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Your Full Guide to Fire Compartmentation Surveys

Posted on 27th November 2023

Fire compartmentation surveys are integral for maintaining the passive fire protection rating of your property. Compartmentation is one of the most effective ways to limit the spread of fire and smoke throughout a building, preserving its structure and protecting lives.

As the “responsible person” in a building, it’s essential to ensure that your property has sufficient compartmentation in place. This article provides an overview of everything you need to know about fire compartmentation surveys before you book one.

What Is Fire Compartmentation?

In passive fire protection, compartmentation involves dividing a building into smaller compartments to prevent the spread of fire. This is typically achieved using fire-resistant materials, such as fire doors, walls, floors and fire-stopping materials.

Why Is Fire Compartmentation Important?

If a fire breaks out within a particular area of a commercial or residential building, compartmentation helps contain it for a specified period. This provides occupants with enough time to escape safely while keeping routes clear. It also allows firefighters time to arrive and control the fire.

Compartmentation is vital not only for preserving life safety but also for protecting your property from extensive damage. In turn, you can bypass costly repairs.

What Is a Fire Compartmentation Survey?

A fire compartmentation survey is a thorough inspection of a building’s structure to assess its ability to contain fire for the required period.

In many cases, an annual fire risk assessment (FRA) is sufficient to stay compliant with industry regulations. However, a fire compartmentation survey may be necessary in the following situations:

If serious defects in fire-stopping components are suspected that cannot be identified during a standard FRA.

If concerns arise during the FRA regarding the compartmentation in areas that are not easily accessible, such as above ceilings, under floors, roof voids, cavities or service cupboards.

How Is a Fire Compartmentation Survey Different From a Fire Stopping Survey?

Although related, fire compartmentation surveys and fire stopping surveys differ in scope. For example:

A fire stopping survey inspects the specific measures and systems in place to prevent the passage of fire through walls or floors. During a fire stopping survey, a qualified engineer will assess service penetrations and degradation of fire-resistant barriers.

Compartmentation surveys, on the other hand, offer a broader assessment of the entire building’s compartmentalisation.

Why Is a Fire Compartmentation Survey Important?

Fire compartmentation surveys are especially important for all premises. This includes care homes, hospitals, university halls, hotels and high-rise residential buildings.

These environments often house vulnerable or an abundance of individuals who may need more time to evacuate in the event of a fire. In addition, you can keep your structure up-and-running without much operational loss, if any, and you can also bypass costly repairs. Finally, you are less likely to encounter legal implications.

What Does a Fire Compartmentation Survey Cover?

A fire compartmentation survey generally includes:

A visual inspection of the condition of existing fire compartments.

Detailed examination of fire seals around service penetrations within the compartment walls.

An assessment of the fire rating and installation quality of materials used to seal service penetrations and joints.

Inspection of all fire doors installed on the premises and their condition.

A report detailing any unprotected structural steelwork within the compartments that could impact the effectiveness of fire compartmentation.

An action plan with photographic evidence of any defects and recommendations for the required remedial actions.

Common Compartmentation Defects Found During a Survey

During a survey, several defects may be identified, such as:

Poorly sealed service penetrations through walls and ceilings.

Degraded or damaged fire barriers, including fire doors that do not close properly.

Lack of fire-stopping measures in areas where building services pass through compartment walls or floors.

Unprotected structural steelwork that compromises fire containment.

What Are the Current Fire Compartmentation Regulations?

A fire compartmentation survey should only be conducted by competent professionals with the required qualifications, experience and skills. Unlike a standard FRA, a compartmentation survey is often more intrusive, so it’s crucial that the surveyor has a deep understanding of building structures, materials and fire protection systems.Fire compartmentation surveys are not a legal requirement, however, an FRA may lead to one. In addition, fire compartmentation itself is a legal requirement.

Under Approved Document B, buildings with multiple occupants must be divided into self-contained compartments via fire doors and walls. These compartments must act as a barrier between escape routes and high-risk areas, reducing the spread of fire and smoke throughout the building.

What Are Common Fire Compartmentation Breaches?

Fire compartmentation breaches refer to any damage or faults that compromise the ability of the compartments to contain a fire. Common breaches include:

Unsealed pipework or cable penetrations through fire walls.

Gaps around service pipes or ducts that have not been fire-stopped.

Missing or damaged fire doors that do not meet fire compartmentation regulations.

Poorly installed or non-compliant fire-resistant glazing.

What Are the Consequences of Not Having Adequate Compartmentation?

Failing to maintain adequate compartmentation can have severe consequences, including:

Increased risk of fire and smoke spreading, endangering lives and property.

Potential legal liability if your building is not compliant with fire safety regulations.

Higher repair costs after a fire due to extensive damage caused by a lack of fire containment.

Loss of trust from occupants or clients in the safety of the premises.

Fire Compartmentation in Different Building Types

Compartmentation requirements can vary based on the type of building. For instance:

Schools should focus on separating classrooms and evacuation routes to give staff and students enough time to evacuate.

Office compartmentation may focus on protecting key escape routes and stairwells.

Warehouses with large open spaces may need additional fire walls to limit the spread of fire in areas with stored goods.

Consider these factors when implementing fire compartmentation:

Building Type:

Every building, be it commercial or residential, requires different compartmentation. For instance, hospitals necessitate higher levels of fire compartmentation compared to smaller apartment buildings.

Construction:

Fire-resistant walls, floors and ceilings must be constructed with precision to ensure their effectiveness. Alongside this, you must ensure the construction is often surveyed.

Height:

High-rise structures, particularly those with five or more stories, have specific regulations regarding fire compartmentation. The minimum fire resistance period for compartment walls is 30 minutes for single-storey buildings and 60 minutes for multi-storey buildings.

Location:

Shared walls between two or more buildings must be classified as compartment walls. In mixed-use buildings, residential areas must be sectioned off. Additionally, garages must be separated from attached houses by compartment walls and floors.

Occupancy:

Buildings housing vulnerable occupants or containing hazardous materials are subject to more stringent fire compartmentation requirements.

How Can Fire Compartmentation Be Maintained?

You should review your fire compartmentation weekly to monthly. Fire compartmentation can easily be maintained by:

Conducting regular visual checks of fire doors and seals.

Documenting any repairs or modifications made to the building’s compartmentation.

Scheduling periodic surveys or assessments to ensure continued compliance with fire safety regulations.

Fire Compartmentation Surveys with GRJ Surveying

If you need a fire compartmentation survey for your property, GRJ Surveying can help. Our third-party accredited team of fire protection consultants specialises in carrying out compartmentation surveys in commercial and residential buildings of all sizes. We also inspect fire doors, structural steel and your building's overall passive fire protection systems.

Once the survey is complete, we can handle all necessary remedial work to ensure your building remains compliant with fire safety regulations. Contact us today to learn how we can assist you with your fire compartmentation needs.