Frequently Asked Questions
Passive Fire Protection (PFP) is a critical element to any building structure. It plays a preventive role and it represents all the construction methods that allow a structure to resist a fire during a given time (this is fixed by the regulations relating to specific building types).
Passive Fire Protection methods are intended to:
- Stop the progression of fumes
- Avoid the spread of flames
- Contain thermal effects in the disaster area
- Maintain the fire stability of structural elements
These methods are known as “passive” as they work without any human intervention or external energy input. They aim to allow the evacuation of people and the intervention of the emergency services, confining the fire as long as possible in a compartmentalised space.
To provide an answer to all these objectives, we distinguish two types of fire protection solutions:
- Structural protection solutions – such as intumescent paints
- Firewall solutions for subdivision – such as foams, sealants and other fire stopping solutions.
Passive Fire Protection must form part of the design of a building, both by the main contractor and the project management team.
All our products are manufactured at facilities in the UK. All Testing for our passive fire solutions are tested in the UK and Europe.
Intumescent products are designed to expand when exposed to high temperatures. As they swell, they fill gaps and openings within a fire compartment, helping to restore the barrier and slow the spread of fire and smoke. They don’t put out the fire — their role is to contain it and maintain the integrity of the compartment for as long as the fire rating requires.
A passive fire pipe collar is a fire-protection device installed around certain pipes where they pass through fire-rated walls or floors.
What it does
Its purpose is to maintain the fire resistance of a wall or floor when a combustible pipe (such as PVC, HDPE, or polypropylene) passes through it.
During a fire:
The plastic pipe softens and melts.
The collar’s intumescent material expands when exposed to high temperatures.
The expanding material crushes and seals the opening left by the melted pipe.
This helps prevent the spread of:
- Flames
- Hot gases
- Cold Gases
- Smoke
- Heat
Why it is called “passive”
It is a passive fire protection measure because it requires no power, sensors, or activation system. It remains dormant until exposed to fire and then reacts automatically through the expansion of the intumescent material.
Typical applications
Pipe collars are commonly used where plastic pipes penetrate:
- Fire-rated compartment walls, Fire-rated floors, Service risers
- Plant rooms, Escape routes
Examples of pipes that often require collars:
- PVC drainage pipes
- Wastewater pipes
- Vent pipes
- Plastic water supply pipes (depending on the firestop system design)
Main components
A typical pipe collar consists of:
- A steel outer casing
- Intumescent fire-resistant material inside
- Fixing tabs or anchors for attachment to the wall or floor
When they are required
Requirements depend on local building regulations and the tested firestop system being used. Generally, a collar is required when a combustible pipe passes through a fire-rated barrier, and the penetration must maintain the barrier’s fire-resistance rating.
Simple example
Imagine a 110 mm PVC drainpipe passing through a 2-hour fire-rated wall. Without protection, the pipe could melt in a fire, leaving a large hole through which flames and smoke could spread. A correctly installed fire collar expands and closes that opening, helping the wall continue to perform its fire-separation function for the required period.
The exact collar type, size, and installation method must match the pipe material, diameter, wall/floor construction, and the tested firestop system specified by the manufacturer.
Firebreak Service Transits comprise a range of circular and rectangular devices designed to be installed in fire resistant walls and floors where cables and other services are required to penetrate. Under fire conditions the foam plugs at each face of the transit restrict the passage of smoke whilst the intumescent material within the transit expands to form a durable plug around the services maintaining the fire integrity and insulation performance of the floor or wall.
Purpose
Its purpose is to restore the fire resistance of a wall or floor that has been penetrated by cables.
Without a suitable firestop, the opening around the cables can allow:
- Fire to spread between compartments
- Smoke to travel through the building
- Hot or cold gases to pass through fire barriers
A cable transit seals these openings while still allowing cables to pass through.