A look at the purposes and four key principles of passive fire protection to effectively contain a fire at its source and prevent the spread of flames and smoke throughout a building, allowing occupants to escape safely.

It is critical that any firestopping sealant that is used on CPVC products is checked for both chemical compatibility, and of course like all firestopping products, evidence that the product has been tested in accordance with AS1530.4:2014 & AS4072.1-2005 and meets the required fire resistance level for the desired application.

The very nature to how the CLT slowly chars away adds extra consideration for firestopping systems as these treatments are often mounted to the wall in a way that they could fall off as the timber burns away.

Specifying multi-service bundles which have been tested for compatibility with acoustic lagging and thermal insulation can help simplify compliance.

In the event of a seismic event, will the specified passive fire treatment need to remain in place ready to work in the event of a fire? Or is the treatment designed to be repaired if it has cracked or moved in the event of a seismic event?

We have all heard the terms Fire Rated, Fire Resistant and Fire Retardant. But do they all mean the same thing? 

Plasterboard is typically required on site before plumbers, electricians, fire and HVAC contractors can begin to carry out their works, so what happens when you don’t have the plasterboard?

When treating service penetrations, the size of the aperture is an important part of firestopping and should be considered alongside the type of substrate and type of pipe or cable in order to select the best solution. 

Treating service penetrations correctly can get complicated quickly. Whilst services trades are masters at their key profession, it is all too common that they haven’t undergone any formal training on the passive fire aspects of the job site.

A look at the key barriers to achieving compliant fire ratings on large buildings — particularly high-rise apartments — in today’s construction climate and an alternative method to overcome these.