Why is there no fixed frequency?
Fire stopping does not usually wear out on a schedule. It is damaged by people: an electrician pulling a new cable through a riser, a plumber rerouting a pipe, a data installer drilling through a wall above a ceiling. A building where nothing changes for years may need little re-inspection; a building with constant works may need frequent checks.
That is why the decision belongs in the fire risk assessment, which looks at how each building is actually used and changed.
When should fire stopping be re-checked?
- After any work that passes through fire-resisting walls or floors: new cables, pipes, ducts, data or security installations.
- After refurbishment or fit-out: new layouts, ceilings and services almost always involve new penetrations.
- When a building changes use: an office converted to flats, or a house to an HMO, changes how compartmentation needs to work.
- When your fire risk assessment recommends it.
- When damage is found or suspected: for example, holes seen in a riser during other work.
How can you reduce the need for full re-surveys?
Control works through compartment lines. Ask every contractor who works on services to tell you before they penetrate a fire-resisting wall or floor, to reinstate the fire stopping, and to give you a photo and record of what they did. A fire stopping register makes this easy to track.
Where records are good, a re-check can focus on the areas that have changed rather than the whole building.
How do portfolios plan re-inspections?
Across many buildings, it helps to link re-checks to each building's works programme and fire risk assessment review, so that buildings with heavy works activity are looked at again sooner. See portfolio survey programmes.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a legal requirement to inspect fire stopping every year?
None of the main fire safety legislation sets a fixed frequency. It is a matter for your fire risk assessment.
Should we re-check after a small job?
If the job passed through a fire-resisting wall or floor, it is good practice to check that the fire stopping was reinstated.
Who decides how often we inspect?
The Responsible Person, guided by their fire risk assessment.
Do you tell us when the next survey is due?
No. We report what we find. Timing is for the Responsible Person and their Fire Risk Assessor.
Can a re-survey cover only part of a building?
Yes, for example the areas affected by recent works, where that suits your fire risk assessment.