 minutes of fire resistance as a minimum and be fitted with the following fire door hardware:

Fire door closer - An automatic fire door closer is a self closing device which ensures the door closes immediately after someone passes through.

Three door hinges – Made from quality steel or brass, hinges should measure 102 x 76 x 3mm and be certified for use with a fire door.

Intumescent door seals - Intumescent smoke seals are fitted to the door and frame. When temperatures exceed 200°C the seals swell and seal off the gap between the door and frame.

Air transfer grilles - Buildings still require ventilation for health and safety and for the comfort of occupants however ventilation ducts compromise fire containment so the answer is to fit air transfer grilles. Grilles allow air to pass through a building under normal circumstances but in the event of a fire will close to provide a barrier and restrict the flow of harmful gases.

Fire door risk assessment

By performing a fire risk assessment audit, safety officers should identify any potential problems with fire doors and any poor practices such as wedging fire doors open. Failure to carry out a fire risk assessment is a breach of the 2007 Fire Regulations with fines already ranging from £40,000-£250,000 and also the potential closure of premises until compliant.

The majority of fines issued under the new Fire Regulations have been for blocking means of escape (fire exits) or for fire doors being wedged open. While the practice of wedging open fire doors is probably convenient for staff or occupants (particularly if the route is one with heavy footfall or an area where goods are moved from one place to another) it creates a major fire hazard by breaking the fire barrier.

Proper training and information is essential to keep fire doors closed and every door should display a visible sign informing occupants to keep fire doors shut.