A passive fire protection survey or compartmentation survey assesses the integrity of all fire-stopping measures in a building's structure. The Building Safety Act 2022 has increased scrutiny of compartmentation quality in residential care settings.
Why this matters
Many care homes have years of cable runs, pipe penetrations and wall openings that were never properly fire-stopped. Each one is a potential compartment breach. A compartmentation survey is the only way to know your actual risk position and CQC inspectors increasingly ask whether one has been carried out.
What to do
- 1Commission a compartmentation survey from a passive fire protection specialist if your building has not had one in the last five years.
- 2Ensure any penetrations identified are remediated using certificated fire-stopping products and that remediation is documented.
- 3Retain the survey report in your fire safety evidence file alongside your Fire Risk Assessment.
Primary source
HSE Fire Safety in Care Homes
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