This is a liability that we find on most large projects. Would we find it on yours? (Part 1)

The next few blog posts will cover an issue that is often a liability on large projects.  This non-compliant firestop installation impacts the liability for the owner, the architect, the mechanical contractor, the firestop installer and the inspector.

If you have a non-insulated duct that is 28×36 and it is going through a 2 hour rated wall, it will likely require a damper.  The damper manufacturer will require retaining angle be installed on one side of the damper. We could go into the purpose it serves, but that just makes for a long blog and here we are focusing on PASSIVE fire protection. (If you want to know why dampers require angles, please contact any damper manufacturer and they can fill you in.  The more you know the better you are at your job!)

Did you know that when this same duct runs through a 1 hour rated wall and may not need a damper, that it will still need retaining angle?  The angle in this case serves a very different purpose. Walk any job you’ve been on and if you see angle on BOTH sides of a duct through 1 hour rated wall WRITE TO ME.  Take a picture and send it to me!  I hope to eventually be wrong when I say this is an issue that is missed more commonly than not.  I say this because as long as I am right; then buildings are not as safe as they should be.  Our primary goal at Halpert Life Safety is to improve the level of passive fire protection in buildings.  We can only do that with YOUR help.  If we can help you to be better at your job, together we make buildings safer.  Check back for the next post and I will tell you all about WHY this is a requirement and WHERE you can find the documentation, so you can make sure this problem doesn’t happen on YOUR project.

Please write to me and tell me your thoughts on our blog or firestop in your community.  Did you know about this requirement?

If you want to read the next posts on this topic, please review them here. Part 2, Part 3, Part 4.

I’ve been on projects all over the world and it just makes me want to make a bigger difference…to improve the life safety in more jurisdictions.  After all at Halpert Life Safety we are “Saving Lives for the Life of the Building.”  If you have questions or comments please email us at info@halpertlifesafety.com.  We would love to hear from you.

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Halpert Life Safety Consulting LLC’s

“Saving Lives for the Life of your Building” ^TM

Our mission is to make a colossal impact on the level of life safety of your building and on the talent of your people. We provide consultation, training, quality control and third party special inspection related to firestop and passive fire protection. We consult for the building industry in the New York/New Jersey (NY/NJ) metropolitan area, as well as across the United States and internationally.