To achieve compartmentation, Oakleigh Contracts provides a full survey to all risers and internal openings in walls and floors which have the potential to carry flames, smoke and hot gases throughout your building. These penetrations, such as plumbing pipes, electrical sockets, and cables interfere with the integrity of the structure and must be sealed off with intumescent materials and other protection products. This needs to be reviewed by an independent fire engineer to ensure the correct construction and specification is used.
Oakleigh Contracts work with Tenmat and Polyseam for the provision of our intumescent materials and protection products. Intumescent materials are designed to expand when temperatures become too hot, sealing off the opening and blocking the path of fire. Tenmat and Polyseam offer highly reliable, durable, and established products you can trust.
Our team is further guided by independent fire engineers who advise us on the level of compartmentation necessary for your building; oftentimes, smaller premises from which occupants can easily exit require less compartments than more complex, larger buildings from which occupants may struggle to evacuate.
No matter your requirements, however, Oakleigh Contracts have the experience and industry knowledge to provide a solution in line with up-to-date fire regulations. We further record our compartmentation work on the Bolster Systems App, so that our clients can follow our progress.
What is the British standard for fire compartmentation?
The Fire Safety Act 2021 builds upon the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, including external walls, common areas, and doors between domestic premises and common areas within the scope of a Fire Risk Assessment.
This means the structure of these areas must be fire-stopping, which is where compartmentation is utilised.
How is compartmentation achieved?
Compartmentation is achieved through passive fire protection measures within the structure of the building; these measures are designed to contain a fire to the compartment of its origin. This is achieved both within the structure of the building, meaning the building is constructed from non-combustible materials to increase the building’s resistance to collapse, as well as through fire barriers.
Fire barriers are products integrated into the structure of the building to help contain a fire, and include intumescent materials, cavity barriers, and fire doors, amongst other products.
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