What is passive fire protection and why do I need it?

Despite the name, passive fire protection works hard to reduce the spread of fire, heat and smoke through a building. It is called passive because it does not need to be ‘activated’ to start working against the threat, such as sprinkler systems or smoke alarms. Passive fire protection is integrated into a building through its walls, floors, ceilings, vents, ducts and compartments.

Passive fire protection is mandatory

The Building Code of Australia requires certain Fire Resistance Levels (FRLs) to be achieved on all new builds and renovations. The implementation of a complete fire protection solution is critical in providing a first line of defence against the damaging and potentially life-threatening effects of fire.

Structural protection maintains the integrity of a building in the event of a fire, ensuring steel and timber beams and columns maintain stability for the amount of time needed for a safe evacuation. Structural protection includes the use and application of fireproof boards, Speedpanel® and protective coatings such as intumescent paint and vermiculite spray.

Compartmentalised protection limits and slows the spread of fire, heat and smoke through a building’s compartments and openings. This addresses the required protection around vents, cables and pipes, also referred to as service penetrations. Compartmentalised protection necessitates the application of fire-stopping penetrations such as collars, fire wrap, sealant, mortar and more.

PROFINISH Fire Protection is one of few providers to deliver multisystem fireproofing packages for new builds and renovations. As certified applicators of world-class passive fire protection products, we guarantee that our work is installed according to the product test report and manufacturers technical data sheet. We follow rigorous testing processes for all passive fire solutions to prove they achieve the required Fire Rating Level (FRL) as outlined by the Building Code of Australia (BCA).