Many facility owners frequently ask me, as a fire protection engineer, what services I
provide. Typical anticipated answer to elaborate or something along the lines of: “Oh right.
Sprinkler systems.
Fire protection doesn’t end with the suppression side of engineering, despite its widespread
recognition for its effectiveness in putting out or suppressing fires.
There are several types of protection against fire, including both passive and active
components. Automatic sprinklers, clean agent suppression systems, hose reels for manual
suppression, fire alarms, and smoke management systems are examples of active fire
defence.
On the other hand, passive fire protection refers to building components that are designed to
either contain a fire or offer structural parts fire-retardant protection against excessive heat
that could otherwise lead to their failure. Most people tend to undervalue and ignore passive
fire prevention.
Compared to active fire defence, passive fire protection lacks the action! The majority of
people are unaware of how wise it is to construct a 3- or 4-hour wall to safeguard lives and
property without ever having seen a fire wall. It’s not safe to assume that, even if they
traversed a dead end distance ten times a day, 99.99% of people would not know what it
was.
Passive fire protection features are key pillars of fire protection that most people have little to
no understanding of. Some of these include:
- Fire-resistance-rated walls, floors, and ceiling/roofs
- Fire-resistance-rated structural members
- Fire-protection-rated doors and windows
- Penetration fire stop sealants systems
- Fire dampers, smoke dampers,
- Smoke barrier construction.Passive fire containment is intended to;
- Protects occupants during emergencies
- Protects the spread of fire and smoke via vertical shaft opening
- Separates hazards
- Protects building systems and construction
Combining active, passive protection
Combining active and passive fire safety components to create a more comprehensive
system is very common. To stop smoke from building up in the escape stairs, high-rise exit
enclosures might be positively pressurised or ventilated. In addition to providing a passive
barrier to prevent smoke from migrating into the stair in addition to the active smoke
management fans, the passive, two-hour fire-resistive and smoke-tight construction also acts
as a passive barrier to positively pressurise the stairs.
Passive smoke barriers are used in the majority of smoke management zone separations to
divide and compartmentalise smoke areas. Similarly, to provide a more comprehensive
system, Hotel rooms in buildings may use both active and passive fire protection. To create
the barrier required to contain the smoke, large atriums may feature smoke barrier protection
in addition to walls with a 2-hour fire resistant rating. Through-penetration firestop systems
are used to block wall penetrations, and smoke dampers are installed in ductwork to stop
smoke from escaping through ducted vents and the air conditioning system.
We need both active and passive fire protection measures to offer the level of protection that
building requires because neither is 100% effective.
Finding a balance
Whether you support passive or active fire safety features, or you are only a spectator, each
has advantages and fulfils a purpose. It is impossible to dispute the degree of protection
provided by both active and passive fire safety systems. While upkeep and dependability will
always be concerns, it is crucial to strike the correct mix between active and passive security
for your particular project.
As has been shown time and time again, the best fire protection design may call for a
combination of active and passive fire safety elements. A few instances of balancing active
and passive fire safety features are exit enclosures with stair pressurisation systems, data
centres with walls rated for fire resistance, and clean agent suppression systems.
Minimum standards for both passive and active fire protection are provided by National
building codes; it is crucial for designers to comprehend and implement these criteria in
order to ensure compliance. It’s feasible that both active and passive fire safety features are
used to achieve this equilibrium.
Remember that the two types of protection serve distinct purposes when deciding which is
best. Both passive and active fire defence are essential for preventing fires. The fire will be
put out by active fire protection, and its spread will be stopped by passive fire protection.
Together, they limit collateral damage to equipment that may be essential to sustaining the
operation of vital infrastructures and enable building occupants to leave the facility safely.
Given the increase in fire incidents and fatalities, India need education and training on
passive fire safety. Many users are not aware the technical difference of fire doors and
wooden doors , which can truly save their lives in the event of a fire. Usage of fire and
smoke protected building materials which are certified and listed for their intended use, they
can help avoid fires. When the architectural community and design experts work together to
develop and build fire-safe designs, we can overcome obstacles and create a fire-safe India.
Author: Hemant Khadse
Hemant Khadse is CEO of East Corp, fire and life safety consultant. He is engineering graduate with
work experience of 30 years in fire and security; He has travelled and worked internationally. He is
also fire safety trainer and conducted many FLS audits and risk assessments.
– Hemant Khadse, CEO East Corp Group
– +91 9819893536
– hemant@eastcorpgroup.com