Passive Fire Protection Ireland

FireShield Ireland carries out passive fire protection work on commercial and industrial buildings across all 32 counties of Ireland and throughout Northern Ireland. We work on new build and refurbishment projects of all scales, providing structural steel fireproofing, fire stopping, fire compartmentation, and certified installation documentation for building control sign-off.

Call us on +447340781054 (North) or +353871128539 (South) for a free quotation.

Passive fire protection refers to the measures built into the structure and fabric of a building that resist the spread of fire and smoke without requiring any activation or intervention. Unlike active fire protection systems such as sprinklers and alarms, passive fire protection works continuously and automatically simply by being present in the construction.

The purpose of passive fire protection is to maintain the structural integrity of the building during a fire, limit the spread of fire and smoke between compartments, and give occupants sufficient time to evacuate safely while protecting the ability of emergency services to operate within the building.

In Ireland and Northern Ireland, passive fire protection requirements are set out in Part B of the Building Regulations (Republic of Ireland) and Technical Booklet E (Northern Ireland). All commercial buildings must meet these requirements as a condition of planning compliance and building control sign-off.

Passive fire protection encompasses several distinct elements of building construction, all of which must be addressed to achieve compliance.

Structural fire resistance is the protection of the load-bearing elements of the building, primarily structural steelwork and concrete columns and beams, to prevent collapse during a fire for the required fire resistance period. This is the element of passive fire protection that FireShield Ireland specialises in, using Monokote spray applied fireproofing and intumescent coatings.

Fire compartmentation is the division of a building into compartments using fire-resistant walls, floors, and partitions that prevent fire from spreading beyond the compartment of origin for the required period. Building regulations specify maximum compartment sizes and required fire resistance periods for different building types and occupancies.

Fire stopping is the sealing of penetrations through fire compartment walls and floors where services such as pipes, cables, ducts, and conduits pass through. Every unsealed penetration is a potential pathway for fire and smoke to spread between compartments. Fire stopping products including intumescent collars, fire-resistant sealants, and mineral wool packing are used to seal these penetrations.

Fire doors and frames are certified assemblies that maintain the fire separation between compartments while allowing movement between them. Fire doors must be correctly specified, installed, and maintained to perform as intended.

Steel is a non-combustible material but it loses its load-bearing capacity very rapidly when exposed to fire. Unprotected structural steel typically reaches its critical temperature, the point at which it can no longer support its design load, within 15 to 30 minutes of exposure to a standard fire curve. This is far shorter than the 60 or 90-minute fire resistance period required for most commercial buildings.

Protecting structural steel to achieve the required fire resistance period is therefore a mandatory element of passive fire protection on almost all commercial construction projects. The two main methods are spray-applied fireproofing using products such as Monokote, and intumescent coatings.

FireShield Ireland carries out both types of structural steel fire protection across Ireland and Northern Ireland. We advise on the most appropriate system for each project based on the fire resistance specification, the aesthetic requirements of the space, the programme, and the accessibility of the steelwork for application.

Full details are on our structural steel fireproofing page, Monokote spray application page, and intumescent coatings page.

Passive fire protection is specified at design stage by the project architect, structural engineer, or fire engineer depending on the element of the building in question. The fire resistance requirements for structural elements are determined by the building type, occupancy, height, and compartment size in accordance with the relevant Building Regulations.

We engage with specifiers at design stage to advise on system selection, provide specification data, and confirm that the proposed approach will meet the required fire resistance period for the specific structural elements on the project. Early engagement helps avoid specification issues that become costly to resolve once construction has commenced.

The commercial construction market in Ireland requires passive fire protection on virtually every project involving structural steel. Offices, schools, hospitals, apartment buildings, retail centres, hotels, and industrial units all require structural steelwork to be protected to the fire resistance period specified in their building regulations compliance documentation.

We work across all of these building types in Dublin, Belfast, Cork, Galway, Limerick, Derry, and all other major construction markets on the island.

Every passive fire protection installation we carry out is supported by full documentation including product data sheets and certification, fire resistance calculations confirming the specified system achieves the required performance for the relevant structural member sizes, installation records confirming the system was applied to the correct specification, and a completion certificate for building control purposes.

This documentation is a standard deliverable on every project and is required for building control sign-off in both Ireland and Northern Ireland.

What fire resistance period do I need for my building?
The required fire resistance period depends on the building type, occupancy, height, and compartment size, as specified in the Building Regulations. The relevant tables are in Technical Guidance Document B (Republic of Ireland) and Technical Booklet E (Northern Ireland). Your architect or fire engineer will confirm the requirement for your specific project. We can advise based on the building description if you want a preliminary indication before engaging a fire engineer.

Can passive fire protection be retrofitted to an existing building?
Yes, in most cases. Retrofitting passive fire protection to existing structural steel or addressing fire stopping deficiencies in an existing building is a common project type, particularly in refurbishment and change-of-use projects where the building's fire resistance must be brought up to current standards. We carry out retrofit passive fire protection work across Ireland and Northern Ireland.

Does passive fire protection need to be inspected?
Yes. Building control in both Ireland and Northern Ireland requires evidence that passive fire protection has been installed to the specified standard. In some cases a third-party inspection is required. We support the inspection process by providing full installation records and are available to attend site inspections where required.

We cover all 32 counties of Ireland and Northern Ireland. Call us or send an enquiry and we will respond within 24 hours.

North: +447340781054 South: +353871128539

Contact us for a free quotation