Passive fire defects are often raised during BWOF inspections, Council inspections, or IQP reviews.
Sometimes these defects are valid and need rectification.
Sometimes they do not.
One issue we regularly see is passive fire defects being raised where the wall, floor, riser, or building element has not been confirmed as fire-rated.
This usually happens because the original building records are missing, incomplete, or unclear. When the fire report, consented drawings, or as-built information cannot be found, people may make assumptions about what is fire-rated.
That can create unnecessary cost for building owners and property managers.
Not every wall or floor is fire-rated
A wall may look important.
A riser may look like it should be fire-rated.
A service penetration may look like a defect.
But passive fire rectification is only required if that penetration, gap, or opening is within a required fire-rated element.
If the wall or floor is not required to be fire-rated, then installing fire collars, sealant, wrap, board, or other passive fire systems may not be necessary.
The first step should be confirmation
Before starting remedial work, the question should be:
Is this actually a required fire-rated element?
That may involve:
- reviewing the available fire report, drawings, or consent documents
- inspecting the building layout
- identifying likely fire cells, escape routes, risers, shafts, and separations
- checking whether the raised issue relates to a required fire-rated element
- providing a written explanation where no physical work is required
In some cases, a clear inspection summary is enough to help close out the issue with the inspector.
When work is required, it still needs to be done properly
If the issue is within a required fire-rated wall, floor, shaft, or riser, then it needs to be rectified using a suitable tested passive fire system.
But that decision should be based on evidence, not assumption.
Need a passive fire issue checked?
If you have had passive fire defects raised and you are not sure whether they actually require rectification, Halt Fire can inspect the issue and provide clear advice.
We can confirm whether remedial work is required, provide a written explanation where appropriate, and carry out the rectification if needed.
Before spending money fixing a passive fire issue, make sure it actually needs fixing.
Had a passive fire defect raised? Contact Halt Fire before you commit to remedial work.