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Firestopping details in plan set

kurt999

kurt999

Member
Joined
Jan 15, 2014
Messages
27
Location
Iowa
I have a general question regarding firestopping details, and how much detailed information architecture firms are typically including in their plan sets.
Up until this month, the firm I'm with had a staffer who was involved almost exclusively with firestopping -- we relied on this person heavily for her expertise.
With her input, we had been including the 8 1/2 x 11 pdfs of UL # details for project specific penetrations, opening treatments, etc. -- and we've been importing them into our drawing sheets.

I'm wondering how common it now is to provide these details. (Example attached.)
I had not previously worked at any firms that had provided firestopping UL details in the plan set -- I also realize things change over time, and maybe this info is now increasingly required.
Are most firms now typically adding firestopping those details?

Thanks in advance.
 

Attachments

  • Screenshot 2025-05-30 082738.jpg
    Screenshot 2025-05-30 082738.jpg
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As a building official I would expect these details to be included in the drawings as they are part of the rated assemblies that they penetrate.

In reality the trades or the specialty contractor can use these as general guidance however they need to provide the exact manufacturing specifications and listing for the products they're using for the appropriate penetrations which may be different from those shown in the construction drawings.
 
My firm used to include a very elaborate sheet of fire stopping details in our project sets, but over time we found those details caused more confusion than they helped. We have since eliminated that drawings and revised our fire stopping specification to require delegated design for this scope. During construction we receive delegated design shop drawings by the fire stopping contractor that are prepared by a licensed PE (usually the one with Mfr) and once the design team has reviewed and approved those drawings they get submitted to the AHJ for record.
 
We often have the same kind of projects: type V-A apartments, sometimes over a parking podium. So we keep using the same UL Fire stopping details over and over, on a typical detail sheet.
For other project types, we try to research and provide the detail, rather than make it a design/build deferred approval.
However, our workload is not large nor diverse enough to justify a full-time staffer dedicated to firestopping.
And there’s only been one time in a decades-long career when I needed to engage a fire protection consultant on a particularly tricky membrane penetration.
 
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The town I work in generally gets "construction documents" that are liberally covered with notes pointing to something and calling out "Provide _____ to code."

We reject those and ask for specific information. If the design professional then wants to delegate the design of firestopping, they have to specifically request permission for deferred submittals under IBC 107.3.4.1 (which, by the way, this state has amended). Approval of requests to defer submittals is NOT a right, and is not automatic.
 
Tim Mailloux said:
My firm used to include a very elaborate sheet of fire stopping details in our project sets, but over time we found those details caused more confusion than they helped. We have since eliminated that drawings and revised our fire stopping specification to require delegated design for this scope. During construction we receive delegated design shop drawings by the fire stopping contractor that are prepared by a licensed PE (usually the one with Mfr) and once the design team has reviewed and approved those drawings they get submitted to the AHJ for record.
Click to expand...
Tim has a good process here….. I understand the designer might not know every detail before the building is built so it is pointless to ask… but someone really wants to make sure to get the submittal in before the inspection or it will be painful in the field…
 
Tim Mailloux said:
My firm used to include a very elaborate sheet of fire stopping details in our project sets, but over time we found those details caused more confusion than they helped. We have since eliminated that drawings and revised our fire stopping specification to require delegated design for this scope. During construction we receive delegated design shop drawings by the fire stopping contractor that are prepared by a licensed PE (usually the one with Mfr) and once the design team has reviewed and approved those drawings they get submitted to the AHJ for record.
Click to expand...
Tim, can you give us a general idea of the size and type/complexity of projects that have a specialized firestopping contractor and related PE?
 
Yikes said:
Yes, in our state we've had fire consultants and fireproofing consultants on school projects, especially where there's a lot of data trays or other components that are not a simple rectangular or round steel penetration.
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Those projects can afford them…all projects “need” them…Firestopping has to be one of the highest failure rates I see…Exterior envelope being the first, but I generally don’t see that….
 
most of my projects are 2 story, fully sprinklered type IIB construction with minimal rated construction given the size of the buildings (exit enclosures, elevator shafts, fire walls, certain mechanical / electrical rooms, BDA closet). However almost every partition in my school projects has an STC rating so instead of fire, I am dealing with acoustical top / bottom of wall & penetration details.
 
Joe.B said:
Saw this recently, as far as I know it's not specifically required by code, but it's on the plans.
Click to expand...

703.5 Marking and Identification​


Where there is an accessible concealed floor, floor-ceiling or attic space, fire walls, fire barriers, fire partitions, smoke barriers and smoke partitions or any other wall required to have protected openings or penetrations shall be effectively and permanently identified with signs or stenciling in the concealed space. Such identification shall:
  1. Be located within 15 feet (4572 mm) of the end of each wall and at intervals not exceeding 30 feet (9144 mm) measured horizontally along the wall or partition.
  2. Include lettering not less than 3 inches (76 mm) in height with a minimum 3/8-inch (9.5 mm) stroke in a contrasting color incorporating the suggested wording, "FIRE AND/OR SMOKE BARRIER—PROTECT ALL OPENINGS," or other wording.
 
Yankee Chronicler said:

703.5 Marking and Identification​


Where there is an accessible concealed floor, floor-ceiling or attic space, fire walls, fire barriers, fire partitions, smoke barriers and smoke partitions or any other wall required to have protected openings or penetrations shall be effectively and permanently identified with signs or stenciling in the concealed space. Such identification shall:
  1. Be located within 15 feet (4572 mm) of the end of each wall and at intervals not exceeding 30 feet (9144 mm) measured horizontally along the wall or partition.
  2. Include lettering not less than 3 inches (76 mm) in height with a minimum 3/8-inch (9.5 mm) stroke in a contrasting color incorporating the suggested wording, "FIRE AND/OR SMOKE BARRIER—PROTECT ALL OPENINGS," or other wording.
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This area was not going to be concealed.
 
Ah, <click> I think I was just read it wrong. I was aware of that section, but I was applying "accessible concealed" to each element, but you're suggesting that qualifier only applies to floor-ceiling or attic space?
 
No, I think I was reading it right, "shall be effectively and permanently identified with signs or stenciling in the concealed space." Since the space wasn't going to be concealed, it wasn't required to be identified. But the plans show it, so it was required.
 
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