Compartmentation made simple: how to spot problems and prove compliance

Spring works often bring access, scaffold and teams on site. It is the ideal window to check fire compartmentation properly, fix what you find, and get your evidence lined up for auditors. Yet many estates teams are unsure where to start, what to look for, and how to document repairs in a way that stands up to scrutiny.

This guide explains what fire compartmentation is, why it commonly fails in occupied buildings, and how to recognise issues quickly on a walk‑through. It also sets out how to prove compliance with clear, repeatable evidence. Finally, it compares a compartmentation survey with a general building fire survey so you can plan the right scope for housing, schools and healthcare estates.

Safeguard Consultancy delivers compartmentation surveys, passive fire protection advisory and building fire surveys nationwide, backed by over 30 years of experience. Use the checklists and examples below to prepare your spring programme with confidence.

What fire compartmentation is and why it matters

Fire compartmentation is the use of fire‑resisting walls, floors, ceilings and protected shafts to form fire‑resisting boxes within a building. These compartments are designed to resist the spread of fire and smoke long enough to protect escape routes, support stay‑put or phased evacuation strategies where appropriate, and allow firefighting access.

In the UK, design and performance are guided by Approved Document B, relevant British Standards such as BS 9999 and BS 9991, and sector documents including HTM 05 for healthcare and BB100 for schools. In higher‑risk residential buildings and complex estates, control of information and change also links to the Building Safety Act’s Golden Thread expectations.

Why compartmentation fails in live buildings

Most failures are not about the original design but about change over time. Service penetrations, late alterations and minor works chip away at fire resistance. The issues we see most often include:

Unsealed or poorly sealed service penetrations around data, sprinkler or pipe routes
Inconsistent, untested foams and mastics used as general gap‑fill rather than as tested systems
Poorly fitted doorsets and frames, missing intumescent seals, damaged glazing beads or hold‑open devices without linked release
Suspended ceiling voids used as ad‑hoc distribution spaces without fire‑stopping at compartment lines
Unprotected voids above riser doors, around ductwork or in roof spaces where fire and smoke can bypass barriers

These weaknesses often sit above ceilings, behind boxing, inside risers and at the back of cupboards. If you cannot see it, assume it needs checking.

Quick recognition on site

You do not need to be intrusive to spot likely defects. On a routine walk‑through:

Follow the compartment line: track it through rooms, risers and above suspended ceilings. Look for any unsealed hole, damaged board, or mismatch in wall type.
Check typical problem points: service hubs, plantrooms, corridor walls at each storey line, and door frames in protected routes.
Read the labels: compliant fire‑stopping installations are usually labelled with system, installer and date. Absence of labels can indicate legacy or ad‑hoc work.
Test the story: does the wall you are looking at make sense as a compartment wall from the fire strategy drawings? If not, pause and verify.

Photograph defects with context, a close‑up and a measurement reference. Note location using gridlines, room numbers or riser IDs so you can find the exact spot again for remediation and sign‑off.

Compartmentation survey vs building fire survey

A compartmentation survey is a targeted technical inspection of compartment lines and their junctions. It focuses on walls, floors, ceilings, service penetrations and fire‑stopping systems, plus interfaces with doorsets and risers. Where agreed, it can include sample intrusive checks to verify hidden construction and continuity. Findings are detailed with photographs, risk‑based priorities and product‑specific repair guidance so works can proceed efficiently.

A general building fire survey, often called a fire safety condition survey, provides a broader overview of active and passive systems. It reviews fire doors, compartmentation condition at accessible points, alarms and detection, emergency lighting, signage, smoke control and sometimes documentation such as maintenance records. It identifies gaps across the whole fire safety picture, then signposts where deeper investigation, such as a compartmentation survey, is warranted.

Use a compartmentation survey when you need certainty about integrity, when you plan passive fire protection works, or when previous remediation quality is unknown. Use a building fire survey when you want a comprehensive snapshot across systems, to prepare budgets, or to validate overall fire safety management before audits. If you are unsure which route to take, start with a building fire survey and follow up with targeted compartmentation investigations where needed.

For scope examples and deliverable structures, you can explore Safeguard’s approach to dedicated fire compartmentation surveying and to wider fire safety surveys to align with your objectives.

How findings flow into passive fire protection works

Good surveys feed good works. A clear report should:

Map defects to a compartment plan so contractors can batch tasks floor by floor
Specify tested systems with proven fire‑stopping performance for each substrate and service type
Prioritise by risk, for example, breaches in high‑occupancy or high‑risk areas first
Provide photographic evidence that can be mirrored at completion for before/after records

During works, insist on labelled installations and product data sheets. On completion, collect installer sign‑offs, photographic close‑outs and, where appropriate, third‑party certification of the contractor’s competence. Store everything in your central record so it contributes to the Building Safety Act Golden Thread and supports future audits.

Evidencing compliance for auditors

Auditors look for a consistent story that links strategy, condition and action. Aim to assemble:

The fire strategy or a summary of compartmentation intent
A current survey report with photographs, priorities and locations
A remedial plan with dates, contractors and product specifications
Completion evidence, including labelled installations and sign‑offs
A maintenance plan for routine checks, including fire door inspections and access protocol for risers and voids

Keep versions controlled and date‑stamped. If your building operates stay‑put or phased evacuation, ensure the compartmentation evidence is cross‑referenced to evacuation plans and staff training materials.

How often to survey and re‑inspect

Frequency depends on building risk, change and sector guidance. Typical patterns we see:

Healthcare: align with HTM 05 expectations and local change management; re‑inspect high‑activity areas annually and after significant works.
Schools: review during planned maintenance cycles or capital projects, and after cabling or refurbishment, with a deeper look every few years or as BB100 and your risk profile dictate.
Housing: in multi‑occupancy residential, review where Fire Risk Assessments or intrusive Type 3 or Type 4 assessments flag issues, after contractor programmes, and as part of ongoing management under Section 156 of the Building Safety Act.

As a rule, re‑inspect whenever services are altered, and set a periodic check based on risk, typically 1 to 3 years for busy estates. Document your rationale in your fire safety management system.

Compartmentation vs fire stopping

Fire compartmentation is the design and construction of the barriers themselves. Fire stopping is the application of tested products and systems to seal penetrations and joints so those barriers achieve their intended fire resistance. They are related but not interchangeable. A building can have correctly specified walls and floors, yet still fail if penetrations are not properly fire‑stopped.

Cost drivers and procurement tips

Pricing for a compartmentation survey varies with building size and complexity, the level of access required, and the amount of sample intrusive work agreed. Factors include number of risers and plant areas, presence of suspended ceilings, the need for out‑of‑hours access, and how complete your existing drawings are. Safeguard Consultancy provides tailored quotations once scope and access are confirmed. For an efficient process, gather layout drawings, any legacy reports and your recent contractor history before requesting a quote.

If you need a broader compliance snapshot to prioritise budgets, consider commissioning a building fire survey first, then target compartmentation areas of concern. This often shortens total programme time and avoids opening up low‑risk zones unnecessarily.

FAQs

What are the requirements for fire compartmentation?
Design and performance should meet Approved Document B and relevant British Standards, with sector guidance such as HTM 05 for healthcare and BB100 for schools. Compartment lines must be continuous and achieve the specified fire resistance, including at junctions, penetrations and doorsets.

Is a compartmentation survey a legal requirement?
The law requires you to maintain suitable and sufficient fire safety arrangements under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. A compartmentation survey is a recognised method to evidence that compartmentation is effective, especially where risk, building complexity or previous works indicate uncertainty.

How often should a compartmentation survey be completed?
Set frequency based on risk and change. Busy healthcare and education estates often review annually in high‑activity areas and after works. Housing providers typically align with findings from their Fire Risk Assessments and programme more detailed checks every 1 to 3 years or after significant alterations.

Is fire compartmentation the same as fire stopping?
No. Compartmentation is the barrier system. Fire stopping is the sealing of penetrations and joints to maintain that barrier’s fire resistance.

How much does a fire compartmentation survey cost and what affects the price?
Costs vary with size, complexity, access, the extent of intrusive checks and the quality of existing information. Contact Safeguard Consultancy to discuss your building and obtain a tailored quotation.

When to call Safeguard Consultancy

If your spring works open ceilings, risers and roof voids, it is a prime opportunity to check integrity and close long‑standing gaps. Safeguard Consultancy can conduct a focused fire compartmentation survey to identify and prioritise defects, advise on passive fire protection solutions, or deliver a broader fire safety condition survey to shape your overall plan. For related guidance and frameworks, you can read about Building Regulations Part B, sector specifics in HTM 05 for healthcare, and how a structured fire safety audit approach supports evidence management.

For multi‑occupancy housing contexts, our team can also align outputs with your landlord and block of flats responsibilities captured through a residential fire risk assessment, ensuring findings integrate cleanly with your management system.

Summary and next step

Compartmentation protects people and property by stopping fire and smoke from spreading. Most failures are mundane, hidden and fixable if you know where to look and how to prove what you have done. Choose the right survey, record what you find, and close the loop with labelled, documented remedials.

Safeguard Consultancy is ready to support your spring programme with compartmentation surveys, passive fire protection advisory and building fire surveys that stand up to auditor scrutiny. To discuss scope and scheduling, contact our team on 0333 366 1015.

Internal links included for reference: