Fire Barriers

The purpose of installing fire barriers is to separate one part of the building from another through fire-resistant walls. The fire barrier is used in the following applications:

(1) Shaft Enclosure

The fire resistance required for the barriers depends on the number of floors connected. Requires fire resistance of at least two hours in the case of four floors or more and a rating of only one hour for two or three floors only.

(2) Interior exit stairway

The internal exit stairway from the remainder of the building must be separated using fire barriers with a fireproof rating for one or two hours.

(3) Exit access stairway enclosures

Where exit access stairways are required, the enclosure shall include the use of fire barriers.

(4) Exit passageway

The exit corridor must be separated from the remainder of the building by a minimum of 1-hour fire-resistance-rated fire-barrier walls.

(5) Horizontal Exit

Fireproof walls are used for at least two hours to create a horizontal exit to create protected compartments where individuals can escape the fire.

(6) Atrium

Fire barriers must be placed for at least an hour when separating the atrium from the surrounding spaces.

(7) Special hazard areas

Fire barrier is used in special hazard areas such as waste collection rooms, laboratories, and furnace rooms for separation and protection.

(8) Separated occupancies

Fire barriers separate different occupancies in the same building.

The firewall must extend vertically from the foundation slab to the roof, including Concealed Space. The openings in the fire barriers shall be protected as they are classified according to the fire resistance classification of the barrier as well as its purpose where the required classification is less than 3/4 hours to up to 3 hours.

Reference: IBC - NFPA 101.