What To Expect During A Fire Compartmentation Survey

Fire compartmentation is a critical aspect of any fire safety strategy. With a fire compartmentation survey, you can identify any breaches and areas for improvement with your current compartmentation measures to help you ensure the safety and compliance of your property. But what can you expect during a fire compartmentation survey?

In this blog, we’ll provide insight into the process of a compartmentation survey, including what elements are typically assessed and the purpose of these vital surveys for any business. First, let’s take a quick look at what compartmentation is.

What is fire compartmentation?

The aim of fire compartmentation is to contain fire and smoke within a specific area of a building for a specific time. This containment serves two primary purposes; one, it allows occupants more time to evacuate safely and two, it limits the fire’s spread, reducing the potential damage caused to the building and its contents.

To achieve robust fire compartmentation, buildings must incorporate various passive fire safety measures which can include fire-resistant walls and floors, strategically placed fire doors, fire-stopping materials to seal gaps and openings, and fire dampers installed within ventilation systems for example.

Fire compartmentation is an integral part of a building’s passive fire protection system. It serves as a critical life-saving measure that protects people and property. Imagine a building without compartmentation – a fire could quickly spread and engulf the entire building. By dividing a building into compartments, you can create a controlled environment where the fire’s spread is significantly slowed, lessening the risk of widespread damage and potential casualties.

What is a fire compartmentation survey and what does it include?

A fire compartmentation survey involves a detailed examination of a building’s passive fire protection measures. It primarily focuses on identifying any breaches, weaknesses, or damage to the elements that create the compartmentation.

The survey’s objective is to assess the effectiveness of a building’s current fire compartmentation strategy to ensure it meets the required standards and building regulations. Here’s a breakdown of some of the elements that are assessed:

Fire barriers and walls

A crucial aspect of a fire compartmentation survey is a detailed inspection of fire barriers and walls. This involves physically examining all elements that make up the fire-resistant partitions and extends to areas that are often overlooked, such as roof voids, to guarantee complete coverage.

Qualified inspectors will pay close attention to the condition of the fire barriers, checking for any cracks, gaps, or damage that could compromise their effectiveness. They’ll also thoroughly assess the type and integrity of the fire-resistant materials used, looking specifically for signs of deterioration, incorrect fittings, or the use of incorrect materials. If the assessor finds any of these, it will be flagged as a potential breach and will often require immediate action to fix.

Fire doors and smoke seals

Fire doors and smoke seals are key for stopping and slowing the spread of fire and smoke and these are thoroughly assessed during a compartmentation survey. It will often involve a detailed inspection of the whole of the door, along with the smoke seals, to ensure they’re both effective and they meet the required standards.

The highly-trained inspector will check the door’s construction, verifying that it is fire-rated and appropriately marked. They’ll also inspect the door’s hardware, including hinges, closers, and latches, to ensure proper installation and functionality. Any signs of damage, wear, or improper fitting will be noted with recommendations to fix or replace.

Hazards and risks in fire compartmentation

A fire compartmentation survey isn’t complete without identifying potential hazards and risks that compromise the effectiveness of your compartmentation strategy. Similar to a fire risk assessment, a comprehensive evaluation of your building will take place, looking for potential fire hazards such as flammable materials stored inappropriately, overloaded electrical circuits, and obstructions to escape routes.

As well as this, specialist inspectors will evaluate the risk of a fire occurring due to the building’s use and occupancy. For example, a building used for high-risk activities, such as cooking or using flammable liquids, will demand a higher level of fire safety measures compared to a standard office building.

What happens after a fire compartmentation survey?

After a fire compartmentation survey has been completed, a detailed report of any findings is put together and given to the ’responsible person’ of the building, usually the building owner or manager. As mentioned, the report will outline the findings of the survey, identifying any breaches, weaknesses, or potential hazards associated with the building’s fire compartmentation strategy.

The report will include recommendations and practical solutions to improve and maintain fire compartmentation in your building and will address the issues identified in the survey. The report ensures that building owners and managers have a clear plan of action to rectify issues compromising the building’s fire safety.

Any issues highlighted in a compartmentation survey will often be ranked on the severity of risks posed and the ‘responsible person’ should prioritise actioning these in that particular order. Some common recommendations might include seeking the help of specialist fire engineers, like Fire Industry Specialists (FIS), to carry out necessary repairs, upgrades, or installations.

Who can conduct a fire compartmentation survey?

Given the technical nature and the significant importance of a compartmentation survey, it requires the specialist knowledge, skills, and expertise of a competent individual or company, like FIS. You should opt for professionals with proven expertise in fire safety, building regulations, and passive fire protection systems.

At FIS, we’re International Fire Consultants (IFC) third-party accredited, meaning we conduct fire compartmentation surveys that meet the relevant industry standards. This gives you an added layer of assurance as it demonstrates our competency and adherence to industry best practices.

Let us carry out your fire compartmentation survey

As you can see, a thorough fire compartmentation survey is crucial for ensuring the safety of occupants and protecting property in the event of a fire. By assessing essential compartmentation measures such as fire barriers, doors, and seals, these surveys play a vital role in maintaining fire safety standards.

If you’d like to learn more about how we can conduct a third-party accredited fire compartmentation survey, or to book a survey for your building, get in touch with us today. We’ve worked with businesses across Lincoln, Nottingham, Manchester, Birmingham, Sheffield, and all across the UK thanks to the help of our partner brands and the backing of LS Fire Group to ensure their compartmentation strategy is effective and meets the required safety standards.

Fire compartmentation survey FAQs

How often should fire compartmentation surveys be conducted?

The frequency of fire compartmentation surveys depends on the relevant British Standards, building regulations, and the building’s specific fire strategy, but they should be conducted regularly over a defined period for continued effectiveness.

Can fire compartmentation surveys disrupt business operations?

At FIS, our experienced surveyors work to minimise disruption to your business operations while adhering to fire compartmentation requirements. This ensures we can carry out the survey to ensure effective passive fire safety in your building while you continue to carry out your day-to-day operations.

What steps can I take if my building fails the compartmentation survey?

If a building fails to meet the required standards after a survey has been completed, a detailed report will be given to the building owner or manager that outlines necessary actions to be taken. These actions might include enhancing fire protection in common areas to ensure appropriate fire containment, based on a thorough fire risk assessment.