Fire training - Functions of Passive fire protection

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Passive fire protection is a combination of structural fire protection and safety of the building. Passive fire protection attempts will slowly spread the fire through fire resistant walls, floors and doors. This Passive fire protection must comply with some listings and building codes for providing the effectiveness.

Fire extinguishers: This type of fire protection includes the compartmentalization of the whole building by using the fire proof walls and floors etc. Organizing the whole building will prevent the spread of fire quickly and reduces the damages of the building. This also gives time to the occupants in the emergency evacuation. Fire prevention includes the reduction of ignition sources and educates the occupants regarding the fire safety.

The ultimate goal for Passive fire protection is to protect the occupants and the items inside by testing the ability of the fire resistant walls floors even at 140 °C to 550 °C, which is the critical temperature for the structural steel, and it may collapse. To accomplish this aims many different materials are used in the design and construction system. The endothermic building material cannot withstand much heat. For example the concrete is an endothermic material. The water in them sublime during heat, thus they literally explode.

The fire resistance materials are rated in the terms of hours that they can withstand heat. As the active fire protection, passive fire protection does not need a electric or electronic activation or a induced motion for fire preventing measures.

As the name suggests the passive fire protection remains silent till the occurrence of the fire. There are two types of passive fire protection. Intumescent fire protection and vermiculite fire protection. The vermiculite are cheaper when compared to the other but it is rough looking. But intumescent is like a paint coating and little costlier than the previous one.

It should be remembered when there is a firing in the steel structure it will collapse the temperature and crosses the critical temperature of steel. The passive fire protection slow down the raise in temperature by acting as a layer between the steel and fire. By this time we can save lives and property. Finally the passive fire protection protects the occupants and the things by preventing them from the heat by their nature. This will not stop fire. But this passive fire protection system should get the product certification before installation.

For more details about fire safety companies.

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ogonfire has 1 articles online

Ogon Fire is a South African owned company providing the installation, supply and servicing of Fire Safety equipment to customers country wide.

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Fire training - Functions of Passive fire protection

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This article was published on 2011/09/10