Compartmentation is what stops a fire in one flat or room from becoming a fire in the whole building. It depends on walls, floors and ceilings that keep their fire resistance where pipes, cables and ducts pass through them. Every time a contractor drills a hole and does not seal it properly, the building gets a little less safe.
A compartmentation survey goes into risers, ceiling voids, loft spaces and service cupboards to find and photograph breaches. Each one is located on a plan, described, and given a priority. Remedial fire stopping is then carried out using tested products installed to the manufacturer's details, and each seal is photographed and labelled.
For higher-risk buildings, the photo-referenced record of the fire stopping becomes part of the golden thread, which is exactly the evidence the Building Safety Regulator expects to see.
What is included
- Intrusive compartmentation survey with photos and plans
- Breach register ranked by priority
- Fire stopping with tested and certified products
- Before and after photographs for every seal
- Penetration labelling and seal register
- Fire damper and cavity barrier checks
Who it is for
- Blocks of flats
- HMO conversions
- Hotels
- Care homes
- Offices
- Student accommodation
The rules in each UK nation
England
Occupied buildings in England at least 18 metres or seven storeys high with two or more residential units are higher-risk buildings. They must be registered with the Building Safety Regulator, and the Principal Accountable Person must prepare a safety case report that can be called in at any time.
Wales
The Building Safety Act 2022 occupation-phase regime for higher-risk buildings applies in England only. In Wales, owners of multi-occupied residential buildings should follow Welsh Government building safety requirements and the Welsh Building Safety Fund process for external wall issues.
Scotland
Scotland does not use the English higher-risk building regime. External wall risk on residential buildings is assessed through the Scottish Government's Single Building Assessment, which looks at the whole building rather than the wall alone.
Northern Ireland
The English higher-risk building regime does not apply in Northern Ireland. Owners and managing agents of taller residential buildings should follow Northern Ireland building regulations and guidance from the Department of Finance and the Department for Communities.