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What is Passive Fire Protection?

The definition of the word ‘passive’ is something which is not reacting or lethargic but this couldn’t be further from the truth when referencing a system that by law is in place to protect a building against the dangers of fire. Ask someone to explain passive fire protection and they’ll be at a loss for words or at best slightly unsure of their answer. Yet enter any premises which is fully compliant with fire regulations and you’ll find this built-in protection all around you.

The safe protection of a building, and the people who occupy it, from the hazards of smoke and fire relies upon a wide range of factors. From design of the building itself to fire safety mechanisms (fire alarms, smoke detectors, extinguishers etc.), emergency lighting, fire alarm signs and fire exit signage. The whole process and procedure of ensuring fire safety is a complex issue and unless you’re trained to identify all these fire protection products you may have a hard time trying to spot them all.

Building construction is usually carried out using materials such as steel, concrete or wood and ensuring fire is contained within the design is critical to fire performance. This in-built fire protection is typically hidden and within the fabric of the building. Many people are aware of the visible fire protection systems such as alarms, sprinklers and fire extinguishers and will have a basic knowledge of their function, however fire containment and fire stopping is not so obvious.

Have a look around the walls and flooring next time you’re in a building. You’ll notice all the service pipe work such as drainage pipes and electrics disappearing into a surface and reappearing who knows where. What appears as a simple hole in the wall to allow these pipes to weave throughout the building can have the potential to be a smoke, gas or fire hazard if not constructed in the correct way.

Media coverage of a building fire will typically report such statements as ‘the fire spread throughout the building quickly’ so the question to ask is was there adequate fire containment in the fabric of the building in the first place. It’s true that ensuring the successful compartmentalisation of a premises to avert fire spreading in such a way may only be determined after a fire- but at what cost? There is no financial figure to put on the loss of life but statistically more than 80% of businesses that suffer a major fire go out of business 12-18 months later.