Fire safety in industrial buildings is governed by a complex web of legislation, standards, and guidance documents that can be genuinely difficult for facilities managers to navigate. The core framework comes from Building Regulations Approved Document B, which sets out the requirements for fire compartmentalisation — the principle that a large building should be divided into smaller compartments to limit the spread of fire. For industrial buildings, these compartment sizes are prescribed based on building use and height, and partition systems that form compartment boundaries must achieve specified levels of fire resistance.
For flexible industrial partition systems specifically, the relevant standards are BS EN 1021 (Furniture — Assessment of the ignitability of upholstered furniture) for fabric panels and LPS 1207 (the Loss Prevention Standard for fire-resisting curtain wall systems). The latter is increasingly required by insurers as well as by building regulations, particularly in buildings where high-value goods are stored or where the business interruption risk from fire is significant. Systems carrying LPS 1207 third-party certification provide documented evidence of fire performance that satisfies both regulatory inspectors and insurance underwriters.
One area of frequent confusion is the distinction between a fire-retardant partition and a fire-resistant partition. A fire-retardant system will resist ignition and will self-extinguish if the ignition source is removed — it dramatically slows the spread of fire but does not provide a rated compartment boundary. A fire-resistant partition is tested to provide active resistance to fire for a defined period (typically 30 or 60 minutes), maintaining structural integrity and limiting the passage of heat, flames, and hot gases. Many industrial applications require only fire retardancy; applications forming a rated compartment boundary require fire resistance. Mercia Industrial's team can advise on which standard applies to your specific situation based on a review of your building and occupancy.
The practical implications for facilities managers are significant. First, any partition system that forms a fire compartment boundary must be installed correctly to maintain its rated performance — gaps around cables, pipes, and building penetrations must be fire-stopped to the same standard as the partition itself. Second, the system must be included in the building's fire risk assessment and maintenance regime, with regular inspection confirming that panels, seals, and hardware remain in good condition. Third, any subsequent modification to the partition — relocating it, cutting new openings, or changing panels — must be managed in a way that maintains the fire resistance rating. Mercia Industrial provides installation certificates and as-built drawings for all fire-rated partition installations to support this documentation requirement.