What Is Fire Stopping?

A firestop is a fire protection system made of various components used to seal openings and joints in fire-resistance rated wall and/or floor assemblies.

Firestops are designed to restore the fire-resistance ratings of wall and/or floor assemblies by impeding the spread of fire by filling the openings with fire-resistant materials. Unprotected openings in fire separations cancel out the fire-resistance ratings of the fire separations, allowing the spread of fire, usually past the limits of the fire safety plan of a building.

Fire stopping is critical to the fire safety of a building. Breaches in fire compartments are a disaster for any building which relies on escape routes and the prevention of hot gases and smoke spreading, particularly where sleeping accommodation is present.

Fire stopping is one of the most important fire safety measures, yet it is often misunderstood and ignored in a large proportion of occupied buildings.

The right products, combined with 'competent' contractors, are vital if fire compartments are to be both heat- and smoke-tight. This involves fire stopping in vulnerable and sometimes inaccessible areas of the building including roof spaces and basements.

All our products meet British Standards and our contractors are part of a third party Approved Installers Scheme administered by us. The scheme involves close supervision of contractors as they carry out work, as well as quality checks upon completion of all fire stopping that is carried out. Until then, work will not be signed off or certified as suitable and sufficient.

We work closely with architects and project management teams to ensure that a joint approach is adopted. We also ensure that fire stopping is properly recorded with photographic evidence, and that copies of this are entered into the buildings health and safety file.