For property managers and building owners, ensuring a building is safe is not just a legal obligation—it’s a moral one. While many fire safety measures are active (like alarms and sprinklers), fire compartmentation is a passive but critical defense that can make the difference between a minor incident and a catastrophe. It’s the silent hero of a building’s fire safety strategy, designed to protect lives, minimize damage, and reduce your long-term liability.
Fire compartmentation is the practice of dividing a building into smaller, fire-resistant sections or “compartments.” This is achieved using fire-resistant walls, floors, ceilings, and other barriers that are designed to contain a fire in the area where it starts for a set period. This containment prevents the fire and its by-products—smoke, heat, and toxic gases—from spreading to other parts of the building, providing a crucial window of time for occupants to evacuate safely.
How it Works
Effective fire compartmentation relies on a combination of built-in measures:
Fire-Stopping Measures: Any gaps or voids in fire-rated structures, such as those created by pipes, cables, or ducts, must be sealed with fire-stopping materials to ensure the barrier remains complete.
Ignoring or failing to maintain a building’s fire compartmentation can lead to devastating consequences that directly impact occupants and the financial health of the property.
A common mistake is assuming that a simple Type 1 FRA will cover all risks. This can have serious consequences:
Choosing the right FRA ensures your ongoing fire safety management is based on accurate, verified information. This not only keeps occupants safe but also protects your assets and reputation.
Secure Your Building’s Safety Today
Fire compartmentation is a fundamental component of building safety. Don’t assume that just because a building is new or has been recently renovated that its compartmentation is intact. To ensure your property is safe, compliant, and protected, you need to work with accredited professionals who can properly assess your building.
Request a Fire Compartmentation Survey quote today to gain peace of mind and the assurance you need.
This quick, easy form takes just a few minutes to complete. Tell us your building’s key details and upload any existing plans, compartmentation drawings, previous fire-stopping or compartmentation reports, and photos of joints, doors or penetrations if you have them. The more you provide, the faster our accredited compartmentation experts can prepare an accurate, fixed-scope survey quote.
We only work with vetted, insured professionals accredited under UKAS-recognised schemes. Our specialists hold leading certifications such as IFC Certification, BM TRADA Q-Mark, BAFE, and ASFP membership, ensuring every fire compartmentation survey meets the highest standards.
Each quote includes a Due-Diligence Pack, so you can verify credentials with complete confidence.