What is Fire Compartmentation?
Fire compartmentation is the subdivision of buildings into manageable areas of risk, in order to prevent the spread of fire and smoke and to provide adequate means of escape.
Once the building is sectioned into separate smaller, self-contained areas or compartments, each is equipped with fire-resistant walls, floors, and doors.
Why is Fire Compartmentation important?
Fire compartmentation is important for the following reasons:
- Containing the Fire: By dividing a building into separate compartments, the spread of fire and smoke can be restricted, preventing it from spreading to other parts of the building.
- Provide a Safe Exit: Fire compartmentation helps to protect escape routes, giving building occupants more time to evacuate safely.
- Protect Property and Assets: Fire compartmentation reduces damage by containing the fire in a smaller area.
- Ensure Structural Stability: Compartmentation can help protect critical structural elements from fire damage, helping to maintain the integrity of the building for a longer period.
Is Fire Compartmentation a legal requirement?
Within the UK fire compartmentation is governed by the following main Building Regulations:
- Approved Document B (Fire Safety) provides detailed guidance on how to meet the fire safety requirements set out in the Building Regulations. This is a critical document for architects, builders, and anyone involved in the construction or renovation of buildings to ensure that structures are designed and constructed to prevent and limit the spread of fire, protect life, and facilitate the safe evacuation of occupants.
- The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (RRO). To meet legal requirements of the RRO, building owners and occupiers must ensure that the fire compartmentation in their buildings is robust and being adequately managed and maintained.
Our fire service engineers are certified in fire protection and advanced level core, penetration sealing systems and cavity barriers certified and are trained to survey a range of building types including hospitals, schools, universities, public buildings, hotel and leisure, offices, retail outlets and more.
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What is a Fire Compartmentation Survey?
Our fire compartmentation surveys will identify any potential risks and breaches, and ensure your compartments are compliant with the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.
Our standard fire compartmentation survey covers the following:
At Urmson Fire Specialists Ltd we work with companies all over the UK completing compartmentation surveys, but we also install, survey and maintain fire doors, conduct fire damper and smoke damper surveys and testing.
We also maintain and clean ventilation ductwork, air handling units, and kitchen extracts. For more information visit our services page.
As part of the RJ Urmson Group, our collaborative and proactive approach drives efficiency, cost savings and offers our clients peace of mind.
RJ Urmson Group Accreditations & Certifications
