Firestopping and Effective Compartmentation

Design, Installation, Inspection & Maintenance – Now and in the Future

Fire resistance rated construction in buildings contains many components. Fire resistance rated walls and floors start the big box that creates effective compartmentation. The features of fire and smoke protection that provide continuity to the fire rated wall and floor assemblies include installed firestop systems, fire and smoke dampers, fire rated glazing and both rolling and swinging doors and hardware. These tested and listed systems provide fire resistance continuity and smoke resistant properties as well.

The effective compartmentation industry has been working to improve on the installed product reliability from many perspectives. Each industry has been working to build better systems, focusing on the proper design, installation, inspection, maintenance and management (DIIM) of each effective compartmentation continuity component. This is the future of firestopping and effective compartmentation.

The first component is the “D-Design”, where tested and listed systems are designed by manufacturers that submit products for testing at laboratories such as Underwriters Laboratories, LLC, (UL) and Underwriters Laboratories of Canada (ULC), FM Approvals (FM), Intertek and others. The tested and listed systems provide the “suitability for use statements” for the fire resistance and smoke resistant products that become systems when used in specific applications. Testing continues to provide more competitive and better systems, designed by manufacturers of all types of effective compartmentation products.

Effective Compartmentation: The Rest of the Story – The ‘IIM’ in ‘DIIM’
The big differences are in the rest of the story. Testing provides suitability for use of products in specific applications. However, how do the products get handled once they leave the factory or manufacturer/distributors warehouse? That is where the rest of the story starts . . . the ‘IIM’ of the DIIM. ‘IIM’ means the installation, inspection, and maintenance of these fire resistance rated and smoke resistant barriers and their fire and smoke protection features.

Study of the effective compartmentation industries found the following activities to address the ‘IIM’ part of ‘DIIM’ by the firestopping, fire and smoke damper, fire rated glazing, rolling fire door and swinging fire doors and hardware industries:

Firestop Systems
In North American and the Middle East, Caribbean and South America, this industry has focused on the “I-Installation” part of ‘IIM’ of firestopping through a focus on the company and the workforce. Third-party contractor company management system audits by laboratories like FM Approvals and UL, plus firestop/containment worker apprenticeship education for the workforce builds quality and reliability of the installed systems. Focusing on firestopping as a trade means that the systems are understood by management and the workforce; critical items for success.

The Firestop Contractors International Association (FCIA) collaborated with FM Approvals to build FM 4991, Standard for the Approval of Firestop Contractors, and with UL developing the UL/ULC Qualified Firestop Contractor Program. Both the FM 4991 and UL Qualified Firestop Contractor Programs provide general contractors, building owners and managers, fire marshals and building code officials a way to quantifiably qualify contractor companies. The FM 4991 and UL Qualified Firestop Contractor Programs differentiate installing contractors who have invested in their company’s understanding of the zero tolerance quality installation process for firestopping.

FM 4991 or UL/ULC Qualified Firestop Contractors become approved or qualified after a company and on site audit takes place of their management system. A person who has passed a rigorous FM or UL/ULC firestop industry exam based on FCIA’s Firestop Manual of Practice and firestop systems selection and analysis is named the ‘Designated Responsible Individual’, DRI. They become a DRI only after the firm becomes FM 4991 Approved or UL/ULC Qualified. Education for those taking the FM or UL/ULC firestop exam is offered at FCIA conferences, symposiums and more. For the workforce, look for an announcement in the fall about FCIA’s new firestop containment worker program.

For the second ‘I’, Inspection, the 2012 International Building Code has a requirement for third- party, independent, special inspection of firestop installations using ASTM E 2174 and ASTM E 2393 Standards for the inspection of installed penetration (2174) and fire resistive joint (2393) firestops as the process.

Firestop special inspections are required for structures 23 metres and higher above fire department access and critical occupancies found in IBC’s table 1604.5. Buildings such as education, assembly and other occupancies may be subject to these inspections from the 1604.5 reference. FCIA was the code proponent that petitioned to include ASTM E 2174 & ASTM E 2393 in Codes. FCIA collaborated with manufacturers and consultants in the industry to create the ASTM E 2174 & ASTM E 2393 Standards. Canada is the next stop for this as well.

There is also a program that qualifies the special inspection agency to perform these inspections. The International Accreditation Services, (iAS), a subsidiary of the International Code Council, (ICC) has an Accreditation Criteria, AC-291 for special inspection agencies. In iAS AC-291, there are requirements for accrediting those inspection companies that specialise in firestop special inspection. FCIA’s Standards Committee worked with iAS to build the firestopping section of iAS AC-291. Spray fire resistive materials and also intumescent fire resistive materials used for fireproofing are also subject to special inspection and referenced in iAS AC-291.

For “M-Maintenance”, firestopping is included in the fire resistance rated system maintenance section in the International Fire Code 703.1 and NFPA 101, plus in the National Fire Code of Canada. In the International Fire Code, there is a requirement for annual inspection by the building owner. Here is the ‘Maintenance’ passage:

Section 703
Fire-Resistance-Rated Construction. 

703.1 Maintenance. The required fire-resistance rating of fire-resistance-rated construction (including walls, firestops, shaft enclosures, partitions, smoke barriers, floors, fire-resistive coatings and sprayed fire-resistant materials applied to structural members and fire-resistant joint systems) shall be maintained. Such elements shall be visually inspected by the owner annually and properly repaired, restored or replaced when damaged, altered, breached or penetrated. Where concealed, such elements shall not be required to be visually inspected by the owner unless the concealed space is accessible by the removal or movement of a panel, access door, ceiling tile or similar movable entry to the space. Openings made therein for the passage of pipes, electrical conduit, wires, ducts, air transfer openings and holes made for any reason shall be protected with approved methods capable of resisting the passage of smoke and fire. Openings through fire-resistance-rated assemblies shall be protected by self- or automatic- closing doors of approved construction meeting the fire protection requirements for the assembly.

(Excerpted from the 2012 International Fire Code, copyright, the International Code Council)

Want to get involved?

• The Firestop Contractors International Association has been involved in the development of better reliability of firestopping installations by building:
• Body of Knowledge – the FCIA Firestop Manual of Practice is the study guide for FM & UL firestop exams. It is also where the firestop industry knowledge rests.
• Build the reliability of firestopping – FCIA’s committees worked with FM Approvals, UL, ASTM, IAS and at ICC, NFPA to build and implement the DIIM for firestopping. Join the association to get involved.
• Educate – at FCIA conferences, meet industry leaders in firestopping and effective compartmentation.

Firestopping as a System
Throughout North America and internationally, firestopping is a systems-oriented installation. The product alone does not get a rating. Products must be installed to the tested and listed system from a nationally recognised testing laboratory before they become a fire and life safety tested and listed Firestop system.

It takes a firestop specialty contractor to understand all the details involved to get this done correctly so it works. It also takes a firestop specialty contractor to understand how to supervise the workforce so they do not ‘get creative’ in the field and vary from the tested and listed systems. Then, a special inspection agency that focuses on firestopping is needed to know if a tested and listed system is installed properly.

Once the tested and listed firestop system is installed and the building turned over to the building owner and/or manager, the tested and listed systems can be managed or maintained for the life of the building.

Sounds easy? Try it in real life! That is why the specialty firestop contractor can be a great service to the building owner and manager. After the building is constructed, new pipe and cables are placed to serve building occupants. These make holes in the walls and floors that need to be treated to keep the continuity in place for fire and smoke resistance. Specialty firestop contractors understand how to maintain continuity of fire resistance. They also know what needs to be done to keep the rest of the fire resistance and smoke resistant system effective including fire-rated doors and dampers in addition to restoring the continuity to the wall itself. Rely on the specialty firestop contractor. They understand more than just firestop systems.

What about the rest of the Fire and Smoke Protection Features?

• Fire & Smoke Dampers

The fire and smoke damper industry seems to focus on maintenance/testing during the building life cycle for ongoing reliability. Through building and fire codes, fire and smoke damper inspections are required at building commissioning, then after the first year, and every four years thereafter in most occupancies.

Healthcare occupancies have dampers inspected every at commissioning, after the firstyear then every six years thereafter. According to the healthcare industry, this is due to the very high degree of maintenance and management that takes place in these structures, which results in greater reliability with less inspection. FCIA members also provide fire damper inspections to provide greater reliability of fire resistance rated and smoke resistant assemblies.

For installation, the National Energy Management Institute developed a program for contractors that are signatory to and use workers exclusively from the Sheet Metal Workers Union. Sheet metal contractors that install fire and smoke dampers and opt into this program have their management systems audited by the National Energy Management Institute.

Fire and Smoke dampers are also included in the fire resistance rated system visual inspection maintenance requirements in the International Fire Code 703.1 when they are not concealed. Many manufacturers provide education to those firms inspecting fire dampers.

• Fire Rated Glazing

Research showed that there currently are no unique, organised 3rd party accreditation programs for installing companies. Inspection has been made more uniform through a new labelling format as specified by the 2012 International Building Code (IBC) in Chapter 7. More adjustments to this language may be part of the 2015 IBC as well. Fire-rated glazing is also included as a fire resistance rated construction maintenance item requiring visual inspection in the International Fire Code 703.1.

• Rolling Fire Doors

Rolling fire doors are the largest opening in a fire resistance rated assembly. The Institute of Door Dealers education and accreditation programs provide a certification for rolling fire door installing workers. The individual certification, managed by the association, is a knowledge-based program where those with minimum two years’ experience in the field and pass an industry examination become certified. NFPA 80 specifies drop testing frequencies for these assemblies. Maintenance is covered under the International Fire Code 703.1 for annual visual inspection by the building owner as well.

• Swinging Fire Doors and Hardware

Manufacturers provide installation instructions and there is available training for the workforce from organisations such as the carpenters and labourers’ unions. The Door and Hardware Institute’s Foundation for Door Safety and Security has built a very credible fire door assembly inspection education program to qualify individuals performing fire door inspections in existing buildings. Additionally, DHI’s relationship with Intertek has produced an Intertek-certified Fire Door Inspector Professional Certification and a company certification as well. In the complete certification program, the inspection company is audited and company certification awarded as well.

The Foundations’ efforts have been well received as ways to increase the reliability of installed swinging fire doors through the annual door inspection requirements that reside in NFPA 80 and also the International Fire Code, 703.1.

• Walls and Floors

Inspections of fire and smoke resistant assemblies find that walls and floors may have large holes with no penetrating items such as pipes and cables. Those walls need to have their continuity restored through reconstruction of the wall to the tested and listed system design.

• Structural Steel Fireproofing

This industry has seen several changes the past few years. At the International Code Council’s past two code development cycles, increased bond strength and inspection frequencies have been added to the requirements for high rise buildings. UL has a qualified fireproofing contractors program similar to the firestopping industry. The National Fireproofing Contractors Association provides education to those seeking individual certification as well. The heart of this program is NFCA individual personnel examination on NFCA manuals and education. CEU’s are required as part of the program. With a minimum two years’ experience and member in good standing status at NFCA, the company is recognised as well through this Contractor Accreditation Program.

For further information, go to www.fcia.org