The Role of Fire Doors in Building Compartmentation

Any building which contains a lot of people needs to take fire protection very seriously. Whether it is a school, hospital, office block or even a shopping centre, if there are a lot of people in one space then it is important to find ways of preventing fires, containing them and providing a safe route out.

One of the most effective ways of preventing a fire from spreading is through the method of compartmentation. This involves dividing buildings into smaller areas where a fire can be contained for a specific period of time.

There are a number of ways of doing this, but one of the most effective is through the installation of fire doors in the right places. So, in this article we take a look at what fire doors do and how they can work in the context of compartmentation.

To explain further, Craig Priest of Fire Door Specialists shares his insights into the role of fire doors for building compartmentation.

What is a fire door?

Fire doors need to be installed in any public buildings in order to help contain fires. They are made from special materials that can withstand the heat of flames and also come fitted with intumescent seals which can stop fire or smoke from getting through the gap between the door and the frame.

There are different types of fire door which can resist heat for anything from 30 minutes up to 120 minutes. The type of door that is needed will often depend on how many people are in the building and what the size of the building might be, as this will determine how long they will need to evacuate.

What is compartmentation?

Compartmentation is the method of creating safe zones within a building so that people are able to escape. It works by dividing a building into smaller fire tight areas that are able to contain and withstand flames and heat for a certain time period. One of the main benefits of compartmentation is the ability to delay the spread of the fire. By creating a heat-resistant barrier, it can buy valuable time for the occupants of the building to evacuate and for emergency services to arrive and deal with the fire.

This means it is also able to limit the damage that the fire can do. When it is not able to spread to any other parts of the building, it can reduce the damage it does to belongings and important building infrastructure. It also means that smoke and any toxic gas caused by the fire can also be contained. Smoke is often a bigger killer than the flames themselves and so it is vital that this is also kept in one place.

Compartmentation can also help the emergency services when it comes to tackling the fire. By keeping it contained in one place, they are able to point all of their resources in the right direction. This can not only speed up the time it takes to deal with the fire but can also help to keep members of the fire service safe as they already know where they will find the most dangerous elements of the fire.

Compartmentation in schools

Containing a fire in any building is important, but this is particularly the case in schools. Children cannot be relied upon to understand fire safety and so it is important that there is as much protection for them as possible. Fire doors can help to keep fire and smoke in one place so that children can exit the building through well practised routes. The positioning of the fire doors means that everyone in the building knows how and where the fire will be contained and therefore the best ways to get out of the building. This can be rehearsed in fire drills throughout the school year to ensure everyone knows exactly what they need to do.

Compartmentation also serves another purpose when it comes to a school environment. The damage a fire is capable of doing can destroy a building and all the work within it, which can be devastating for staff and children alike. By containing the fire and minimising the damage it is able to do, it is much easier to ensure the continuity of education after a fire. It may be possible to maintain the structural integrity of the building and ensure that as little work and equipment is lost as possible.

Hospital compartmentation

The need for compartmentation in a hospital is extremely high. This is because hospital buildings tend to be very complex structures, and they are home to a number of vulnerable people for whom mobility is likely to be a problem. This means plenty of time will be needed to evacuate a hospital, and compartmentation will play an essential role in this.

Through fire resistant walls, flooring and fire doors, each area of the hospital can become its own self-contained unit. This means that fire, smoke and gases are unable to spread for the maximum amount of time available, ensuring it is much easier to get everyone within the building to safety.

Fire compartmentation in offices

An office block will contain a lot of people, but they do not necessarily work together. Fire compartmentation means that all of them will still be able to find a route safely out of the building, no matter which business they work for. In multi storey buildings, each floor should be able to be sealed off from all of the others so that even if you work at the very highest point, you can still find your way out.

This means that the floors, walls and doors between the main areas will function as compartments and so must all be fire resistant, and elevators should not be used as the air flow in the shaft can pull smoke up to other floors.

Fire compartmentation should be an essential part of the design of any building. It is now a major architectural concern and there are regulations surrounding what fire doors should be included and how many of them there needs to be. This means that all buildings can be divided into smaller fire resistance sections that allow all the occupants to have a safe evacuation.