Vertical fire stopping is critical for maintaining fire separation.
This is a good picture of vertical fire stopping.
These penetrations need to be appropriately fire stopped in order to maintain the fire separation rating of that floor/ceiling assembly.
This is a large space that was fire stopped and the inspector needs to make sure the materials were UL listed and applied correctly.
Many times, especially with caulking, it is only effective for filling a certain size space but will be used in much larger spaces because the contractor did not read the UL listing for application.
There should be no gaps or spaces for heat and smoke to get through. This kind of material will swell, creating a hard air-tight obstacle for fire and smoke.
Stay safe and fire prevention needs to be everyday. This stuff is your first step to situational awareness.
Also on FirefightersEnemy …
- Type IV Construction – February 10, 2011
- Get Around – March 7, 2012
- Type III Construction – January 27, 2011
- What’s Your Take? – May 12, 2011
NFPA 80 is your best source for info on penetrations and the requirements on how large gaps can be and also fire caulking penetrations in fire walls, ceilings and floors. NFPA 101 and 1 also cover this somewhat.