When thinking about the maintenance requirements for your building’s fire and life safety protection systems it’s easy to take care of issues that are visible, while forgetting about issues that are hidden. Fire safety above ceiling is often something that gets over looked. It may not seem like what is going on above your ceiling is a big deal, after all, no one can see up there anyway! But all too often, problems above ceiling go unnoticed and untouched, which could become a potential fire hazard. Because issues are out of sight, that makes above ceiling fire safety a critical part of your facility’s fire protection.
Your building is constantly going through renovations from small equipment upgrades to full building repairs. And with above ceiling repairs performed out of sight, contractors will leave mechanical work looking less than perfect. There can be all kinds of issues that could be lurking above your ceiling just waiting to cause trouble.
First, faulty wiring is one of the top reasons for fires that start above ceilings. Wires that are joined together can create heat, and if too much heat is built up it can cause sparks or a fire. Once started, the first line of defense against the fire is the junction box cover. If there is no junction box cover, then fire and smoke can begin to spread above ceiling. Next, any gaps and holes from unsealed penetrations allow easy access for both fire and smoke to spread quickly throughout the building. This will put your building and everyone inside at risk. That’s why above ceiling fire safety is one of the most common inspections required by Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ).
Above ceiling inspections can help maintain your facility’s fire barriers that are hidden or out of sight. By removing wires from sprinkler lines and hangers and using zip-ties to connect them above ceiling will help prevent the risk of a fire starting. Installing junction boxes covers as well as firestopping will help prevent the fire and smoke from spreading throughout the building if a fire were to occur.
Above ceiling issues are out of sight, which means it’s easy to not think about what could be a potential fire hazard. Not knowing that there are problems means you can’t do anything to fix them. Don’t leave problems above ceiling alone. Include above ceiling fire safety inspections in your facility’s maintenance plan. Your life as well as the lives of those who occupy the building might just depend on it!