Fire Stopping Survey
A Fire Stopping Survey is an integral part of a passive fire protection plan. Without the proper preventative measures in place, a fire can rapidly spread through the structural integrity of a building putting many lives at risk.
A Fire Stopping Survey from RM Risk Management can ensure that this isn’t the case should a fire event unfortunately occur.
A Fire Stopping Survey will determine areas where fire resisting walls have been breached, so the correct remedial works can be performed to restrict the spread of fire and smoke through your building. Any penetrations in the fire resisting barriers throughout should be fire-stopped using the approved products in the correct applications. It is also vital to ensure the fire resisting element is maintained above fire doors.
We can identify the problem areas and perform a detailed inspection above suspended ceilings, loft spaces and between floors to ensure fire cannot extend through the building by means of travelling through the voids.
Our surveyors are knowledgeable of the following:
- Fire stopping techniques, products and materials
- Fire doors and the need to fire stop around door frames
- Compartmentation required between floors and around risk areas
- BS 476 and associated standards for fire resistance testing
Our clients receive a professionally produced survey report that is easy to understand with a list of recommendations, and should any question arise our expert team is always happy to assist.
We have a team of contractors on hand to provide quotations for remedial works if necessary.
Frequently Asked Questions
We've answered the common questions we get asked about this service
What is the difference between a Fire Stopping Survey and a Compartmentation Survey?
A Fire Stopping Survey is an inspection to determine areas where the fire resisting construction has been breached and requires sealing.
A Compartmentation Survey is a destructive inspection of walls and floors to determine the level of fire resisting construction in order to produce compartmentation plans.
Is a Fire Stopping Survey destructive?
Our fire stopping survey will be non-intrusive unless stated in the schedule. The surveyor will not:
- Make any holes
- Use any power tools
- Provide, borrow or use access equipment without permission
- Go into any private residence unless they are required to do so by the fire safety legislation
- Dissemble or uncover any item forming part of a loadbearing wall or floor (the surveyor may remove suspended ceiling or raised-access floor tiles to inspect above or below)
What information do you need to perform a fire stopping survey?
We will need the building plans showing lines of fire resistance, also known as compartmentation lines. These lines are generally indicated on a fire strategy drawing.
In the absence of a Fire Strategy drawing, a life safety approach will be taken looking at means of escape and high-risk areas. High risk areas may include IT server rooms, service risers, plant rooms and boiler rooms, however additional rooms as identified by the client may be factored in.
How much does a fire stopping survey cost?
A Fire Stopping Survey can be a time-consuming exercise for an inspector. Depending on the size of the building, a survey may take anything from 1 day to 1 week. Every Fire Strategy is different and therefore priced on request. We provide an after-care service to all of our clients offering ongoing advice and meetings where necessary.
What areas do you cover?
We are based in the West Midlands, but our assessors work nationwide. The majority of our work is in London, Birmingham and Manchester, however we look after our clients’ properties all over the UK, including the Channel Islands and Northern Island.
If you have any further questions then please contact us today.
We will provide
A Fire Stopping Survey
A PDF and Web report with recommendations
Free access to BLOCK7.
Fire Safety Management Software to assist in ongoing risk management
One Hour’s Free Consultancy
Support for each and every risk assessment
Our Process
Assess
To assist in your understanding of health and safety requirements, we will identify hazards on site and, for each one, we will determine how well we believe you are currently complying with health and safety standards through observation, evaluation of documentation and discussion.
Validate
For quality assurance, RM has a two stage validation process for each and every audit that is published. First the report is verified by the assessor that carried out the assessment, and secondly the respective Department Head reviews and validates the report before publishing to the client.
Report
To help you to actively manage your risks, RM publishes all of its assessment reports to BLOCK7 where, amongst other things, you will be able to view and download static and dynamic PDF reports. In addition, you can view and search risks according to the categorisation of Intolerable, Substantial and Moderate, or Monitor & Review with Traffic Light methodology.
