A building can be compliant when it’s completed—but is it still performing as originally designed years later?
A fire safety performance gap can develop when building alterations, maintenance or renovations change the way fire safety systems perform without considering the original fire engineering design.
Passive fire protection can be unintentionally compromised through unsealed or inadequately fire-stopped penetrations. A common example occurs in residential top-floor apartments that rely on fire-rated ceiling systems to provide the required fire separation between the apartments and the roof space.
These ceilings are not simply an architectural finish—they are an integral part of the building’s fire safety strategy, designed to prevent a fire in one apartment from spreading through the roof space to the other apartments.
Problems arise when owners or contractors install downlights, exhaust fans, air-conditioning units or other services without appropriately fire-stopping the new penetrations. Although these alterations may appear minor, they can significantly reduce the fire-resistance performance of the ceiling system.
Similarly, fire doors are designed to contain a fire within an apartment and prevent it from spreading into the common hallway, protecting occupants as they evacuate and limiting fire spread throughout the building. Altering a fire door, for example by trimming it, replacing hardware, drilling holes, installing pet doors or changing seals, can compromise its fire-resistance performance and prevent it from functioning as intended during a fire.
In many cases, the underlying issue is not poor workmanship alone, but a lack of awareness. If the fire safety function of a building element is not clearly communicated during handover, future owners, occupants and contractors may unknowingly compromise the building’s fire safety.
Do you know what fire safety systems are in your building?
If you require fire safety engineering or expert witness services, contact CJK Fire & Safety.
Related course: Fire Safety-Related Building Defects