Your Questions Answered About Fire Protection

FireSealsDirect are here to answer all of your fire protection questions. With 50 years in the industry, we are dedicated to providing you with all the information you need to keep your building safe and compliant with fire safety regulations.

This article will answer questions about fire protection, outlining fire safety regulations and the legalities. Furthermore, this article will define the different types of fire safety systems such as active fire protection and passive fire protection.

What is fire protection?

Fire protection includes measures and practices to minimise the spread of fire throughout a building in order to prevent damage, and to safeguard occupants by creating a safe means of escape.

It is vital that your building (if required) has fire protection methods in place, including both active and passive fire protection systems.

We stock a comprehensive range of passive fire protection products, including drop down door seals, fire batts, and pipe wraps.

Is fire safety a legal requirement?

Fire safety regulations must be adhered to within commercial and residential buildings with multiple occupants. This will include regular visual inspections and fire door checks completed by the ‘responsible person’ to ensure precautions and preventive measures are in place to keep employees and occupants safe.

It is important to note that buildings with different purposes may have different requirements and duties depending on factors such as their height and risk category.

We have a number of handy guides that can help you with your property.

• Fire Safety Regulations for Schools
• Fire Safety Guide for Commercial Businesses
• Fire Safety Regulations for Offices
• Fire Safety Guide for Landlords
• Fire Safety Guide for Care Homes

Why is fire protection important?

Fires can cause widespread devastation for all involved and the wider community, which is why it is so important to have measures in place to delay or stop the spread of fire and smoke.

Smoke and flames can spread rapidly, causing a considerable amount of damage to property and can cost lives. With formidable measures in place the spread can be reduced dramatically, ensuring occupants have ample time to escape whilst the building remains structurally sound.

It is crucial to maintain and regularly inspect fire protection systems to ensure they would perform effectively in a fire situation.

What are fire safety regulations and standards?

The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 is designed to ensure buildings in England and Wales are regulated with regards to their fire safety, and outlines the responsibilities for individuals in charge.

It applies to:

• All non-domestic buildings
• Buildings containing multiple domestic dwellings
• The building’s structure, external walls and common parts

The regulations provide a framework of duties to be carried out by the responsible person, which includes completing fire risk assessments to identify any risks or hazards.

Local fire and rescue authorities (FRA) are permitted to enforce regulations by carrying out fire safety inspections on your building to ensure it is compliant.

The responsible person must cooperate with the FRA by sharing relevant documentation such as floor plans and records of fire safety systems - failure to comply could result in penalties.

Regulations may differ depending on the property and country in which it is situated, therefore it is important to check what legislation(s) relate to you and your property, and keep up to date with any changes.

 What are the two types of fire protection?

Fire protection measures belong to one of two categories, either passive fire protection or active fire protection. They are quite different fire strategies, however they should work together to provide optimum protection. Both also require regular reviewing and testing to ensure they work effectively in the event of a fire. 

Passive fire protection

Passive fire protection (PFP) is the practice of implementing fire resistance measures in fire walls, floors and doors in order to prevent the spread of fire throughout a building. This is achieved through compartmentation, which slows down the spread of the fire.

Systems may include fire doors, fire collars, and intumescent paint.

Active fire protection

Active fire protection (AFP) is anything that requires some form of action or motion in order for a fire to be detected, alerted or stopped.

This can be either manual, in the form of someone using a fire extinguisher, or automatic – for example where sprinklers automatically turn on or a fire alarm sounds. 

Find out more about the differences between active and passive fire protection. 

How we can help

At FireSealsDirect we pride ourselves in being passive fire protection experts, and supply a wide range of products to help increase fire protection in buildings across the UK.

Need some help or advice? Contact our technical team at [email protected] or call us on 02920 857 959 for more information.

Alternatively you can visit our Advice Centre which contains helpful guides and information.