Understanding the Differences Between Fire Partitions and Fire Barriers

Building codes require fire barriers to be installed in various parts of a building to help stop and block the spread of flames and smoke. Both fire partitions and fire barriers are part of a type of fire control known as compartmentalization, which helps separate one area from another so that flames cannot spread between the two.

Many people refer to fire partitions and fire barriers synonymously, often along with other terms such as firewalls and smoke barriers. While the two are very similar to one another, and they help to do the same job, which is to stop the spread of flames throughout a building, allowing the safe egress of occupants, they are different and have different qualifications according to building codes.

While you may use one, the other or both to protect your building and its occupants from the threat of a fire, it’s essential to know the differences between them so you install the right product where it’s needed.

Understanding these differences is even more crucial today, as offices and businesses begin reopening post-coronavirus lockdown. With these reopenings, there is a “new normal” everyone is expected to adhere to, from wearing a mask to practicing social distancing and maintaining high sanitation levels. That makes having the right fire safety measures in place even more critical for all your employees’ safety.

Understanding the differences between fire partitions and barriers will help ensure the right choice for a remodel that will keep employees safe from fire, smoke and virus exposure.

Building Codes

According to international building code regulations, a fire barrier needs to have a minimum of a 1-hour fire rating, meaning that it can withstand heat and flames for a minimum of one hour. However, for certain high occupancy buildings, this barrier may need a minimum 4-hour fire rating, the better to help contain the spread of flames.

On the other hand, a fire partition usually has to have a minimum of a 1-hour fire rating. It may only require a ½ hour fire rating in certain circumstances, such as for duplexes and other residential buildings that do not have high occupancy.

In the vast majority of cases, both fire barriers and fire partitions will need to be able to withstand heat and flame for one hour, but fire partitions can sometimes be able to handle less and barriers may be expected to handle more.

The same definitions and regulations are also laid out for smoke barriers and smoke partitions, with barriers having a longer hourly rate for controlling smoke than partitions.

Examples of Fire Barriers and Partitions

There are many different types of materials that can be used as a fire barrier or partition. They can be used to build walls, floors and ceilings, or they can be added after the fact, such as membranes and curtains deployed in the event of a fire, rather than remaining deployed at all times.

Some materials include concrete, gypsum and masonry. Others may also use a combination wood product, such as cement backer boards that mix cellulose fibers with cement, creating a flame retardant material. These can be used to create the walls and floors within a building, essentially creating fire barriers between each room or level.

Other types of barriers may include the use of fire curtains, which can descend to create a compartment within a building. This stops the spread of flames in large or open areas and in wide doorways, high ceilings and other spaces where construction material cannot be used to create a permanent barrier. These days, with the need for social distancing, you need to ensure a space is large enough to give employees the necessary space, rather than pack them close together if curtains are deployed.

Fire partitions, however, are usually designed as the interior walls within a building. They don’t offer the same structural support as permanent barriers, but they are designed to be in place at all times. A good example would be the gypsum board or cement board used in thinner interior walls. While they can help stop the spread of flame, they don’t last as long as other materials, and often don’t have the same kind of hourly rating that curtains, fire doors and other heavier materials may receive.

These items are a great option for barriers between cubicles, as they also provide extra separation between employees and meet the CDC Coronavirus safety requirements.

Which to Use

Every building is different, as are its occupancy rates and its needs. In many instances, buildings may benefit from a combination of different materials, including structural barriers, partitions and fire curtains to offer the best protection. For example, if you have a high occupancy building, you will need to make sure that your barriers have a 4-hour or greater fire rating, while a duplex may not need to reach those levels. And in either case, the question of wide open areas, doorways, atriums and other areas that cannot be covered by structural materials also needs to be considered.

But, now, with coronavirus concerns, there are more things to consider. Even in case of fire, you want your employees to abide by the coronavirus safety measures. Any safety partitions you install also require a fire and smoke safety rating, which is critical to keep in mind when studying your building’s unique situation. Barriers should also allow for social distancing to continue even when deployed while taking the new office traffic flow into account for optimal safety.

That’s why it’s crucial to speak to an expert or specialist who can work with you to meet your building’s particular needs, now more than ever.

Protect Your Building

Whatever type of building you have, adding fire or smoke curtains from Smoke Guard can help you meet building codes and your needs. Their expert team can also help you determine the right type of barriers for your job so that you can get the coverage you need to keep your building and its occupants safe — even with the new requirements offices are expected to meet for COVID safety.

Contact Smoke Guard today to learn more about how they can help.