When it comes to fire safety, most people are familiar with active fire protection measures like alarms, sprinklers, and extinguishers. However, passive fire protection (PFP) is an equally vital, yet often overlooked, component of a comprehensive fire safety strategy. At Fire Security Services (FSS), we specialise in delivering robust passive fire protection solutions, helping ensure the safety of occupants, emergency responders, and property in the event of a fire.
What is Passive Fire Protection?
Passive fire protection is a building’s silent defender, designed to prevent or slow the spread of fire and smoke, minimise property damage, and maintain structural stability. Unlike active fire protection systems, PFP does not require activation to perform its critical role. Instead, it utilises fire-resistant materials and designs to compartmentalise a building, ensuring safe evacuation routes and reducing the spread of fire.
Key components of passive fire protection include:
• Fire-rated walls, floors, and ceilings
• Fire and smoke separations
• Fire doors and windows
• Smoke curtains and fire-resistant coatings
These systems work in harmony with active fire protection measures, such as sprinklers and alarms, to provide comprehensive fire safety coverage.
Why is Passive Fire Protection Important?
While often unseen, passive fire protection is indispensable. It is the backbone of a building’s fire safety, ensuring that fire and smoke remain contained, allowing occupants to evacuate safely and giving emergency services the time and access they need to manage the situation.
In New Zealand, the Building Code (NZBC) mandates stringent fire safety measures, particularly under Clause C. This clause outlines objectives such as:
• Safeguarding people from the risk of injury or illness caused by fire
• Protecting neighbouring properties from fire damage
• Facilitating firefighting and rescue operations
Passive fire systems are essential for meeting these requirements, and compliance with these standards is a legal obligation for building owners.
Fire Security Services: Your Passive Fire Experts
At Fire Security Services, our team of experienced passive fire specialists and Independent Qualified Persons (IQPs) are here to support your building’s fire safety needs. We provide clear and precise information on passive fire requirements, along with a range of compliance and inspection services.
Our Passive Fire Protection Services Include:
Monthly and Annual Inspections:
Our compliance team performs regular inspections of smoke and fire separations, reporting compliance issues through our real-time customer portal. We inspect systems including:
• SS3/3 Interfaced fire or smoke doors or windows
• SS13/3 Smoke curtains
• SS15/3 Fire separations
• SS15/5 Smoke separations
Comprehensive Passive Fire Surveys:
For buildings with systemic issues, we offer detailed surveys, identifying and documenting every defect. Each report includes photographs, fault descriptions, and precise locations, making it particularly valuable for property acquisitions to avoid inheriting unresolved issues.
Project Management and Repairs:
We work closely with clients, councils, and fire engineers to adopt a practical, risk-based approach. Our team can project manage specialist passive repair and fire-stopping subcontractors or collaborate with nominated contractors to ensure repairs meet compliance standards.
Why Choose Fire Security Services?
Passive fire protection is complex, and ensuring compliance can be daunting. That’s where we come in. At FSS, we pride ourselves on our industry expertise, rigorous attention to detail, and commitment to helping our clients achieve the highest levels of fire safety.
From inspections to project management and ongoing maintenance, Fire Security Services is your comprehensive solution for all things passive fire protection. Protecting your building and its occupants is our priority. Contact us today to find out how we can support your fire safety needs.