Imagine a fire breaking out in your home or commercial building while you’re away. In just minutes, flames and smoke can spread rapidly through unsealed openings, causing severe damage and putting lives at risk. Alarming, isn’t it? That’s why passive fire protection measures—like fire-resistant barriers and compartmentation—are critical. These systems help contain the fire at its source, reduce the spread of smoke and heat, minimise structural damage and provide safer evacuation routes for occupants.

What is passive fire protection (PFP)?

Passive Fire Protection refers to a structure's built-in fire safety measures that help prevent the spread of flames, smoke and heat. It is important to note that passive fire systems are constantly working and shielding your property from fire. They are designed to contain fires at their source, limit damage and provide additional time for evacuation.

In India, PFP fire protection is governed by:

• The National Building Code (NBC) of India, Part IV - Safety of Life and Property
• Certifications issued by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS)
• Mandates and regulations specific to local fire departments

These regulations aim to ensure that passive fire safety is no longer an afterthought but a mandatory layer of defence.

Passive fire protection examples

Here are examples commonly seen or increasingly recommended for passive fire safety:

• Fire-rated partitions and walls

This is to be able to seal the building and confine the fire to its areas and prevent it from spreading to other parts. The walls will have to ensure they are capable of withstanding fire as defined by the IS codes.

• Fire doors

Intended to prevent the spread of fire and smoke from room to room and floor to floor. One common issue is that such doors are usually kept open or substituted by plain wooden doors, particularly in cost-saving constructions, which defeats their purpose.

• Intumescent paints and coatings

Structural steel members are coated with them to increase their fire-resistant property. When subjected to fire, they expand and create a cover over the surface that retards collapse of the building.

• Fire-stop sealing and duct barriers

They are needed to seal openings and penetrations in walls produced by services such as ducts, pipes and cables.

In most buildings, these penetrations are not closed and fire and smoke can easily pass through them to spread quickly between floors, particularly via vertical shafts. Effective passive firefighting is an important aspect of improvement, both in new buildings and in renovations.

• Compartmentation in building design

It is an architectural tactic that entails subdivision of extensive floor spaces into fire-resistant smaller compartments. This design approach helps contain the spread of fire and smoke, making it easier to manage emergencies. Increasingly, airports, railway terminals and high-rise residential buildings are adopting compartmentation to meet the standards set by the (NBC) National Building Code and various state-level fire safety regulations.

Components of passive fire protection

When assessing or installing PFP fire protection, look out for these core components:

• Structural Fire Resistance
• Involves concrete, steel or composite structures treated to resist heat
• Must be tested as per the IS codes for concrete and steel structures
• Fire-Rated Glass and Glazing
• Found in malls, hotels and control rooms
• Must comply with IS codes.
• Fire Dampers
• Essential in HVAC systems
• Prevents smoke and fire from spreading through ventilation ducts
• Should be tested as per the IS codes
• Smoke Seals and Gaskets
• Applied around doors and frames
• Crucial in high-occupancy buildings like cinemas, schools and hostels
• Fire Compartmentation Design
• Integrated during architectural planning
• Especially critical in high-rise buildings over 15 meters, as mandated in NBC.

Common applications of passive fire protection

Let’s look at how passive fire control is applied across sectors:

• Residential complexes
  • Fire doors for staircases
  • Sealed shafts and ducts
  • Fire-rated basement ceilings (especially in stilt parking zones)
• Commercial buildings
  • Compulsory fire compartmentation for areas exceeding 500 sq m
  • Intumescent coating on exposed steel beams
  • Fire-rated glass walls in lobbies

Premium buildings in India have now implemented a full passive fire protection system to meet fire insurance and NBC norms.

• Hospitals
  • Fire doors at every ward entrance
  • 2-hour fire-rated partitions in ICUs and operation theatres
  • Smoke-proof lobbies and vertical shafts
• Data centres and IT parks
  • Compartmentalised cable trays with fire-stop barriers
  • High-performance coatings on server room walls
  • 2-hour minimum fire-rating for all doors
• Industrial units and warehouses
  • Fire-rated enclosures for flammable storage
  • Compartmented zones for different materials
  • Explosion venting panels with passive fire features

Conclusion

In India, the price of neglecting passive fire protection isn't merely economic: it's human lives. With strict fire codes in place, increased insurance scrutiny and escalating property values, passive fire safety is the cornerstone of fire safety and risk management.

Next time you’re planning a renovation, buying a new property or applying for fire insurance, don’t just ask about fire alarms, ask about walls, doors, ducts and coatings. That’s where real protection begins.

FAQ

• Is Passive Fire Protection (PFP) mandatory for fire insurance?

While not always explicitly stated, insurers are increasingly making PFP fire protection a condition for full coverage, especially in: High-rise buildings; Hospitals and schools; and Warehouses and factories.

• What certification should I look for in fire-rated products?

Look for products tested under IS codes, UL (Underwriters Laboratories) or FM (Factory Mutual). In India, BIS certification is a must for many passive fire control products.

• How is it different from standard fire insurance?

Unlike standard fire insurance policies that mainly look at fire alarms and suppression systems, passive fire insurance policy assesses the structural fire safety features such as fire-rated doors, walls, coatings and compartmentation. Claims under these policies may be subject to verification of passive fire protection system installed at the insured premises.

• Who performs the PFP compliance inspection for insurance?

Most fire insurance providers rely on: Certified fire safety auditors; Third-party loss prevention consultants; and In-house engineering teams.

Disclaimer: The information provided in this blog is for educational and informational purposes only. It is advised to verify the currency and relevance of the data and information before taking any major steps. Please read the sales brochure / policy wordings carefully for detailed information about on risk factors, terms, conditions and exclusions. ICICI Lombard is not liable for any inaccuracies or consequences resulting from the use of this outdated information.