TALKING POINT
FIRE SAFETY: BUILDING SERVICES PENETRATIONS In order to comply with Building Regulations, penetration seals should be designed to ensure they can adequately accommodate the required number and type of services. With specifiers under increasing pressure to ensure fire compartmentation is maintained, the Finishes and Interiors Sector (FIS) outlines the most common methods for the selection and specification of firestopping products, and the importance of independent third-party certification and technical evaluations. has F irestopping historically been considered an activity that can be undertaken by those carrying out the installation on site. As a result, very little consideration has been given to the firestopping of service penetrations during the design stage. The problem with this
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approach is that it makes it very difficult, or even impossible, to install manufacturer-tested and -approved firestopping solutions as there is usually insufficient space available. Dampers, pipes and cables are sometimes installed within the same penetration when there isn’t an approved test
method for that scenario. There are also cases of deviations from tested and approved manufacturer details at critical interfaces such as where services emanate from risers. Another challenge is there can be a misunderstanding on ‘who does what?’ as firestopping includes
Iain McIlwee is a Materials Engineer whose journey in construction started in a scaffolding yard in Hanwell in 1995. Iain is now CEO of Finishes and Interiors Sector (FIS), the trade body for the £10bn fit-out, interiors and finishing sector.
roles and responsibilities which are not sufficiently considered and allocated. Generally, these issues occur as a result of a lack of consideration to passive firestopping, a lack of clarity on roles and responsibilities between specialist trades and a lack of ownership.
