Passive Fire Protection System Support
The lack of adequately installed and maintained passive fire protection systems has promulgated several
new regulatory requirements. These regulatory requirements are intended to ensure that all fire barrier
elements (e.g., fire rated wall assemblies, fire rated floor assemblies, and firestop systems) are
properly installed and maintained. The professional fire protection engineers at HCC & Associates
can help you comply with firestopping regulatory requirements in a cost effective manner.
Our fire protection engineers have successfully completed STI's Firestop Instructional Training
and HILTI's HASFC Level 1 workshop in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Our first approach is to help you manage your own fire barrier management program by providing
comprehensive initial assessment, training, and periodic oversight. However, we can provide full
service fire barrier management services. We also provide building owners, developers, and contractors
third-party firestopping inspection services in accordance with the procedures of ASTM E2174,
"Standard Practice for On-site Inspection of Installed Fire Stops" and ASTM E2393, "Standard Practice
for On-site Inspection of Installed Fire Resistive Joint Systems and Perimeter Fire Barriers."
Our passive fire protection system support extends to the Philadelphia, Wilmington DE, Baltimore, and
Washington D.C. areas:
- Conducting third party firestopping inspections in accordance with ASTM E2174, "Standard Practice
for On-site Inspection of Installed Fire Stops" and ASTM E2393, "Standard Practice for On-site Inspection
of Installed Fire Resistive Joint Systems and Perimeter Fire Barriers"
- Conducting annual fire barrier management inspections for all types of occupancies
- Conducting training and establishing in-house firestopping maintenance programs
- Identifying required fire barriers throughout a facility
- Assisting in selecting qualified firestopping installers and firestopping management software programs
Third Party Firestopping Inspections
Some regulatory requirements and project specifications require an independent party to inspect firestop
systems, membrane penetrations, joint systems, and curtain wall systems. This inspection is paid for by
the owner, general contractor, or some other party not associated with the parties installing firestopping.
HCC & Associates provides this service following ASTM E2174, "Standard Practice for On-site Inspection
of Installed Fire Stops" and ASTM E2393, "Standard Practice for On-site Inspection of Installed Fire
Resistive Joint Systems and Perimeter Fire Barriers." We review all of the proposed firestopping
systems before installation, inspect the installed firestopping systems, and provide compliance reports.
Fire Barrier Management Inspections
 The International Fire Code, section 703,
which is adopted by many jurisdictions, requires
annual visual inspections of fire rated construction. NFPA 1 Fire Code, requires fire-resistance-rated
assemblies in high-rise buildings to be visually inspected for integrity at least once every 5 years.
NFPA 80, Standard for Fire Doors and Other Opening Protectives, requires the annual inspection of
fire doors. Multiple regulatory agencies require the periodic inspection and maintenance of fire
and smoke barriers in healthcare occupancies.
HCC & Associates has completed hundreds of surveys
of high-rise buildings, warehouses, and other occupancy types for the federal government and
private companies. We are familiar with the building areas that typically require fire rated
construction and approved firestopping systems. In addition to completing the required inspections,
our field engineers have the technical capability to determine the fire barriers that are required
by code. Oftentimes, facility managers spend money unnecessarily maintaining fire barriers that
are not required by the local code. HCC & Associates can help cost effectively manage your fire barriers.
Before joining HCC & Associates some of our fire protection engineers were Regional Fire and Safety
Protection Engineers for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). We are very familiar with healthcare
requirements and most importantly, how to work within the sensitive healthcare environment.
Healthcare facilities sometimes undergo multiple piecemeal renovations and modernizations. Oftentimes,
the locations of smoke barriers, horizontal exits, and fire barriers become misaligned and disjointed
as different architects design different building areas. HCC & Associates provides complete fire
barrier assessments and inventories based on the applicable code requirements. We also have the ability
to provide fire barrier management plan drawings or assist your in-house staff in preparing these drawings.
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