3 L i f e S a f e t y D i g e s t 6 / 2 0 0 6

On the Cover:Firestop and compartmentation contractors help pro-tect Chicago from suffering a fire like the one thatdevastated the city in 1871. Photo © Lee BalgemannPhotographics, 708-771-9427 or e-mail lbalge-mann@aol.com.

FCIA Board of Directors

Don Murphy, PresidentPPMI Firestop, Inc., Greenfield, IN

Michael Dominguez, Vice PresidentFirestop Specialties, Inc., Miami, FL

Bob LeClair, Treasurer & Past President A.F. Underhill, Inc., Canton, MA

Robert Svoboda, SecretaryS&W Waterproofing, Inc., Kansas City, MO

Randall Bosscawen, DirectorMulticon Fire Containment, Columbus, OH

Steve Cappello, DirectorPenguin Life Safety, Rochester, NY

Aedan Gleeson, DirectorGleeson Powers, Inc., Franklin, MA

Barclay Myers, DirectorNexlevel Construction Solutions, Concord, ON, Canada

Michael Wellons, DirectorFirestop Carolinas, Inc., Mooresville, NC

Bill McHugh, Executive DirectorFirestop Contractors International AssociationHillside, IL

Subscription information:To subscribe, visit www.fcia.org, click on Life SafetyDigest, subscribe. For further information, contactFCIA at 708-202-1108 or e-mail info@fcia.org.

Life Safety Digest, Volume 2, No. 2 is publishedquarterly by The McGraw-Hill Cos. for the FirestopContractors International Association. Informationhas been obtained from sources believed to be reli-able. However, because of the possibility of humanor mechanical error by our sources, the FirestopContractors International Association does notguarantee the accuracy or completeness of anyinformation and is not responsible for any errors oromissions of for the results obtained from use ofsuch information. The publisher reserves the rightto censor, review, edit, reject or cancel any materi-als not meeting the standards of Life Safety Digest.

Photocopy Permissions: Where necessary, per-mission is granted by copyright owner for thoseregistered with Copyright Clearance Center(CCC), 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA01923, www.copyright.com, to photocopy anyarticle herein for personal or internal referenceuse only for the flat fee of $2.00 per copy foreach article. Send payment to CCC.

Life Safety Digest Magazine Reprints are avail-able from FCIA' s headquarters for $.95/issue,1-100, $.90/issue 101-500, $.80/issue 501-1000, $.70 1000+. Call for large quantityprices. All shipments FOB Hillside, IL, 60162

Online Availability: Archives of the full text ofarticles and selected tables in this publicationare available at www.fcia.org.

Copyright ©2006, FCIA, the FirestopContractors International Association

Editors' Message 5

Making the Right Pitch 7by Steve Hahn

Toronto Airport MEP Location: 8Pre-Planning Reaps Huge Savings

by Barclay Myers and Bill McHugh

Effective Compartmentation Technology 11Report: Fire/Smoke Dampers

by Tom Edwards

Firestop Systems Contractor Quality 16and Inspection: A Standard Process

by Aedan Gleeson, Bob LeClair and Don Murphy

Optimization of Fire Protection Systems: 20Great Use of Resources or Public Safety Risk?

by Bob LeClair

Industry News 29Code Corner

Testing & Qualification News

Life Safety Digest Industry Calendar

Hilti, Inc. (US) 1-800-879-8000 www.us.hilti.com • Servicio al Cliente en español 1-800-879-5000 • Hilti (Canada) Corporation 1-800-363-4458 www.ca.hilti.com

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5 L i f e S a f e t y D i g e s t 6 / 2 0 0 6

The Firestop Contractors International Association is pleased to presentthis third issue of Life Safety Digest, the Magazine of EffectiveCompartmentation.

Compartmentation is the fire protection system developed for buildings,ships, submarines and other structures to protect people and property frommultiple threats. The concept involves dividing large areas into compartments,both horizontal and vertical, to contain fires to the room or area of origin untileither automatic or firefighter suppression systems extinguish the blaze.

Important elements of compartmentation include fire-resistance-ratedfloors and -walls; firestopping protection around pipes, ducts joints andcables to protect openings, penetrating items and gaps; fire and smokedampers limiting the spread of fire and smoke inside and around ductwork;fire swinging and rolling doors protecting large openings for entry and exitof spaces; and fire glass systems allowing transparency and fire resistancein areas where it's important to see what's on the other side of the wall.

There are new developments in the compartmentation industry. Newcontractor quality programs are starting to catch on, inspection and main-tenance is getting better through National Fire Protection Association'sNFPA 80 and ASTM Standards, while the industry is beginning to educatepeople and organizations about compartmentation.

Life Safety Digest's purpose is to offer an educational forum about effec-tive compartmentation and structural protection while acknowledging that

all types of fire protection are need-ed to keep people safe in build-ings…whether at home, in a shopping center, theater, hospital,nursing home, office, factory ormost important, in a school.

Most important, compartmentation protects our kids at school. FCIA is excited about this magazine's continued enthusiastic reception by

architects, engineers, fire marshals, code officials and contractors. Use it as areference tool and pass it on to others who should know about the importanceof compartmentation. If you lose your copy, you'll find an archive of Life SafetyDigest on FCIA's Website, http://www.fcia.org and clicking on “magazine.”

Join the associations that support effective compartmentation and theFCIA because as a group, our education will establish fire and life withcompartmentation as a key component. Compartmentation saves lives.

FCIA Editorial Committee

Don Murphy, FCIA 2006 President

Aedan Gleeson, FCIA Board Member

Bob LeClair, FCIA Past President

Bill McHugh, FCIA Executive Director

FCIA is excited about this magazine's continued enthusiastic

reception by architects, engineers, fire marshals, code

officials and contractors.

Specified Technologies, Inc. is a leading manufacturer of Firestop products that helpstop the spread of fire, smoke and toxicfumes. For over 15 years we have investedheavily in research, product development and testing. Today, we have the broadestrange of UL® Classified systems on the market.

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7 L i f e S a f e t y D i g e s t 6 / 2 0 0 6

by Steve Hahn

Bases loaded, two outs, bottom ofthe ninth that's a critical scenariothat requires the right pitch.

And believe it or not, baseball isnot the only situation to which thatcan apply!

Sometimes, a rolling fire door -especially an older one with a tradi-tional tension release and mechanicalgovernor system - is still in overallgood condition. But, it just won't passthat darn drop test! If only somehowit could be made to drop at less thanthe 24 in. per second average closingspeed mandated by NFPA-801!

Or maybe an otherwise accept-able fire door has a small part of itsoperating and closing system eitherbroken or missing. NFPA-80 alsorequires that repair parts beobtained from the door manufac-turer. What if the manufacturer isno longer in business or the designhas become obsolete and parts areno longer available? Now what?

Those are two possible scenariosthat could result in the need to com-pletely replace a fire door. That can becostly enough when the door isinstalled on an easily accessible ware-house wall. But how costly wouldthat be if the door is installed on thethird floor of a high-rise building withthe door guides concealed insideimported Italian marble columns andwith the door coil mounted abovesome exotically detailed ceiling?

Telling a building owner the badnews that there is something wrongwith his fire doors - and that therepair is going to take a lot ofmoney - is not going to come acrossas a very good pitch no matter howtrue these conditions may be.

But there may be a solution - and

it's a much more economical alterna-tive to the costly replacement of acomplete fire door!

Retrofitting Fire Doors

Retrofit fire door operators areavailable to bring state-of-the-arttechnology to many existing rollingfire doors that just don't operateproperly. They eliminate awkwardand unreliable spring tension releasemechanisms and replace traditionaloperating and governor systems.They also provide for automatic clos-ing without a loss of spring tensionand eliminate the need for tradition-al mechanical reset.

Retrofitting is a relatively simpleprocess. The door stays in place withaccess needed only to each end of thedoor coil. The tension release systemis disabled. The old operating andmechanical governor system isremoved. The new retrofit operator isinstalled.

When retrofitted, even older doorscan be tested and reset easily, operat-ing with the reliability and extraordi-nary descent control found in themost advanced “new generation” firedoor systems available today. Retrofitchain, crank and motor operators canbe easily reset by simply reconnectingthe fusible link release and reopeningthe door.

Systems are available to close thedoor after detector or alarm activationor are failsafe closing upon a loss ofpower and can be reset by merelyclearing the alarm, restoring powerand reopening the door. The mostadvanced detector/alarm activatedsystems will even close the doorthrough the motor operator, stop thedoor if it contacts an obstruction dur-ing closing and continue closed whenthe obstruction is removed or revert

After retrofitting, a fire door has a simpli-fied self-contained system with a releaseand governor integrated into the retrofitfire door operator.

to failsafe operation if power is lost.So make the pitch for a retrofit fire

door operator. Remember that it's notalways the proper solution to all caus-es of improperly operating fire doors,but in most cases, it's a winner!

Notes1 NFPA-80 Standard for Fire

Doors and Fire Windows is the stan-dard regulating the installation andmaintenance of rolling fire doors.

2 Retrofit fire door operators arelabeled for installation on manytypes and brands of existing rollingfire doors in accordance with theirproduct approval listings.

Steve Hahn is Product Manager forLos Angeles-based Lawrence Roll-UpDoor Inc. He has been in the rollingdoor industry for more than 30 years,is a member of the NFPA-80 Standardfor Fire Doors and Fire WindowsTechnical Committee serves on threeUL Standards Technical Panel and ispast-president of the AmericanRolling Door Institute.

8 L i f e S a f e t y D i g e s t 6 / 2 0 0 6

by Barclay Myers

This article is first in a series thatwill explore the evolution ofCompartmentation and StructuralProtection & Life Safety at one ofthe largest firestopping projects everconducted. We will explore theproject through the firestop con-tractor's eyes and demonstrate howpreplanning the routing of servicepiping, ductwork, cabling and struc-tural supporting elements and com-partmentation can have a huge pos-itive impact on not only the quality,but the cost, of the finished con-struction product...a building.

In this installment we will providebackground information about theproject and key players involved,

layout some of the challenges facedby the project team in deliveringcomplete firestopping coveragewhile looking forward to best prac-tice improvements in the nextphase. Future article topics in thisseries will cover trade co-ordina-tion, tracking and record keeping,and systems development. The finalarticle will discuss how the lessonslearned during Phase 1 of the proj-ect lead to radical improvements inproductivity, quality control anddelivered value during Phase 2.

The Site: Taming of the BeastIn 1996 The Greater Toronto

Airport Authority (GTAA) assumedcontrol of Lester B. PearsonInternational Airport from the feder-

al government of Canada and imme-diately began the process of trans-forming the site while developing amaster plan that will see over Can$4.4 billion invested over 10 years.

Like most modern airports,Pearson is a mixed use facility handling in excess of 25 million pas-sengers (40% of Canadian air travel-ers) and 325,000 tonnes of cargo annually. The goal of the AirportDevelopment Program (ADP) is toincrease capacity to 50 million pas-sengers and 675,000 tonnes of cargoby 2020. In 1999, Pearson becamethe first North American airport tobe certified to the covetedISO140001 international environ-mental standard.

The four major project areas of theADP are:

Utilities and Airport Support: newcentral utilities plant, new policebuilding, 2 new fire halls and a firetraining facility.

Airside Development: a fifth andsixth runway, new taxiways, runwayextensions and a dual taxiway system.

Infield Development: new deicingfacility, 10 gate infield terminal, andrelocation of existing cargo and hang-er facilities and a 4-lane tunnel underRunway 15L /33R to facilitate easieraccess to the terminal aprons.

Terminal Development: 12,600space parking garage (NorthAmerica's largest), 64 bridges andthe equivalent of 50 miles of singlelane road, Automated People Moverconnecting terminal 1 and 3 to theoffsite parking lots.

Upon its completion the new termi-nal building will have the following:

The Lester B. Pearson International Airport in Toronto is undergoing a C$ 4.4 billionproject invested over 10 years.

9 L i f e S a f e t y D i g e s t 6 / 2 0 0 6

• A gross floor area of 82 acres.• 258 passenger check-in coun-

ters in the main departure hall.• A baggage handling system with

15 kilometres of conveyor that canhandle 18,000 bags per hour.

• Enough concrete to build twoCN Towers.

• More than three and a halftimes the amount of steel used tobuild the Eiffel Tower.

The Players: A Litany of Partnerships

Owner: Greater Toronto AirportsAuthourity (GTAA) has a mandateto operate and develop the airportfacility. They put into place theAirport Development Plan of whichthe new Terminal 1 building is a part.

Authority Having Jurisdiction:One of the most unique aspects ofthe project is that the Airport is situated on federally owned proper-ty and therefore does not fall undercontrol of a local municipality;rather, the GTAA retained the services of LMDG Building CodeConsultants Ltd. to act as the“Authourity Having Jurisdiction”.LMDG is an independent firm specializing in fire and life safetyconsulting. Ultimately it was LMDGthat would recommend whether ornot an occupancy permit would beissued to the project

Designer & Consultants: The ADPprogram managers is a joint venturebetween Marshall Macklin Monaghanand Giffels Associates Limited calledMGP Project Managers (MGP). Theyoversee all construction on the airportsite. The architect of record forTerminal 1 - New project is also a jointventure; Airport Architects of Canadais a partnership between AdamsonArchitects of Toronto, SkidmoreOwings and Merrill LLP of New Yorkand Moshe Safdie Associates, Ltd ofMontreal. Electrical engineering was

done by Mulvey & BananiInternational, Inc. with the mechani-cal over seen by yet and joint ventureof The Mitchell Partnership, Inc. inassociation with Smith & Andersen,

Construction Manager (CM): Yes,you guessed it another joint venture.This time two of Canada's largestconstruction firms, PCL Constructorsand Aecon Group Inc., joined forcesto tackle the project. At the peak ofconstruction they oversaw and coordinated the activities of 2,300tradespeople. The CM played a cru-cial role in implementing the proce-dures and processes necessary toachieving full compartmentation.

Specialty Firestop Contractor:Custom Insulation Systems (CIS) ofConcord, Ontario was awarded adesign, build and certify contract forthe firestopping of all mechanicaland electrical services penetrationsand all interior architectural joints.CIS is one of the largest mechanicalinsulation contractors in Ontarioand has been performing firestop-ping as a value added service foralmost 20 years. The Terminal 1project was its first truly firestoponly project. Due the success of theairport project CIS formed a stand-alone company called NexlevelConstruction Solutions Inc.

Manufacturer: 3M Canada FireProtection Products worked withCIS during the initial tendering andproposal process and became anintegral part of the project team. 3Malso provided valuable technicalassistance to the project.

Bring on the ChallengesThe contract that CIS was award-

ed was different than that first envi-sioned by the construction managerand architect. The thinking was thatthe project would need a very com-plex system to manage the firestop-ping activities and that there was no

firestop contractor capable of pro-viding this level of sophistication.So initially the major firestop man-ufacturers were asked to act as tech-nical and construction manager forthe firestopping work, bringingaboard contracting companies asneeded to provide the labour.However this was out of the realmof experience for the manufacturersand they had concerns regardingthis lack of experience and under-taking liabilities as a contractor.

In the end CIS with the help of3M Canada was awarded a unitprice contract as a prime contractorreporting directly the constructionmanager. The initial budget of $4million meant large capital andbonding requirements to get over30,000 firestops installed to the test-ed and listed systems.

Some of the design goals for thefirestopping portion of the projectwere….

Stair pressurization duct is shown goingthrough block.

Various pipes include insulated and metalpipe.

10 L i f e S a f e t y D i g e s t 6 / 2 0 0 6

Verifiable Complete Coverage:Develop trade co-ordinationprocesses to ensure firestopping wascorrectly installed and documentedbefore being enclosed by furtherconstruction. Similar to a framinginspection for the drywall trades.

Quality Assurance: All firestop-ping was to be installed with “zero-tolerance” in regards to theapproved firestop systems designs.Once a design was decided for eachapplication no deviation from thedesign was allowed.

Limited Equivalencies or Engineer-ing Judgments: the project could not“design” its way out of a problem cre-ated by poor penetration preparation,workmanship, or carelessness.

Complete as-built records: To helpairport maintenance personnelmaintain the fire compartmentationon an ongoing basis, a program torecord every firestop was needed.During the development of this pro-gram a number of issues arose, bothinternal to the firestopping team andexternal within the larger project.

First among the concerns was theinteraction and coordination of thefirestopping activities with the othertrades. Typically the last thing anelectrician is worried about is howto firestop around a conduit runthat penetrates a fire compartmentwall or floor. In fact, it is possible toinstall most building elements incomplete compliance with the codesand specifications for that elementbut make it virtually impossible tofirestop correctly.

Phase OneOn phase one of the airport, there

was no preplanning of where pene-tration and structural items pene-trated compartmentation walls andfloors, to locate where firestoppingwas to occur in the building. To gainaccess to many of these firestops,

much reworking of already installedconstruction had to take place. Forinstance, walls were moved afterthey were in place, and electricaland mechanical penetrating serviceswere relocated either temporarily orpermanently. These activities addedunplanned costs into the hundredsof thousands.

Some examples of the situationsfound are below.

Fig.1 shows an insulatedmechanical duct as being installedtight to the underside of the floorslab. This is a typical practice used togain maximum utility out of theplanned building spaces. Howeverwhen this duct passes through a fireresistance-rated compartment wall,it creates a condition that cannot befirestopped using a system that hasbeen tested and listed in accordancewith any firestop standards.

The testing of the duct wouldcome under those standards used totest through penetrations, but dueto its location the opening aroundthe duct bleeds into the architectur-al firestop joint which is tested usingdifferent methods. From a firestopperspective, this duct should havebeen installed into a separate open-ing that is independent of any otheropening, joint or breach in the wall.

Fig.2 shows a similar situation asfig.1., Conduit and small pipe are reg-ularly installed in “runs” by attachingthem to the underside of the floorstructure. Just like the duct, this condition presents a difficult situationfor the firestopping contractor, asthere were no tested and listed sys-tems for the application, and accesswas difficult to say the least.

Fireproofed beam through block isshown.

Fig 1

Fig 2

Barclay Myers is Manager of Bus-iness Development for Nexlevel Con-struction Solutions, Toronto, Ontario,Canada. He can be reached atBarclay.myers@nexlevel.ca.

11 L i f e S a f e t y D i g e s t 6 / 2 0 0 6

by Tom Edwards

Effective compartmentation isproperly designed, installed, inspect-ed and maintained fire-resistance-rated wall and floor assemblies,firestop systems, fire glass, fireswinging, rolling doors and fire/fire-smoke dampers all working togetheras one system limiting fire andsmoke to the room of origin.

According to the National FireProtection Association, fire deathsdue to smoke inhalation outnumberdeaths due to burns by a ratio of 2-to-1 according to death certificatesfrom 2002, and by a ratio of 3-to-1according to death certificates priorto 1999. It is also estimated thatsmoke inhalation is the primarycause of death in 60 to 80 percent ofburn victims each year.

Firefighters are not immune tothe danger. According to theNational Fire Prevention Agency,2,890 firefighters were injured fromsmoke inhalation in 2003, often dueto thrusting themselves into thehazard. In Section 101.3 (Intent) ofthe 2000 International BuildingCode (IBC), then 2003 and remain-ing in the 2006 code, a section wasadded to address firefighters andfirst responders…. “a reasonablelevel of safety for fire fighters andother emergency responders.”

By definition, inhalation injury isthe aspiration of superheated gases,steam, hot liquids or noxious prod-ucts of incomplete combustion thatcause thermal or chemical injury tothe airways and lungs. The combus-tion of all natural and manmade

products results in the production ofvarious chemicals, including hydro-gen cyanide, aldehydes, hydrochloricacid and acrolein, which produceschanges in the airway and lungs thatcomprise inhalation injury.

The presence of inhalation injurydoubles the predicted mortality rateassociated with any size burn in all age groups. Once a fire reachesflashover, production of carbonmonoxide and hydrogen cyanideincreases, consumption of oxygenintensifies and incapacitating condi-tions are induced within two min-utes, possibly causing death of thoseexposed within 10 minutes.

Fire and Smoke Risk FactorsOn Nov. 28, 1942, many patrons

of the Coconut Grove nightclub inBoston were trapped inside a build-ing and overcome by smoke. Mostof the 492 deaths were due tosmoke inhalation, as were most ofthe subsequent deaths among hos-pitalized victims.

Almost 40 years later, 84 deathsand 679 injuries resulted fromsmoke spreading through seismicjoints, pipe chases and duct shafts inthe MGM Grand Casino fire in LasVegas - with the majority of deathsand injuries occurring in upperfloors far from the source of the fireoriginating in a restaurant area.

Although these fires are famousdue to their size and press coverage,the people at risk for inhalationinjury are those who are asleep.When a fire starts in a building andpeople are in unfamiliar areas, indeep sleep, they may not be orient-

Curtain Fire Damper

Multi-Blade Fire Damper

12 L i f e S a f e t y D i g e s t 6 / 2 0 0 6

ed to find their way out quickly.

Effective Compartmentation isNeeded

Dr. John Klote, a fire and smokecontrol consultant in McLean, Va., stresses the importance of stop-ping smoke.

“From a primary standpoint, evenunder successful sprinkler suppres-sion, smoke is still generated andcan travel through duct openings ifnot properly isolated,” he said.

Fire Dampers vs. CombinationFire/Smoke Dampers andCompartmentation

Technology in fire, smoke andfire/smoke dampers has advancedlight years recently due to testing sys-tems that reflect the field applicationof these systems.

Fire dampers are devices installedin fire-resistance-rated walls and -floors to protect fire from spreadingwithin the duct or outside the duct inthe annular space between the metaland the wall/floor. Dampers aredesigned to assist the mechanicaldesigner with effective compartmen-

tation needs.There is a significant difference

between a “fire damper” and a“combination fire/smoke damper.”

A fire damper closes once ducttemperature reaches a high enoughlevel to melt a fuse link. A combina-tion damper closes based on a highduct temperature or upon a smokedetector signal.

Additionally, fire dampers are notair/smoke leakage rated byUnderwriters Laboratories (UL) tostop smoke. A smoke damper, orcombination fire/smoke damper, isa leakage rated device that limitsthe amount of smoke that maymove in an assembly.

The 2003 IBC recognizes theimportance of stopping smoke byrequiring combination fire/smokedampers in shafts penetrated byducts or transfer openings for allbuilding classification types.

Smoke dampers are required ateach point a duct or air transfer open-ing penetrates a smoke-resistance-rated corridor, commonly known as asmoke barrier. Smoke barriers aredefined as hourly resistance rated, yetresist the passage of smoke.

Additionally, smoke-proof enclo-sures or pressurized stairways mustbe provided in buildings with a floorsurface located more than 75 ft.above the ground or 30 ft. below thelevel of exit. This is designed to mini-mize smoke migration, smoke dam-age and allow a safer exit for buildingoccupants in emergency situations.

In Section 716 of the IBC, leakageratings for smoke dampers, whichinclude combination fire/smokedampers, will not be less than Class II(less than 10 cfm/sq. ft. (cubic feetper minute/square foot) at 1-in. stat-ic pressure. Elevated temperatureratings for this leakage class cannotbe less than 250 degrees Fahrenheitabove ambient temperature.

Fire, Smoke, and CombinationDampers Application Summary

Smoke Dampers are operated by afactory installed electric or pneu-matic actuator. They are controlledby smoke detectors and/or firealarms. Smoke dampers are quali-fied under UL Standard 555S,Smoke Dampers, and are designedto resist the passage of air andsmoke. Smoke dampers have twogeneral applications:

1. “Smoke control system” - SmokeDampers close upon detection ofsmoke and prevent the circulation ofair and smoke through a duct, trans-fer or ventilation opening.

2. “Engineered smoke control sys-tem” - Smoke Dampers are designedto control smoke migration usingwalls and floors as barriers to createpressure differences. Pressurizing theareas surrounding the fire preventsthe spread of smoke in to other areas.

Smoke dampers have the follow-ing installation requirements:

1. Location: Smoke dampers are foruse in or adjacent to smoke-resist-ance-rated construction, installed nomore than 24 in. from the smokebarrier. Smoke dampers that are usedto isolate air handlers are not limitedto this distance requirement. NFPA90A states that smoke dampers are tobe used to isolate air handling unitsover 15,000 cfm.

2. Sleeves and Attachments: Smokedampers do not necessarily have to beinstalled in sleeves, and can beinstalled directly in the duct. Themanufacturer's installation instruc-tions will include the approvedmethod for attachment and spacing ofthe attachment.

3. Sealing: The joints between thedamper frame and the duct must besealed to prevent unwanted airleakage. Smoke damper leakage rat-ings are based on leakage throughthe blades and not additional leak-

C-Style Fire Damper. Note insula-tion to extend rating of damper outside the wall.

13 L i f e S a f e t y D i g e s t 6 / 2 0 0 6

age between the damper frame andduct or sleeve.

Fire Damper ApplicationSummary

Fire dampers are installed in a wallor floor, at the point of duct penetra-tion, to retain the integrity and fireresistance-rating of a wall - whetherit is a ducted or open-plenum returnapplication. Fire dampers areequipped with a fusible link (ratedfor 165 degrees F up to 286 degreesF) which “holds” the blades or cur-tain open until it melts. When thefusible link melts, the blades closeand stop the flame from moving intoan adjoining compartment.

Fire dampers are available in twobasic designs, curtain type and mul-tiple blade type.

Curtain type dampers (see photo1) consist of a “curtain” held up bya fusible link. Multiple-blade-typedampers are similar with “blades”located in the air stream, and gener-ally offer greater restriction to airflow than a curtain-type firedamper for the same size duct.

However, multiple-blade-fire-damp-ers (see photo 2) can be applied in sit-uations when the system air velocitiesexceed the curtain type fire damperclosure ratings. Multiple-blade firedampers have been UL tested and aredynamic rated for closure at 4,000 feetper minute and 8 in. of water.

There are two types of applica-tions for fire dampers, both staticand dynamic.

Static fire dampers can only beapplied in HVAC systems that aredesigned to shut down in the event ofa fire. Dynamic fire dampers havebeen tested for closure under air flowand carry both an air flow velocity(fpm) and pressure differential rating.

The minimum rating for alldynamic fire dampers is 2,000 fpmand 4 in. of water. The minimum

ratings are based upon closure at aminimum air flow of 2,400 fpm and4.5 in. of water. Higher ratings thanthe minimum are established inincrements of 1,000 fpm and inincrements of 2 in. of water.

Combination Fire/SmokeDamper Application Summary

Combination fire/smoke dampersmeet the requirements of both theUL555 fire damper and UL555Ssmoke damper standards and appli-cation requirements as describedabove. They are used in HVAC pen-etrations where a wall, floor or ceil-ing is required to have both a firedamper and smoke damper.

Fire/smoke dampers close uponheat detection (via duct temperature)or smoke (via a smoke detector) and“seal” the opening. Unlike regularfire dampers, fire/smoke dampers areavailable with electric heat releasedevices instead of fusible links. Theelectric release devices are “re-set-table” and allow the damper to closein a “controlled” manner, rather than“slamming” closed causing problemswith the HVAC system.

Fire/smoke dampers designed

Fire Damper actuator mounted on damper assembly.

Fire/Smoke Damper for corridorapplications.

14 L i f e S a f e t y D i g e s t 6 / 2 0 0 6

15 L i f e S a f e t y D i g e s t 6 / 2 0 0 6

with air foil blades may performbetter (less pressure drop) than oth-ers. Less pressure drop in a systemcan mean energy savings. Systemdesigners should consider selectingfire smoke dampers that “certify”their performance through a thirdparty like the Air Movement andControl Association.

Fire and CombinationFire/Smoke Dampers - MeansIncreased Application Flexibility

Recently, many damper systemdesigns - especially combinationfire/smoke dampers - have increasedtheir application and installation flexi-bility. The number of UL tested systemsavailable has increased dramatically.

These designs have made it easierto select and install the rightdamper without creating undueburden on the engineer, contractorand the authority having jurisdic-tion (AHJ). As with all compart-mentation systems, it is importantthat the damper manufacturer'sapproved installation data sheetsand tested and listed systems docu-mentation be available for installersand the AHJ for the project.

Over the past few years, manyimportant design and applicationchanges took place to make it easier to design, install, inspect andmaintain fire and combinationfire/smoke dampers:

1. One-sided angle installation:Until recently, all fire and combina-tion fire/smoke dampers requiredmounting angles on both sides ofthe wall. Damper systems' designsare now UL approved with amounting angle on one-side only -cutting damper installation time inhalf. This applies to both rectangu-lar and round dampers.

2. Damper to sleeve connections:Installation instructions arerequired to show attachment meth-

ods of the damper to the sleeve,plus the spacing of attachments forUL-compliant breakaway connec-tions. Newer damper designs havebeen tested to accommodate vari-ous flanged connection combina-tions to comply with UL's break-away requirements. This permitsthe contractor to use any flangetype and not worry about a specialconnection to the damper sleeve.

3. Out-of-the-Wall (see illustration1): For years UL damper installationswere approved only if the damperblades were located in the wall assem-bly. Occasionally, “hidden” items (i.e.,hydronic piping, ductwork andcables) interfered with the clearanceof the damper actuator. Newerdesigns accommodate installation“out-of-the-wall” by 8 in. The dampersleeve is wrapped with a heat-resist-ant material that effectively extendsthe wall rating to the damper.

4. Vertical-Bladed Installation (seephoto 3): Another method to assist ineliminating interference is with adamper designed with vertical blades.This permits access of the actuatorfrom below or above the damper-and is especially important with side-by-side ducts. This configuration alsopermits a slightly lower pressure dropon multistory supply shafts.

5. Corridor Fire/Smoke Dampers(see illustration 2): Since codes requirethat some corridors be protected withfire/smoke dampers, many tested sys-tems have been developed to permitinstallation from the corridor. In thesedesigns, dampers can be mounted andfastened directly to the wall or floor -without traditional mounting anglesand without traditional expansiongaps. Aesthetically-pleasing flush-mounted grills provide both airflowand a means in which to access theactuator without mounting an accessdoor in the corridor.

6. Underfloor Dampers: Installation

methods are now approved that elim-inate the 1-1/2-in. mounting anglearound the perimeter of the damper.This opens about 3 in. of space, oftencritical for underfloor applications.The damper height can now be maxi-mized to minimize pressure drop.

7. Firestopping Eliminates Angles:Installation methods are nowapproved that eliminates the 1 1/2-in. angle around dampers. This is abig development, and not all dampermanufacturers have this capability.

8. Maximum Damper Size: Maxi-mum UL-approved damper sizeshave increased in recent years. Thisis especially accommodating on largeopen-air returns in many commer-cial, industrial and institutionaloccupancies.

These maximum size limitationsare based solely on dampers thatwere tested to meet UL555 require-ments. Maximum sizes for verticalinstallations may be different frommaximum sizes for horizontal instal-lations. By maximizing these UL-approved sizes, it can eliminate theextra cost of subdividing ductwork.

SummaryStopping smoke from migration

through HVAC systems is importantto save lives and minimize propertydamage.

Rest assured that the best in com-partmentation technology has beenused in fire, fire/smoke and smokedampers in the buildings where youlive, work and visit…and is now morecompetitive than ever based onadvancing technology and testing inthis important fire and life safety fea-ture of effective compartmentation.

Tom Edwards is president of Ruskin Co.and past chairman of the Air Movementand Control Association. He can bereached at tomedwards@ruskin.com.

16 L i f e S a f e t y D i g e s t 6 / 2 0 0 6

by Aedan Gleeson, Bob LeClairand Don Murphy, FCIA

In March 2000, the InternationalCode Council's Mike Pfeiffer, vicepresident of codes, recommendedthat the firestopping industry startto develop standards for quality infirestopping.

With that challenge, Don Sabrsula,the Firestop Contractors InternationalAssociation (FCIA) StandardsCommittee Chair (2000 - 2005) andpresident of Houston-based FireSafe,worked with industry contractors andmanufacturers to assemble and ballotthe first standard for inspection offirestopping.

ASTM E 2174-01 is born andASTM E2393 Evolves The ASTM E2174, "Standard for On-SiteInspection of Installed Fire Stops,"was founded from the "QualityProcess Approach."

It's designed to be part of the totalquality protocol needed for zero toler-ance firestop systems installation.Firestop manufacturers test theirproducts, manufactured to strict toler-ances and publish systems suitable foruse as firestop systems in theUnderwriters Laboratories (UL andcUL), Omega Point Laboratories(OPL), Warnock Hersey International,(WHI) and Factory Mutual Approvals(FM) directories.

In the construction industry, therehave been several articles on“Construction Process Quality,”Including in publications such asEngineering News-Record. At the CSIShow in April 2005, Patrick McLeamy,

COO of HOK Worldwide, had thekeynote presentation on constructionquality at the event and compared it tothe manufacturing industry.

To provide a construction processinstallation protocol program, theFCIA created a standard for qualityprocess in the construction subcon-tracting industry: Factory MutualGlobal, Approvals Division's, andFM 4991 - Standard for theApproval of Firestop Contractorsand ASTM E2174-01 StandardPractice for On-Site Inspection ofInstalled Fire Stops.

Later, ASTM E2174-01 was updat-ed to ASTM E2174-04. Then, thestandard was augmented with a stan-dard for inspection of joint systemsfor walltops, expansion and construc-tion joints and perimeter fire protec-tion, ASTM E2393-04, StandardPractice for On-Site Inspection ofInstalled Fire Resistive Joint Systemsand Perimeter Fire Barriers.

FM 4991, also listed nationally inmany specifications due to referencein MasterSpec and BSD SpecLink, isa quality-process audit programwhere the contractor has a "DRI," ordesignated responsible individual.The DRI passes an industry test basedon the firestop industry's Manual ofPractice (MOP), tested systems selec-tion and the FM 4991 Standard. TheDRI manages the firestop contractingfirms' processes, policies and proce-dures to result in installed firestopsystems that meet the tested and list-ed system published in the testingdirectories.

During the FM 4991 approval

ASTM inspection standards vital to thefirestopping quality process

FM Approvals sets the stage with FM 4991

17 L i f e S a f e t y D i g e s t 6 / 2 0 0 6

process, FM Approvals visits thefirm, audits its quality manual andchecks the installed firestop systemin the field through destructive test-ing to verify the paperwork's validi-ty. Follow-up audits are done yearlyby FM, with the same destructivetesting employed by FM personnel.Effective quality programs have aprocedure for the productionprocess and sampling to be sure theprocess works. ASTM E2174 /E2393 are the check and balancethat samples the production processfor firestop installation, FCIA mem-ber, and / or FM 4991.

The FM 4991 Program is quiteaffordable for a contractor. Initialcost is about $6,000 for the auditand approximately $1,500 for thefollow up audit yearly.

CEUs are required for the DRI tomaintain his or her status in the pro-gram. And, FM does not issue an FM4991 contractor firm approval to indi-viduals, only the firestopping firm.

UL Announces New FirestopContractor Program

UL announced the new FirestopContractor Program at the FCIAFirestop Industry Conference inNovember 2005.

In April, UL held its first testing ofDRIs to determine who would man-age new qualified contractor firms'processes at the FCIA Educationand Committee Action Conference.

Another testing opportunity willbe held at the Firestop IndustryConference & Trade Show, inCharleston, S.C., on Nov. 9 through11. Contact FCIA for more informa-tion about this opportunity.

The new UL program affirms thatthe subcontractor quality process isgathering momentum. Both the FM4991 and UL programs offer auditinspections of the firestop contrac-tors' quality processes, with field

verification during an audit.Specialty firestop contractors nowhave a way to separate themselvesfrom others who have notembraced the quality process.

Why Bother to BecomeApproved?

There are several reasons contractorschoose to become FM 4991-approvedor UL Firestop Contractor firms.

Aedan Gleeson, the FCIA accredi-tation chair, reports that specifiersin the Northeast have added FM4991 and ASTM inspection to proj-ects with many of the specificationsactually resulting in an FMContractor awarded the work.

“We even looked at bidding aproject in Dubai, United ArabEmirates, that had a requirementfor an FM 4991 Contractor, makingthis program truly international.Most important, contractors arepaying attention to fire and life safe-ty through this quality process.”

Contractor Quality ManualsA contractor must review its

processes, procedures and people towrite a quality manual.

The firm's organization processesare reviewed, including the time theestimate takes place to projectaward, communication, installationand inspection of the work.

Bob Svoboda of S&W Waterproofingin Kansas City, Mo., said, “Goingthrough the FM 4991 process andbuilding a quality manual made uslook at all of our processes for efficien-cy and quality. We made manychanges to what we do and how weperformed. The result is that we are abetter company for going through thisFM 4991 approval quality process.”

Contractor quality manuals are tobe written to reflect the firms' pro-cedures. They are not policies thatare forced upon the contractor by

either FM or UL, but really how thefirm selects systems, communicatesthe appropriate systems to the field,then assures that the firestopping isinstalled to tested and listed systemsand engineering judgments bymanufacturers, testing laboratoriesor fire protection engineers. Eachfirm will have their own way ofhandling the quality process. It's thebasis of the free enterprise systemthat each quality program would beunique because it's the firm's com-petitive advantage how they areorganized to execute a contractedfirestopping project.

The quality process helps firestoppingkeep compartment sealed. (Photo cour-tesy of Grace Construction Products)

Contractor without quality process.Inadequate firestopping may result.

18 L i f e S a f e t y D i g e s t 6 / 2 0 0 6

Quality construction starts with a belief that saving

lives and protecting property is job #1.That’s the philosophy behind 3M Fire Protection Products' Risk

Management Program — a comprehensive approach to

firestopping that helps manage entire projects with the tools

you need to help get the job done right!

General Insulation is proud to offer 3M's complete line

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19 L i f e S a f e t y D i g e s t 6 / 2 0 0 6

Quality is the Whole ProcessASTM E2174, ASTM E2393

inspection protocols and FM 4991and UL's Contractor Program are apackage that clearly states in thecontractor quality manual theinstallation protocol of firestop sys-tems to result in better overall proj-ect quality.

ASTM E2174 and ASTM E2393can be used without a specialtyfirestop contractor or an FM 4991Approved or UL qualified firestopcontractor on projects that use the"he or she who pokes hole fills it"protocol.

However, the inspection will costmuch more when used with themultiple trade method, as it's diffi-cult to manage anywhere from twoto 40 subcontractor firms that toucheffective compartmentation withtheir joints, penetrating pipes, ductsand cables. Inspectors tell FCIA thatthe inspection costs rise dramatical-ly due to multiple trades involvedand submittal package variances tofield applications and that theamount charged for inspection canbe staggering.

As contractors, we believe in thecomplete approach. This includesspecialty firestop contractors pro-viding quality services for firestopsystems installation, with inspectionby qualified inspectors to verify thatthe process works and offers valueto the purchaser of firestoppingthrough process efficiencies.

Investment in the correct contrac-tor, with processes that result in sys-tems installed in the field as docu-mented, means value is received forproducts, systems and services,rather than heavily weighted ininspection.

Architects, specifiers, engineers,building code officials and fire marshalsshould consider specifying tested andlisted firestop systems made by quality

manufacturers, installed by a specialtyfirestop contractor (an FCIA member,or course)or FM 4991 approved or ULqualified firestop contractor andinspected to ASTM E2174 and ASTME2393 to make the total quality man-agement process complete.

Below is some FCIA suggestedspecification language from the FCIASpecification on http://www.fcia.orgon contractor qualifications:

Contractor Qualifications: 1. FMapproved in accordance with FMStandard 4991 - Approval ofFirestop Contractors and/or ULFirestop Contractor Program.

2. Licensed by the state or localauthority, where applicable.

3. Shown to have successfullycompleted not less than five compa-rable scale projects.

4. Firestop Contractors InternationalAssociation contractor member ingood standing.

InspectionA. Inspection is the independent

inspection agency employed andpaid by owner to examine penetra-tion firestopping in accordance withASTM E2174, “Standard Practice forOn-Site Inspection of Installed FireStops.” In addition, the ASTME2393 inspection agency is toexamine firestopping and willdetermine that firestopping hasbeen installed in compliance withrequirements of tested and listedfirestop system and that the installa-tion process conforms to FM 4991 -Standard for Approval of FirestopContractors.

B. The inspector will advise thecontractor of any deficiencies notedwithin one working day.

C. The enclosure of firestoppingwith other construction is not doneuntil the inspection agency has ver-ified that the firestop installationcomplies with requirements.

D. Where deficiencies are found,the repair or replacement of thefirestopping is done so that it com-plies with requirements of testedand listed system design.

E. The firestop inspector may notto be related to installing contractorfirm, including arms length businessrelationships. This pertains to sub-sidiaries, distributors, manufactur-ers' representatives or manufactur-ers supplying products for use infirestop systems.

Please note that the FCIA is work-ing with ASTM to develop a stan-dard on qualification of inspectors.Standards for production qualityand inspection are making tracks inthe construction industry. FCIA ispleased to have lead the industrywith programs for contractors fromFM & UL, and a set of inspectiondocuments from ASTM. Watch forthis trend to continue as the indus-try matures.

Aedan Gleeson is president ofGleeson-Powers Inc. in Franklin,Mass., and FCIA accreditation chairand can be reached at aed@gpi-firestop.com.

Bob LeClair is general manager of A.F.Underhill Inc. in Canton, Mass., andFCIA Immediate Past President and canbe reached at rleclair@afunderhill.com.

Don Murphy is president of PPMIFirestop Inc. in Indianapolis andFCIA president and can be reached at don@ppmifirestop.com. E-mailinfo@fcia.org for more informationabout the “Firestopping QualityProcess.”

20 L i f e S a f e t y D i g e s t 6 / 2 0 0 6

by Bob LeClair, FCIA Past Presidentand Bill McHugh, FCIA ExecutiveDirector

In the last 20 years, our economyhas become much more global thanever. Competition in many indus-tries – automotive, computers, elec-tronics, and construction productshave driven firms to get competitiveor die.

Construction of buildings is nodifferent. Firms are searching theworld for places to build manufac-turing, warehousing, customerservice, engineering and headquar-ters facilities, instead of just in a fewNorth American states or provinces.Economists call this process theoptimization of resources whichseeks the lowest cost for the valuereceived in the free enterprise sys-tem. This economic optimizationprocess has made the passion to bethe best and most economical a keyfocus of companies and societiesworldwide. The economic optimiza-tion process has had a profoundeffect on firms' decision makingbehavior. The concept has had suc-cesses and some stumbling blocks todeal with along the way.

Optimizing FailuresOver optimizing can be a disaster.

Under optimizing can mean prod-ucts that are not competitivelypriced in world markets. There hasto be a balance somewhere betweenoptimization for competitive rea-

Fire glass protects compartmentation's integrity while allowing occupants to see whatthreat may be on the other side of the barrier.

21 L i f e S a f e t y D i g e s t 6 / 2 0 0 6

sons, creativity and safety in the fin-ished product or system.

Remember the Ford Pinto gastanks in the 1970's or Corvair's rearend configuration problems in the1960's and the loss of life from eachof these events due to parts thatturned out to be over optimized?Remember general auto quality inthe early 1980s when we were driv-en to overseas auto manufacturersfor our new cars?

Short term profits from each of thesemanufacturing and or design optimiza-tions caused loss of life and sharehold-er value all aimed at saving a buck.

User Feedback MechanismsIn the automotive industry, end

users respond quickly to flawed engi-neering or parts in cars by showing upat the dealers' service departments.Data is gathered on each vehicle to findsub-par performing parts from thedealer level straight to the manufactur-er through incident reports online.

The information sends an alarmflag through the firm's product stew-ardship process, and a search-and-destroy mission is launched to findand repair the problem. In the man-ufacturing environment, this processmoves efficiently as long as the dis-tribution channels are clearly identi-fied and tied into the quality process.

In construction and particularly infire protection, feedback mecha-nisms may not be as efficient as inthe automotive industry, and defector flawed engineering discoverymay be slower.

Cars are driven daily and servicedin tightly controlled, franchiseddealerships when they are relativelynew, with excellent quality trackingmechanisms.

In the construction industry, fireprotection systems are designed byone firm, tested by another,installed by a third party and

inspected by yet another organiza-tion…and each operation has a sep-arate, independent profit objective.Communication systems that existin manufacturing may not be ascontinuous in construction. In con-struction, the layers of contractorsmay simply repair a defect, andmove on rather than report back tothe manufacturer through a distrib-utor or dealer.

The auto and other manufacturingindustries embraced the qualityprocess through ISO 9000 certifica-tion of their processes in the 1990's.Once a product produced under anISO 9000 certified process leaves thebuilding product manufacturer'sfacility and moves into the distribu-tion channels there may not be fur-ther ISO standards followed in thedistribution and installation of thesebuilding products. In constructionsub-contracting, the quality processis not fully developed yet. If fire andlife safety systems like alarms anddetection, sprinklers, effective com-partmentation and structural protec-

tion are very sensitive to installationtolerances, then shouldn't the samequality process be used from manu-facture to installation and inspec-tion? And, if the construction indus-try is optimizing fire and life safetysystems, shouldn't there be greaterattention paid to field installation toresult in tested and listed systemsbeing installed to exacting, zero tol-erance specifications?

To meet zero tolerance specifica-tions, FCIA worked with FMApprovals to develop FM 4991, theStandard for Approval of FirestopContractors. UL is developing a ULFirestop Contractor Program aswell. Both programs are aimed atbringing the quality process to con-struction, starting with firestop-ping…and recognizing the uniqueenvironment in construction.

Optimizing Choices• Adding automatic sprinklers to

buildings• Eliminating the use of fire-resist-

ance-rated effective compartmenta-

Comparmentation is penetrated by service piping. Ratings are restored using firestop-ping, fire dampers, fire doors and fire glass.

22 L i f e S a f e t y D i g e s t 6 / 2 0 0 6

tion and structural fire protectionthrough significant “trade offs” forautomatic sprinkler protection

• Adding automatic Sprinklerseliminates requirements for fireextinguishers

For many of these optimized sys-tems, a single component's per-formance is critical to the safety ofthe almost all other components inthe structure. If one part of a systemhas a weakness, complete failuremay be the result due to the overoptimization of systems. For manyoptimized systems, a single compo-nent's performance is critical to thesafety of the almost all other com-ponents in the structure. If one partof a system has a weakness, com-plete failure may be the result dueto the over optimization of systems.Without backup, a minor event mayturn into a major event.

The Building Fire ResearchLaboratory, National Institute ofStandards and Technology (NIST)have recommended to industry andthe code development process that

more “balance” to fire protectiondesign using effective compartmen-tation, structural protection, sprin-kler systems, alarms and detectionand occupant education be requiredin buildings to reduce risk from lackof redundancy and robustness.

And, for many of these systems,products have to become systemsthrough installation to zero toler-ance application.

Questions about Optimizing Life Safety

Therefore, when designing sys-tems for life safety protection of abuilding, does it really make senseto fully optimize the fire protectionsystems? Is it worth dollars if fireand life safety may be at risk?

Statistics show low loss of life andgood fire performance of officebuildings in the past based on con-struction designs with significantredundancy (fire resistance rated,detection, alarms, and sprinklers).An NFPA Study on high rise build-ing fires from 1985 to 1998 for allhigh rises in the U.S. showed as fewas seven fatalities, it was reported atICC's code hearings recently.

Some buildings that producedthese excellent performance statis-tics were constructed with someeffective compartmentation infloors and walls, and at least two-tofour-hour structural protection andup to three hour compartmentationrequirements.

The 1920's art deco LaSalle BankBuilding experienced a fire in 2004.The LaSalle Bank building inChicago had fire burning for morethan five hours before extending tothe floor above. And, the structureabove and below the fire floorremained structurally sound. Thestructure was reoccupied shortlyafter the debris from the fire wascleaned...showing real success of

effective compartmentation andstructural protection.

Buildings constructed under newcodes may or may not have thesame degree of effective compart-mentation and structural protectionas the LaSalle Bank, yet still meetminimum code requirements. Still,building owners can choose to buildstructures equal to or greater thanthe minimum required by code.

Codes dictate a minimum level ofsafety and performance require-ments in buildings. Sprinkler sys-tems have been used as trade offs tosignificantly reduce the hourly fireresistance ratings for compartmentedfloors and walls in addition to struc-tural fire protection components.

With this in mind, a questionneeds to be asked: How far do wewant to push the envelope withoptimization of building construc-tion systems when it comes to fireand life safety, property protectionand continuity of operations in abuilt environment? Is building tocode enough to meet demands ofthe public for safety?

While the Firestop ContractorsInternational Association supportsthe use of alarms and detection,occupant education, sprinkler sys-tems and effective compartmenta-tion plus structural fire protection,we also support the content of theWorld Trade Center Study by NIST.Extrapolating from the WTC studyby NIST, it may be said that the opti-mization process used to setrequirements for fire resistancerated assemblies may have gone toofar optimizing these important fireand smoke barriers and structuralprotection by removing necessarylayers of redundancy in buildings.

Here's why. Buildings constructedin a large area of the U.S. over thepast 50 years under the UniformBuilding Code (UBC) and other

A rolling door is an effective method ofcompartmentation.

23 L i f e S a f e t y D i g e s t 6 / 2 0 0 6

Codes used effective compartmen-tation, structural fire protection,detection, alarm systems and sprin-kler systems as their fire protectionmethods for defending a structurefrom fire and life safety risks.

To bring the three model codestogether from the U.S. into theInternational Building Code, thenew code could not, upon adoption,put a percentage of the map intonon-compliance the moment thenew code was adapted.

Therefore, the lowest require-ment for effective compartmenta-tion and structural protectionwhere sprinkler systems were usedas a “trade off” was accepted as theprimary source of protection forbuildings in the U.S. Whether weagree or disagree, this is the newlevel of compartmentation andstructural protection required inbuildings for fire and life safety.

To justify the high level paradigmshift in code philosophy, statisticsfor sprinkler performance wereused as a basis for the change.

At the ICC Code Committee hear-ings in Cincinnati, February 2005, itwas cited that reported fatalitiesfrom 1985 through 1998 were only39 in 14 years in business/high riseoccupancies. From 1994 through1998, NFPA statistics were reportedthat no fatalities occurred in hotelsand motels with sprinkler systemswhere they operated.

Additional NFPA statistics haveshown that fire deaths have gonedown over the past 20 years in officeoccupancies. Since occurrences of firemay have taken place in new and oldbuildings alike, these fatality statisticsmay not reflect the true facts. Couldthe statistics have been produced inbuildings that had been constructedusing effective compartmentation andstructural protection, detection andalarm systems, occupant education

plus sprinkler suppression systems allworking together? The new codesmay have recognized the success offire protection but removed an impor-tant part - effective compartmentationand structural protection throughheight and area tables that allow forlarger spaces without either type ofprotection and the elimination of fireresistance rated compartmentation incorridors and some tenant spaces.

What new fire loss statistics will thisnew generation of building withouteffective compartmentation and struc-tural protection bring to our society?

More StatisticsSprinkler systems are estimated to

perform with a reliability of 95 to 99percent when activated. A report byBill Koffel, Koffel Associates, arguesthat the reliability rate is some-where closer to 86% to 96%.Compartmentation statistics showsa track record with reliabilitybetween 80 - 99%. (Bukowski,Budnick, Schemel, 1999 SFPEICFRE3 Third Proceedings.) In bothindustries, compartmentation andsprinklers have impressive fire andlife safety statistics.

However, Richard Bukowski of theof the U.S.'s NIST,recently said at theChicago Council on High RiseBuildings Fire Safety Seminar, “Thereis a call for risk informed regulation forextreme events, and layers of protec-tion and redundancy / robustness inconstruction … are needed in today'spost 9/11 world.” Additionally, WorldTrade Center reports mention thatregulators should consider redundan-cy for more than just high rise occu-pancies as well.

In construction, the process ofcreating the built environment, thesite of assembly is not a manufac-turer's warm, heated / air-condi-tioned, humidified area. It's out-side, sometimes exposed to the vari-

ability in weather that happens ineach day, every season of the year.Plus, occupancy can change necessi-tating changes to

Would a building constructedunder the new codes withstand the5-1/2 hours plus fire experienced atthe LaSalle Bank Building inChicago…if the sprinkler systemdoesn't respond, water turned off, isout of service for maintenance, dis-abled by vandals, terrorists, orobstructed by building occupants?What if compartmentation fails tooas doors may have been left open, adamper not operating, or firestop-ping misapplied? None of the fireand life safety systems can claim100% infallibility.

The LaSalle Bank Building burned5-1/2 hours unchecked by sprinklersystems before spreading to thenext floor…thanks to vertical floorcompartmentation protection.

Without effective compartmenta-tion and / or sprinklers, fires canmove fast if not checked by fire-fighters or sprinkler systems, creat-ing risks that may not have existedbefore. The Windsor Tower BuildingFire, in Madrid, Spain, was a totalloss in February 2005 because com-partmentation was not completed atthe perimeter of the structure, norwas a sprinkler system installed.

Certainly construction types aredifferent in each building. However,even through extreme fire attack,the LaSalle Bank Building support-ed several floors above it, protecting

24 L i f e S a f e t y D i g e s t 6 / 2 0 0 6

25 L i f e S a f e t y D i g e s t 6 / 2 0 0 6

people and property. People waitingin the compartmented structurestayed put safely until rescued byfire fighting personnel… some foran hour. And, smoke managementkept egress areas passable as well.

What to do? Corridors may no longer be fire or

smoke resistance rated to protectoccupants in many types of buildingsunder the new code. This, plus thehundreds of other trade offs wheresprinkler systems have displacedeffective compartmentation andstructural protection may change thedynamics of how buildings performin the future under fire attack.

The general public needs to under-stand the new dynamics in buildingsand respond accordingly. Alarm,detection, sprinkler and compart-mentation systems need to be main-tained in working order ready toactivate when needed. Fire drillswith simultaneous evacuation of awide range of occupancies should bepracticed more often. Educationabout building protection fire andlife safety features plus their role inpersonal safety should be part ofeducation for both young and oldalike. Building occupants shouldunderstand their role in understand-ing the structure, where routes outof the building are, and how theycan safely get out using the protectedcompartmentation system to keepthem safe along the way, with sprin-kler controlling the fire behind thewall or under the floor.

There have been statements madethat there are huge savings eliminating compartmentation andstructural protection. However,there are big losses that come laterin flexibility of use for the area thatcould render the remaining fire pro-tection feature below code and safe-ty requirements.

There are economies in buildingcompartmentation into a structureupon initial construction. Drywallcontractors are hanging wallboardon the project already. How muchmore does it take to install the dry-wall to the bottom of the next floor?Isn't this best practice for securityanyway? Swinging and rolling firedoors, fire and smoke dampers, andfirestopping is installed also. If thelabor is already onsite, then theonly add is labor, a marginal cost towhen compared to installing thesesystems later when services andpeople occupy the structure.

Building occupants expect thatbuildings are completely safe toenter, occupy and exit quickly ifneeded. Too much optimizing cancause life safety risks as we push theenvelope of material technology'slimits to remain competitive withour building costs globally.

Whether its introducing qualityprograms to the industry, or pro-moting a more “balanced approach”to fire and life safety, there must bethought given to “optimization”issues. Optimizing life safety sys-tems, to some degree, may be need-ed to keep our buildings competi-tive in the world market.

However, being too aggressive maycompromise fire and life safety.Which building - school, office, highrise, hospital, hotel - would yourather be resting in, the highly opti-mized for profit and competitiveness,or something with a bit more “mar-gin for error” built in should some-thing go really wrong when you orloved ones are inside?

Bob LeClair is General Manager ofA.F. Underhill, Inc., Canton, MA. Hecan beg reached at rleclair@afunder-hill.com . Bill McHugh is ExecutiveDirector, FCIA, bill@fcia.org .

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27 L i f e S a f e t y D i g e s t 6 / 2 0 0 6

June 4 to 6NFPA World Safety Conference & Expo, Orlando, Fla.

June 8 to 10American Institute of Architects National Conventionand Design Expo, Los Angeles

June 24 to 27BOMA North American Commercial Real EstateCongress and the Office Building Show, Dallas

June 27 to 28Alliance for Fire and Smoke Containment & ControlAnnual Meeting, St.Charles, Ill.

Aug. 10 to 13National Association of State Fire Marshals,Washington, D.C.

Sept. 7 to 8ICC CTC Meetings

Sept. 11 to 16Door and Hardware Institute DHI Conference &Exposition, San Diego

Sept. 14 to 16Fire and Rescue International (IAFC), Dallas

Sept. 17 to 30ICC Annual Conference & Code DevelopmentHearings, Lake Buena Vista, Fla.

Sept. 24 to 26IAPMO Annual Conference, Chicago

Oct. 8 to 12SMACNA Annual Convention, Phoenix

Oct. 15 to 20Society of Fire Protection Engineers ProfessionalDevelopment Conference and Exposition, Ellicott City, Md.

Oct. 19 to 20 ICC CTC Meetings

Nov. 8 to 10FCIA Firestop Industry Conference & Trade Show,Charleston, S.C.

Dec. 12 to 13ICC CTC Meetings

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Code Corner

New Committee of Buildingand Fire Code Officials Formed

A committee has been formedto encourage building and firecode officials to work closely onthe Model National Codes.

Co-chaired by New York StateFire Administrator James A. Burns and New Jersey's Director of Building Code EnforcementWilliam Connolly, the SafeBuilding Coordinating Committeewill consist of three building codeofficials, three fire code officials andthree independent scientificexperts who will be announcedsoon. Both the National FireProtection Association andInternational Codes Council will beoffered seats on the committee.

The new Committee will servepurposes that include:• Encourage greater cooperationamong building and fire codeenforcers.• Conduct joint assessments ofall code proposals for purposes ofproviding guidance as proposalsmove forward.• Coordinate floor statements atcode hearings and commentssubmitted for the public record.• Help building and fire codeenforcement officials secureresources to participate in theprocess.• Help clarify unresolved ques-tions about specific code propos-als.• Help facilitate discussions withthe industry on what constitutes

adequate levels of safety.A committee has been formed by

NASFM. For more information,contact Allison Crowley of theNational Association of State FireMarshals at 202-737-1226 or at alli-son@firemarshals.org.

Balanced Fire ProtectionDesign Discussed

Significant discussion continues totake place regarding the issue of a“balanced design” for fire protection.

The International Code Council'sCode Technology Committee (CTC)and Terrorism Resistant Buildings(TRB) met in Rosemont, Ill., theweek of March 8 for a two day con-ference with several industries rep-resented in this “Balanced FireProtection” research discussion forbuildings throughout the U.S.

Attendees included representativesfrom The American Forest and PaperAssociation, Schulte & Associates,National Fire Sprinkler Association,Door and Hardware Institute, Portland Cement Association, FirestopContractors International Association,Fireproofing Manufacturers, code offi-cials, National Association of State Fire Marshals, National Institute of Standards and Technology,Underwriters Laboratories, Alliancefor Fire and Smoke Containment andControl, several state agencies and fireprotection engineering firms.

Chaired by Paul Hielstedt, formerpresident of Building Officials andCode Administrators International(BOCA) and now of Heilstedt &

Associates, the ICC CTC heardproposals from the NationalInstitute for Standards andTechnology (NIST) and othersabout balanced fire protection andthe multi million dollar WorldTrade Center “NIST Reports.”

The charge of the ICC CTCgroup researching balanced fireprotection, as directed by ICCBoard of Directors, is: “The studyof balanced fire protectionincludes an assessment of theappropriate amount of active (i.e.,fire sprinkler) versus passive (i.e.,rated compartments and structur-al fire protection) requirements tobe required by the code. In thisregard, many proposals have beenconsidered in past cycles to revisethe height and area provisions aswell as the level of fire sprinklertrade-offs. The scope of this activ-ity would be an investigation ofthe requirements in the code andthe establishment of a clearlydefined scope of work for the CTCto consider. Depending on thescope of work, the effort mayresult in a long term activity.”

Since the NIST reports focusedheavily on structural steel fire-proofing, many code change dis-cussions were heard aboutincreasing the density and bondstrength of applied cementitioustype fireproofing to structuralsteel. Also, increases in fireproof-ing inspection frequencies havebeen recommended to validatethe in-place quality of the

30 L i f e S a f e t y D i g e s t 6 / 2 0 0 6

31 L i f e S a f e t y D i g e s t 6 / 2 0 0 6

Code Corner

installed fireproofing.FCIA testified that in addition

to inspection, qualified contrac-tors should be used to maximizeinstalled system value, productiv-ity and quality. Contractor qualityprograms coupled with inspectionmeans the process can be evaluat-ed, adjusted for efficiency andbring value to the building owner.

During the discussions, it seemedthat there was some frustration bymembers of the committee.

Carl Baldassarra, co-chair of theCTC, asked for credible data tosupport changes that NIST andothers brought forward.

The TRB Committee Chair BillConnolly commented sternly,“Less than 2.5 years after thePearl Harbor Attacks brought usinto World War II, thousands ofwarships and planes were builtand men mobilized intoNormandy. With almost 5 yearsbehind us since Sept. 11, we'venot really done anything yet.”

During discussion at the TRBportions of the meeting, blastresistance was explored with aquantitative value of 2psi resist-ance assigned. The Door andHardware Institute volunteered tosupply information regarding theblast resistance of doors for thegroup to validate the resistance of the wall assembly, either con-crete block or gypsum drywall.Additionally, photo luminescent-litexit paths were explored as poweroutages are common when emer-

gencies occur. To view the reports, visit

http://wtc.nist.gov/. The discus-sions continue with more meetingsscheduled. See the IndustryCalendar for dates. Also, visithttp://www.iccsafe.org/cs/cc/ctc/index.html for specific meetingschedules and topics of discussion.

FCIA's CompartmentationSymposium

Firestop Contractors Inter-national Association's Compart-mentation Symposium was a bigSuccess at The 50th AnniversaryCSI Show. CSI, the 18,000Member Construction Specifi-cations Institute, has a long histo-ry of providing specifiers greateducational programs.

At the CSI 2006 Show, the “FCIA CompartmentationSymposium” was presented to astanding room only crowd. Therewere seven speakers, featuring EdGlock, Masonry Institute; NestorSanchez, USG for the GypsumAssociation; Eli Howard, SheetMetal and Contractors NationalAssociation (SMACNA); JohnGeniesse, Door and HardwareInstitute; Steve Hahn, LawrenceRoll Up Doors, representing theAmerican Rolling Door Institute;Bill O'Keeffe, Safti-First; and BillMcHugh, FCIA.

FCIA's Compartmentation Sym-posium brought together the piecesthat make effective compartmenta-tion work in buildings. Each pre-

senter spoke about importantpoints that make his or her tech-nology work in compartmentation.

The compartmentation teamreceived several complimentsabout the unique program, withrequests for repeat performances inother parts of the U.S. and Canada.

To have a program presented inyour area at a CSI, AIA, APPA,DHI or other association meeting,contact FCIA at info@fcia.org. Wecan't wait to bring our group ofspecialists to educate your organ-ization about compartmentation!

More from the CSI ShowFirestop Contractors International

Association members Mike Pautschof Superl, Inc. and Jim Shiver of Thermafiber Inc. presented“Perimeter Fire ContainmentSeminar” to specifiers at the CSIConvention.

Another FCIA member, JohnHurley of Specified TechnologiesInc., brought “Barrier IntegrityManagement” to the attendees at his presentation. Safti-FirstPresident Bill O'Keeffe updated thegroup on “Understanding the Many Choices in Fire Rated Glass.” National Gypsum's pro-gram, “Understanding the ULDirectory,” rounded out the educa-tion programs.

CSI seems to be the first major group to embrace theEffective Compartmentation edu-cation within the “safety andsecurity track” for its professional

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Code Corner

and industry members.The FCIA was an education

sponsor of CSI Show. As a result,the FCIA moderated five sessionson compartmentation …in addi-tion to being recognized at thekeynote opening session, awardsgala and in handouts to thou-sands of attendees. The FCIA ispleased to have a very productiverelationship with CSI providingeducation for professional andindustry members.

ICC Code Changes SubmittedCompartmentation limits the

spread of fire and smoke from theroom of origin to other parts of

buildings. Firestopping is a vitalpart of compartmentation, withswinging and rolling doors, hard-ware, fire and smoke dampers,fire glass and the fire wall or floorworking together to protect peo-ple, first responders and property.

Compartmentation was the basisfor the Firestop ContractorsInternational Association's ninecode change proposals for the 2007code cycle at the International Code Council, ICC. FCIA's submis-sions focused on revisions to the International Building Code,Chapter 7, and the InternationalFire Code, Chapter 7, Fire ResistiveConstruction.

The Door and Hardware Ins-titute, Alliance for Fire andSmoke Containment and Controland International FirestopCouncil also submitted proposalsfor code changes.

We understand that theNational Association of State FireMarshals and many others sub-mitted code change proposals.FCIA looks forward to being anactive participant in the codedevelopment process to bring fireand life safety through compart-mentation to the building andconstruction industry.

34 L i f e S a f e t y D i g e s t 6 / 2 0 0 6

Testing & Qualification News

FCIA Members SpecifiedFirestop Contractors International Association has

been made aware that there are architects, engineersand consultants asking for FCIA members in theirfirestopping specifications.

“We nailed down a large project because we werelisted on the FCIA Website,” said Tony Gamble ofApex Firestop.

“At Affinity Architecture & Firestopping Consultants,we require FCIA membership of contractors that bid ourprojects because we know they are committed to a high-er level of industry participation, which adds value toour projects,” said Rob Hlady, principal.

FM 4991 Gaining AcceptanceFactory Mutual Approvals, a division of FM Global -

a large insurance concern - continues to add ApprovedContractors to its list.

What started with about 13 in 2001 now has 89 loca-tions nationwide who can offer FM 4991 ApprovedFirestop Contractors to the industry. FM Approvals con-tinues to conduct FM 4991 Designated ResponsibleIndividual (DRI) Testing and audit inspections ofFirestop Contractor Firms for FM 4991 Approval.

Firestop Contractors International Association mem-bers have reported that the FM 4991, Standard for theApproval of Firestop Contractors, administered by FMApprovals, has been widely specified by architects andengineers looking for a quantifiable quality standard forfirestopping contractor qualifications. Like an ISO 9000Quality Program for manufacturers, FM 4991 is a processto audit the operations of a firestop contractor. We under-stand that more compartmentation industries may beevaluating this process for their own industries.

New UL Contractor Quality ProgramUnderwriters Laboratories, Inc. (UL) conducted its

first UL Designated Responsible Individual (DRI) examsat the FCIA Education and Committee ActionConference, April 28 in Montreal. Over thirty peoplesat for the first UL DRI Exam, and will schedule auditsfor their firms sometime in the next 90 days. The DRIExam is based on FCIA's Firestop Industry Manual ofPractice which is written generically enough to coverproducts, systems and practices worldwide. There wasan additional test section written for the Canada FCIAMembers that addressed local requirements.

FCIA's Accreditation Committee Chair Aedan Gleeson (fromleft) meets with UL's John Carlin and Betsy Titus and HILTI'sGuy Bradley.

Underwriters Laboratories Inc. conducted its first ULDesignated Responsible Individual exams in Montreal in April.

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