The Fire Safety Triangle
Today's buildings are designed around the concept of the Fire Safety Triangle. Detection, Suppression, and Containment are the sides of the triangle.
Firestop - a new concept in life safety
Combining fire-rated walls, floors, and ceilings with effective firestop technology allows life safety designers to:
- Slow the speed at which a fire can move through a building
- Minimize the risk to both the building and its occupants
- Provide safe escape routes for occupants, and safe entry routes for firefighters
- Provide "in place" fire protection for occupants who can't easily be moved, such as residents of nursing homes, hospitals, and jails
Firestop is all about containment
More Firestop Information
Firestop products must meet or exceed the fire ratings of the building's walls, floors, and ceilings. A firestop might consist of a collar that is fitted over a pipe, blocking fire from moving through the opening around the pipe. A firestop could also be a sealant product that remains soft and flexible at high temperatures rather than melting. There are even firestop products called intumescents that expand in heat and close off the opening created when a plastic pipe melts and collapses.
Not only do firestop products have to contain the heat of the fire for an extended period of time, they also have to stop the spread of smoke and other noxious fumes.
Fire codes are changing rapidly - CRS will keep you up to date
Just keeping track of changes in the firestop industry is a full-time job. At Comprehensive Risk Services, we are continually training and learning about the latest techniques and products. Our certified firestop experts can bring your building up to the latest code requirements. More importantly, they know exactly how each product must be installed to work properly if the worst should ever happen.
