The 3 pillars of passive fire protection are structural protection, fire compartmentation, and fire stopping systems.

Protecting the structural adequacy of a building during a fire event is essential. It’s vital that enough time is provided for the safe evacuation and passage of the building’s occupants and safety for emergency first responders. Fire protection of structural elements can be achieved using intumescent paint, spray coatings (vermiculite spray) or fire rated board systems.

Compartmentation is the process of dividing large spaces within a building into smaller spaces. While the fire is contained in a closed compartment, people can safely evacuate the premises and firefighters can safely access the building to fight the fire. Compartmentation using fire rated walls, floors and ceilings as well as fire doors is one of the key elements in passive fire protection.

Service penetrations and all openings in walls and ceilings must be sealed to prevent the fire from spreading through the building. Fire stopping materials to seal service penetrations of the building such as fire pillows, fire batts, fire mortar, fire mastic, fire collars and other fire sealant products are also essential to a complete passive fire protection plan.