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FIRESTOPPING OF BUILDING SERVICE PENETRATIONS


This technical specification refers to the treatment of building services penetrations (ducts, pipes, cables etc.) through the fire compartment walls and floors, to ensure that fire compartmentation is maintained.


1. Relevant standards

EN 1366-3 (2009) Fire resistance tests for service installations - Part 3: Penetration seals


and other standards mentioned in this standard.


2. Material

The openings in compartment walls or floor slabs, where building services (ducts, pipes, cables etc.) penetrate, must be filled with fire-resistant materials whose fire resistance is the same as the fire resistance of the wall or floor slab in which the opening is located.

Fire resistance of these materials should be certified by an independent accredited body by testing according to the criteria of integrity (E) and insulation (I) (EN 13501-2).

The penetration seal can be made of different materials: fireproof mortar, stone wool boards with ablative coatings, etc. which should be compatible with the materials from which the pipes and their insulation are made, ducts, dampers, cable trays, busbars etc.


If the penetration seal is made of stone wool boards coated on both sides with ablative coating, then the stone wool should be class A (reaction to fire according to EN 13501-1) and the density and thickness of the stone wool should be in accordance with the sample tested and certified.

Certificates obtained by testing penetration seal in wall opening cannot be accepted for penetration seal in floor slab.

The penetration seal in floor slabs is not required to be load-bearing.

Fire-retardant silicones can only be used to prevent the passage of smoke but not fire.

All materials should be resistant to conditions that may occur in the rooms in which they are installed (chemicals, moisture, water, etc.). Materials must not contain harmful substances.

All pipes made of combustible materials with a larger diameter of Φ63 mm should be fitted with a fire protection collar (sleeve) on the side from which there is a risk of fire. Since the collar is used in a system with a penetration seal, the complete system should be tested and certified.

Prior to installation, contractor is obliged to submit manufacturer's certificates for all materials to the Supervisor for approval, through the Submittal process and a statement from the manufacturer of materials on the durability of products.

Contractor is to submit manual for maintenance.


3. Workmanship

All materials should be prepared and installed strictly according to the manufacturer's instructions and in the same way and with materials as was done on the sample that was certified. The contractor performing these works should have a certificate from the material manufacturer that he is qualified to install their products.

During the installation of the material, make sure that the temperature in the room is in accordance with the recommendations of the material manufacturer.

Pieces of stone wool, which fill the opening in wall or floor, should be as large as possible. Small pieces of stone wool should be pressed as tightly as possible between the ducts, pipes and the edges of the opening.

Ablative coating should be applied on both sides of the stone wool.

No joints are allowed between the edges of the construction opening and the penetration seal.

The contractor is obliged to mark each penetration with a permanent label next to the penetration on which is a unique reference number, date of manufacture, data on the licensed company that performed the works and to submit a catalogue of penetrations. In addition, the contractor is obliged to submit sketches of the building with marked penetration positions and entered numbers from the catalogue.

For cable penetrations, after making the penetration seal in the opening in the wall or floor, the cables should be additionally coated on both sides with a protective coating in the length of 1 m on each side.

The material used to coat the cables for fire protection should be certified by an independent accredited body and installed in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions.

Fire protection collars on pipes (especially on vertical pipes) must be fixed, so that they do not fall during the use of the building or in case of fire.


4. Supervision and measurement of works

The contractor is obliged to check each penetration of the building services through the fire compartment walls and floors whether it was done in accordance with design and instructions of the material manufacturer and keep checklists. The checklists should indicate the number of penetrations and the date of the control inspection. The contractor is obliged to regularly inform the supervisor about the control inspections. Openings above suspended ceilings should be inspected with a supervisor before closing the ceiling.

February, 2021

Please note that the technical specifications on this web site are templates only, information provided should be carefully checked and aligned with your project needs.
 
Fire resistance and reaction to fire are separate measures of fire performance. Fire resistance is the measurement of the ability of a material or system to resist, for the period of required fire performance, the passage of fire and heat from one distinct area to another  (EI60, EI90 etc.). Reaction to fire is the measurement of how a material or system will contribute to the fire development and spread, particularly in the very early stages of a fire when evacuation is crucial (reaction to fire is classified under EN 13501-1, classes A, B, C, D, E or F).
The measurement of performed works should be done as provided in the bill of prices (lump sum or per piece of opening, depending on the type and size of the opening and the thickness of the wall or floor).
High-density stone wool slabs, about 150kg/m3, are commonly used.