Fire Compartmentation

Fire compartmentation is integral to structural fire protection and fire safety in properties. Its primary purpose is to slow or stop the spread of flames and smoke, allowing for the safe evacuation of occupants and offering protection for firefighters. It’s a passive fire protection compartmentation method that’s a requirement in almost all buildings.

Fire compartmentation in buildings is often built into a building’s construction, but it is possible to add extra measures to enhance fire resistance. At Adaston, we advise on new and existing measures to ensure your buildings meet fire compartmentation requirements and are fully compliant.

What is the Best Fire Compartmentation Strategy?

The best fire compartmentation strategy involves using a combination of fire-resistant construction, fire doors, fire-resistant glazing and effective cavity barriers. This ensures that each compartment in the building can withstand fire for the prescribed period and that the fire does not spread between compartments. Effective compartmentation should also account for service penetrations, such as ducts and pipes, which can compromise the integrity of fire barriers.

Fire compartmentation in buildings is often built into a building’s construction, but it is possible to add extra measures to enhance fire resistance. These extra measures can include the installation of fire-resistant barriers, retrofitting fire doors and sealing gaps to maintain fire compartmentation integrity.

At Adaston, we advise on both new and existing fire compartmentation measures to keep your building compliant and safe. Our expert assessments and retrofitting solutions help enhance your building’s fire protection strategy. The team at Adaston are highly skilled in identifying potential risks and improving fire compartmentation systems to meet strict regulations, helping you avoid costly damage and providing maximum safety for your occupants and property.

What Is Fire Compartmentation & Why is it Essential?

Fire compartmentation is the act of dividing a large space into smaller sections. These are typically fire-resistant, delaying the spread of fire, smoke and heat. This allows more time for evacuation and reduces property damage. It also makes taming the flames easier for fire and rescue services.

Examples of fire compartmentation can include:

Building Type	Fire Compartmentation Focus
Large Buildings	Larger buildings require more extensive compartmentation to ensure that fires can be contained within smaller areas. This includes: installing fire-resistant walls and partitions to subdivide the building, installing fire doors in key areas such as stairwells and corridors, fire-resistant glazing in windows and cavity barriers in concealed spaces like ceilings and ducts to prevent fire and smoke spread.
Medium Buildings	Compartmentation will focus on separating office spaces from essential areas including: server rooms, storage areas and escape routes. Special attention is given to areas with higher fire risks such as kitchens or break rooms. Fire-resistant walls and floors are used to separate these areas, along with fire doors and shutters for high-risk spaces. Additionally, service penetration sealing and fire dampers are used to maintain fire resistance through ducts and pipes.
Small Buildings	Smaller buildings might have simpler compartmentation needs with fewer sections needing fire containment. This involves using fire-resistant doors and partitions to separate key areas and applying intumescent seals around doors, windows and penetrations to prevent the spread of smoke and fire. Fire-resistant glazing may also be used in smaller window and glass openings.
High-Rise	These structures require more precise compartmentation due to complex evacuation and the risk of vertical fire spread. Fire-resistant walls and floors are essential to prevent fire from spreading between floors. Compartmentation of lift shafts and stairwells is key, with fire-resistant barriers protecting essential escape routes. Fire-resistant doors and frames are used throughout, and fire dampers and seals prevent fire and smoke spread through air ducts and openings.
Low-Rise	Low-rise compartmentation may also have simpler needs focusing more on horizontal containment. Fire-resistant walls divide spaces and fire doors are installed in escape routes to contain fire. Cavity barriers and firestopping materials are used to seal gaps in walls, ceilings and ducts to limit fire spread.
Industrial Lots	Industrial buildings should be designed to isolate high-risk areas such as storage for flammable materials or manufacturing zones. Fire-resistant enclosures are used for high-risk areas along with fire doors and shutters in large open spaces. Sprinkler systems help suppress fire, while fire-resistant barriers and seals contain fires in hazardous zones.
Commercial Lots	In commercial buildings, the focus is on protecting essential areas such as stairwells, corridors and escape routes. Fire-resistant partitions divide spaces, with fire doors and shutters in escape routes. Cavity barriers and fire dampers prevent fire and smoke spread through gaps and ducts and fire-resistant glazing is used in windows or partitions where necessary.
Residential Lots	Residential compartmentation should focus on separating living units and high-risk rooms i.e. kitchens, dining rooms and bathrooms. Fire-resistant walls and floors separate units with fire doors between apartments and in corridors. Smoke seals and firestopping materials prevent smoke spread while fire-resistant glazing can be used in windows or between rooms to allow natural light while containing fire.

Request a Fire Compartmentation Survey Today

Why do you Need Fire Compartmentation Protection?

Fire compartmentation protection is a vital component of any fire strategy. It’s primarily designed to safeguard lives and guarantee the ability to escape, but it also plays a vital role in limiting the financial impact of damage in the event of a fire. It’s also mandatory for compliance with all relevant legislation and most building insurances.

By limiting the spread of fire and smoke to a single compartment, escape routes can be preserved and allows occupants to evacuate safely. It protects the building’s structure, ensuring its sustainability, prevents the rapid spread of fire and smoke, limits property damage, and allows emergency services to do their job safely.

Ensure Your Building Meets Fire Safety Standards

Fire Compartmentation Services

At Adaston, all of our work in passive fire protection is undertaken by our in-house expert, experienced and third party accredited operatives. We conduct extensive surveys based on building regulations, the fire strategy of the building, legislation at the time of build and, where applicable, specialist guidance such as BB100 in schools and HTMs in healthcare settings.

We have experience working across a variety of sectors, including schools and higher education, high-rise apartment blocks, hospitals and more.

Our highly skilled team members are all IFC accredited, ensuring they work to industry-leading standards. Our services cover:

Surveys
Consultancy
Remediation and installation

No matter the size of the building or estate in question, Adaston can provide a bespoke plan tailored to individual client requirements, ensuring quality installation and total legislative compliance.

Schedule Your Fire Compartmentation Inspection

Is Fire Compartmentation a Legal Requirement?

Yes, you must ensure fire safety, such as compartmentation, extinguishers, exit signs and fire doors as this is a legal requirement. Each building’s compartmentation requirements will be bespoke based on its size, construction and use.

In addition, it is a legal requirement to have:

Periodic fire door surveys
Seasonally inspecting communal fire doors
Yearly fire risk assessment

This could prompt further investigation of your compartmentation. This is mandated by the Building Regulations 2010 act.

When Is Compartmentation Needed?

You likely need to update your compartmentation if you have:

An overdo fire compartmentation survey
Your survey recommends remediation
Noticed any problems within your property
Recently undertaken construction
No knowledge of compartmentation
Just purchased the property

Our Process

Planning

Scope of works and deliverables agreed • Full fire strategy of the building provided by the client • Deadlines and timetable agreed, including any out of hours work required

Implementation

Work as agreed in the scope is coordinated and performed • This will be delivered by our in house firestopping team accredited by IFC and cleared and insured

Completion

Finalise and issue our tailored report detailing findings from the scope of works • Adaston advise on next steps if required and provide continued support

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FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is Fire Compartmentation Maintenance Vital?
Fire compartmentation systems require regular maintenance to ensure their effectiveness. Over time, elements like fire doors, seals and barriers can become worn or damaged, compromising fire resistance.

Fire safety inspections should be scheduled at least every six months as part of the building’s routine maintenance. The responsible person - which may be the building owner, manager, landlord or letting agent, must ensure that all compartmentation measures remain intact and compliant.
During an inspection, common issues that require attention include:
- Penetrations for pipes, cables, and ducts. These must be properly sealed with approved materials.
- Fire doors. Worn or damaged components such as hinges, closers, and seals must be replaced to maintain fire resistance.
Can Fire Compartmentation Be Retrofitted in Older Buildings?
Yes, even older and listed buildings can be upgraded to improve fire compartmentation. Retrofitting solutions include:
- Installing additional fire-resistant barriers.
- Upgrading fire doors and glazing.
- Sealing gaps and penetrations in walls, floors, and ceilings.
Specialist advice is essential to ensure retrofitting complies with fire safety regulations while maintaining a building’s structural integrity.