If a fire was to break out in your building, would it be able to spread unhindered? There are many things that you can do to increase the fire safety of your place of business, and firestops are an integral part of a fire prevention strategy. So, what is a firestop? Well, usually you will have solid walls that prevent the fire from spreading from one room or area to the next without being slowed down. If you have holes in between these areas, such as holes for pipes and wires to pass through, these will function as a path for the fire to spread easier. To prevent this, a firestop material is used to block the path. The material could be fire rated sheetrock, firestop mortar or sheet metal, all of which have a high melting point so that they will stay in place even during a raging fire.
Whenever work is done on your pipes or wiring, you should check that there is new firestop material installed.
