Understanding Compartmentation Surveys: A Complete Guide for UK Building Owners
Fire safety in buildings relies on a fundamental principle that many property owners overlook: compartmentation. This critical fire protection strategy involves dividing a building into separate sections to contain fire and smoke, giving occupants precious time to escape and emergency services time to respond. But how do you know if your building’s compartmentation is actually doing its job? That’s where compartmentation surveys come in.
What Is Compartmentation and Why Does It Matter?
Compartmentation works by creating fire-resistant barriers throughout a building. These barriers include walls, floors, and properly sealed penetrations that prevent fire and smoke from spreading uncontrollably. When designed and maintained correctly, compartmentation can contain a fire to its area of origin for a specified period, typically 30, 60, or 90 minutes depending on the building type and use.
The problem is that compartmentation isn’t a one-time installation. Over time, building modifications, maintenance work, and the installation of new services can compromise these critical barriers. A cable run here, a new pipe there, and suddenly your fire barriers have become potential pathways for fire spread.
The Purpose of a Compartmentation Survey
A compartmentation survey is a thorough inspection that identifies where your building’s fire compartmentation may have been breached or is inadequate. Unlike a standard fire risk assessment, which looks at overall fire safety management, a compartmentation survey focuses specifically on the physical integrity of fire-resistant compartments.
During our surveys, we examine:
- Fire doors and their seals, hinges, and closing mechanisms
- Fire-resistant walls and floors
- Penetrations through fire barriers (pipes, cables, ducts, and conduits)
- Fire stopping materials and their correct application
- Cavity barriers in wall and ceiling voids
- Service risers and their fire protection
Our survey reports provide detailed documentation of every breach or deficiency, complete with photographic evidence and recommendations for remedial work prioritised by risk level.
Who Needs a Compartmentation Survey?
If you’re responsible for a building’s fire safety, the answer is almost certainly yes. We conduct compartmentation surveys for a wide range of properties, particularly:
Multi-occupancy residential buildings: Following the Grenfell Tower tragedy, scrutiny on high-rise residential buildings has intensified. Building Safety Act requirements now mandate regular assessments of fire safety measures, including compartmentation.
Healthcare facilities: Hospitals and care homes house vulnerable occupants who may not be able to evacuate quickly, making containment of fire spread absolutely critical.
Educational establishments: Schools, colleges, and universities often undergo frequent modifications and refurbishments, increasing the likelihood of compartmentation breaches.
Commercial premises: Office buildings, hotels, and retail spaces with complex service installations and regular tenant changes frequently develop compartmentation issues over time.
Heritage buildings: Older structures may never have had proper compartmentation installed or may have suffered degradation over decades of use.
The Legal Framework
Under UK regulations, building owners and managers have clear responsibilities for maintaining fire safety standards. The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 requires “responsible persons” to ensure appropriate fire safety measures are in place and maintained. This includes the structural fire protection that compartmentation provides.
For higher-risk residential buildings, the Building Safety Act 2022 has introduced additional duties. Accountable Persons must now take all reasonable steps to prevent the occurrence of a building safety risk, which explicitly includes maintaining the integrity of compartmentation.
What Happens During Our Survey?
Our comprehensive compartmentation surveys follow a systematic approach. We begin by reviewing building plans, previous fire risk assessments, and construction details to understand the intended compartmentation strategy. We then conduct a physical inspection, which may involve:
Visual inspections of accessible areas to identify obvious breaches or deficiencies.
Intrusive investigations where necessary, such as lifting ceiling tiles, opening service ducts, or removing small sections of boxing to examine hidden voids.
Testing of fire doors to ensure they close properly, have intact seals, and meet the required fire resistance rating.
Documentation through detailed notes, photographs, and location plans showing exactly where issues exist.
The survey typically takes between one and several days depending on building size and complexity. We work to minimise disruption, though some access to occupied areas and services will be necessary.
Common Compartmentation Failures
Our experience shows that certain problems appear repeatedly:
Unsealed penetrations: When cables, pipes, or ducts pass through fire-resistant walls or floors, the openings must be sealed with appropriate fire stopping materials. These are often left open or inadequately sealed during installation or subsequent modifications.
Damaged fire doors: Fire doors subjected to daily use can develop gaps, damaged seals, or faulty closing mechanisms that prevent them from functioning in a fire.
Inadequate cavity barriers: Spaces above suspended ceilings and within wall constructions can allow fire to spread horizontally and vertically if cavity barriers are missing or incorrectly installed.
Service risers: Vertical shafts containing building services are meant to be compartmented, but often have inadequate fire stopping where services enter and exit at each floor.
From Survey to Action
Receiving our compartmentation survey report is only the beginning. We categorise findings by priority:
Critical issues pose an immediate threat and require urgent attention. These might include large unsealed openings in fire walls or completely non-functional fire doors in critical escape routes.
Significant issues represent serious deficiencies that should be addressed promptly but don’t pose an immediate danger.
Moderate issues should be remedied during planned maintenance programmes.
Property owners must then arrange for qualified contractors to carry out remedial works. This isn’t a DIY job; fire stopping and compartmentation repairs require specialist knowledge and certified materials. We can provide guidance on the remedial works required and, upon completion, inspect the works to confirm they meet the required standards.
How Often Should You Survey?
There’s no fixed legal requirement for compartmentation survey frequency, but we recommend:
- Every 3 to 5 years for most commercial and residential buildings
- More frequently for buildings undergoing regular modifications or refurbishments
- Immediately following major building works
- As part of compliance requirements for higher-risk residential buildings under the Building Safety Act
Regular surveys help you stay ahead of problems rather than discovering them during a crisis or inspection by fire authorities.
Why Choose MAF Associates?
At MAF Associates, we bring extensive expertise to every compartmentation survey we undertake. Our team holds:
- Relevant qualifications in fire safety engineering and building surveying
- Specific training in compartmentation assessment
- Professional body membership and comprehensive insurance
- Experience across diverse building types and complex structures
- Thorough understanding of Building Regulations Approved Document B
We understand that a proper survey represents an investment in your building’s safety and compliance. Our detailed, accurate assessments identify issues before they become dangerous, helping you comply with legal requirements whilst protecting the people who use your building.
Integration with Broader Fire Safety Management
Compartmentation surveys shouldn’t exist in isolation. They form part of your comprehensive fire safety strategy alongside regular testing of fire alarm systems and emergency lighting, staff training, and evacuation planning. Think of compartmentation as your building’s last line of defence when prevention and early detection have failed.
For buildings requiring external wall safety assessments, compartmentation becomes even more critical. If external fire spread is a concern, robust internal compartmentation provides vital additional protection time.
Whether you’re responsible for new building fire safety or managing existing building fire safety, ensuring your compartmentation remains intact should be a top priority.
The Bottom Line
Compartmentation is invisible until it fails, and when it fails, the consequences can be catastrophic. Regular compartmentation surveys give you confidence that your building’s fundamental fire protection strategy remains intact and effective. They identify problems before they become dangerous, help you comply with legal requirements, and most importantly, protect the people who live, work, or visit your building.
If you haven’t had a compartmentation survey conducted recently, or if your building has undergone modifications since the last survey, now is the time to act. Contact us today to discuss your compartmentation survey requirements and gain the peace of mind that comes from knowing your fire compartmentation is sound.