Passive fire protection refers to the measures taken to prevent the spread of fire and smoke within a building for a given period of time.

This includes the use of fire-resistant materials in construction, such as fire-rated walls, floors, and doors.

Active fire protection takes action in order to put out a fire. Passive fire protection will help prevent a fire from spreading or resist the initial ignition. They work together by alerting people inside the building of a fire and safely containing the fire so that people may evacuate and/or try and suppress the fire.

Visual inspections are commonly performed to detect visible signs of deterioration. Aim to conduct fire stopping inspections least once a yearor after significant modifications or renovations in the building.

Article 17 of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 outlines that it is a legal requirement for businesses to ensure that fire resisting doors and escape doors are correctly installed and adequately maintained at all times.

In 2024, fire doors must be certified to demonstrate they can withstand fire for a minimum specified period, typically 30 minutes (FD30) or 60 minutes (FD60), in accordance with BS EN 1634. However in some instances, a greater fire integrity is required of up to 240 minutes (FD240)

Fire doors should be regularly checked to ensure they function correctly and will perform to its designed standard in the event of a fire. Periodic checks should be carried out at least every six months although newly occupied buildings, doors with heavy usage and residential doors may require more frequent checks.