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Fire compartmentation in commercial properties - What are the requirements between floors
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JL  
#1 Posted : 11 July 2017 10:43:14(UTC)
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JL

Looking for advice on the standards required for office ceilings in an office premises (call centre), specifically how long the fire compartmentation should be between floors. The building is three stories high and has a suspended ceiling on all floors that looks to have 30-minute separation time. Although I can’t find any paper work to prove it is.  There is no specific fire resistance of any form above the suspended ceiling.  Is 30 minutes sufficient or is 60 minute the required separation time?  

There are no significant fire risks within the office location.

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Hsquared14  
#2 Posted : 11 July 2017 11:51:36(UTC)
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Hsquared14

I would ask your insurance company who deals with your fire insurance to give their view

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RayRapp  
#3 Posted : 11 July 2017 13:12:49(UTC)
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RayRapp

What does your FRA say?

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SBH  
#4 Posted : 11 July 2017 13:24:42(UTC)
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SBH

Have a look at Approved Document B page 123 / 124 it will give you the minimum periods of fire resistance

SBH

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thanks 1 user thanked SBH for this useful post.
JL on 11/07/2017(UTC)
JL  
#5 Posted : 11 July 2017 13:28:40(UTC)
Rank: Forum user
JL
Originally Posted by: RayRapp Go to Quoted Post

What does your FRA say?

Oddly enough since posting this question I found the planning permission from the late 90's (when it was converted to offices) saying that all ceilings must have 1 hours fire separation, I'm pretty sure this building is nowhere near this and all other businesses since that time that have occupied the building have conveniently ignored this (or not done a FRA). I guess we will have to pick up were planning permission told us to be back in 99 - No mention of compartmentation in the existing FRA


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sappery760  
#6 Posted : 12 July 2017 05:45:31(UTC)
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sappery760

Proper management systems [NOT a paper QA/QC system] will help ensure adequate compartmenation and by proper I mean suitable persons getting out there to ensure builders and the like do a proper job [CDM does NOT cover doing proper mechanical jobs on site] every time they are doing work and in all my years I have found very very few such systems in general construction / business especially in blocks of flats and the like

The problem is that proper management systems cost money and require competence both of which are lacking and cliants/management-employers have no real interest

best of luck and my advice is to get such a system going [NB: this is a management function not a specific H&S function ]

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chris42  
#7 Posted : 12 July 2017 09:59:45(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
chris42

That can’t be right !

You say you have a suspended ceiling with a fire rating of 30 minutes and that’s it!. So the people on the floor above are having to step from rafter to rafter as there is no floor (which would also have some fire resisting properties)?

I think I’d better think it out again as the song goes.

Chris
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JL  
#8 Posted : 13 July 2017 09:21:03(UTC)
Rank: Forum user
JL

  Fair enough chris42, should have written that a little better

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