Loft Compartmentation
&
Fire Protection
At Verus Group™, we specialise in fire compartmentation within loft areas of all ages and sizes. Our expert team provides professional compartmentation works to ensure your building is fully compliant with current fire safety regulations. Whether defects have been identified during a Fire Risk Assessment (FRA) or survey, we have the skills, knowledge, and accreditation to put them right efficiently and effectively.
Proper fire compartmentation is critical to slowing the spread of fire and smoke, helping to protect lives and limit damage. Our trained engineers use tested and certified materials to achieve the highest standards of fire resistance in loft spaces and concealed areas.
Protecting buildings from the spread of fire
Effective fire compartmentation in lofts is essential for maintaining the overall fire integrity of a building. Loft and roof voids are often overlooked, yet they can provide hidden pathways for fire and smoke to spread rapidly if not properly protected.
Compartmentation is one of the most important principles of passive fire protection. It involves dividing a structure into fire-resisting sections - known as compartments - to contain the spread of fire, allowing occupants time to escape safely and firefighters to control the blaze.
In multi-storey or multi-occupancy buildings, compartmentation works must extend through concealed spaces like roof voids to maintain separation between areas. Verus Group ensures that these critical barriers are installed and certified in accordance with
Approved Document B of the
UK Building
Regulations, guaranteeing that your building remains compliant and protected.
KEY REQUIREMENTS:
Clause B3(4) of Approved Document B specifies that concealed voids, including roof spaces, must not compromise the fire compartmentation strategy of a building. Section 9, which focuses on Concealed Spaces and Cavities, mandates that fire-resisting barriers (such as fire stopping or cavity barriers) must continue above compartment walls to block the passage of fire and smoke.
These barriers should match the fire resistance of the wall they extend from - typically 30 or 60 minutes, depending on the building type and purpose. Verus Group ensures all fire compartmentation works meet these standards and are installed using fully certified materials.
IMPORTANCE:
- Maintains Compartment Integrity: Without suitable fire barriers, flames and smoke can bypass internal walls through roof voids.
- Protects Escape Routes: Proper fire compartmentation helps protect corridors, stairwells, and other escape paths.
- Reduces Property Damage: Containing fire within a compartment minimises structural damage and makes firefighting safer.
- Ensures Legal Compliance: Non-compliance with Building Regulations can lead to enforcement action or prosecution.
By choosing Verus Group, you can rest assured that your building’s fire compartmentation meets all safety and legal requirements.
COMMON ISSUES:
During a compartmentation survey, we often identify several recurring issues that compromise fire safety, including:
- Gaps around service penetrations within loft voids.
- Missing or incorrectly installed cavity barriers.
- Incomplete extension of fire-resisting walls into roof spaces.
Our team conducts thorough fire compartmentation surveys to identify these weaknesses and implement remedial actions quickly and effectively.
BEST PRACTICE:
At Verus Group, we follow industry best practices to ensure long-term safety and compliance:
- Use only tested and certified firestopping products from trusted manufacturers.
- Ensure all installation teams are fully trained and understand the building’s fire strategy.
- Conduct detailed inspections and documentation before, during, and after installation.
These processes help guarantee the quality and reliability of your fire compartmentation system, ensuring that it performs when it matters most.
VERUS GROUP IS INDEPENDENTLY ACCREDITED WITH BM TRADA TO install and certify FIRE STOPPING systems AND FIRE DOORS
We are proud to hold BM Trada accreditation for both fire stopping and fire door installation, demonstrating our commitment to maintaining the highest industry standards. Our certifications give clients complete confidence that every aspect of their fire compartmentation work is compliant and correctly installed.
A quick and professional solution
We understand that discovering fire safety defects can be stressful and disruptive. That’s why Verus Group offers a professional and discreet service for all fire compartmentation works, ensuring your building meets fire safety standards without unnecessary delay.
Many property managers and landlords find during fire risk assessments that previous contractors have not adequately completed compartmentation works. Where this occurs, our expert team can step in to rectify the issue quickly, restoring your building’s fire integrity and ensuring full compliance.
Survey required?
If you suspect your property may have compartmentation issues, a professional fire compartmentation survey can provide clarity and reassurance.
Contact us today to book your compartmentation survey.
Need new fire doors?
Upgrading your fire doors can significantly enhance your building’s overall fire protection strategy. If you require new or upgraded fire doors, speak to our experts today.
We take the hassle out of retrofitting fire stopping
Whether you need retrofitted fire stopping or loft compartmentation improvements, Verus Group can handle your project from start to finish. Our experienced engineers will ensure that every installation is carried out to exact specifications and fully certified.
Call Verus Group today on 0330 220 0303 and we can arrange a free quote