Passive Fire Protection & Why Every Building Needs It

Passive fire protection (PFP) is one of the most overlooked yet vital aspects of building safety in Australia. While sprinklers, alarms, and extinguishers fight fires actively, passive systems contain them. We explain what passive fire protection is, what Australian standards require, how it impacts safety, liability and insurance.

Passive fire protection (PFP) refers to the materials, systems, and design features built into a structure to prevent or slow the spread of fire and smoke. Unlike active systems such as alarms and sprinklers, PFP works continuously, without power, activation, or human intervention.

In practical terms, it’s the walls, floors, fire doors, fire-rated ductwork, sealants and structural elements that compartmentalise a building and contain a fire to its origin zone.

The goal is simple: To prevent fire and smoke from spreading, protect escape routes, and maintain the structural stability of the building for as long as possible.

Both are essential, active systems respond and passive systems resist. Together, they form the foundation of an effective fire safety design.

Fire doesn’t just burn, it spreads fast and silently through penetrations, gaps, and ducts. According to Fire & Rescue NSW‘s 2023Annual Report, crews responded to over 22,000 fire incidents in 2023, with more than 4,000 involving buildings where fire safety systems were a factor.

When a fire breaks out, every second counts. Passive fire protection is designed to contain the spread of heat, smoke, and flames, keeping evacuation routes like stairwells and corridors, safe for longer.

By dividing a building into fire-resistant compartments, it ensures that occupants have more time to escape and firefighters have safer access. According to Fire & Rescue NSW, smoke inhalation remains the leading cause of fire-related fatalities, highlighting the importance of sealed compartments and smoke barriers that can maintain breathable air conditions during an emergency.

Fire doesn’t just damage contents, it attacks the very framework of a building. Structural steel can lose up to 50% of its load-bearing strength at around 550 °C, which can lead to catastrophic collapse.

Passive fire systems, such as fire-rated walls, slabs, cladding, and intumescent coatings, provide essential insulation that slows this process. These systems are engineered and tested under AS 1530.4 and AS 4100 to preserve structural performance long enough for safe evacuation and fire suppression. In multi-storey buildings, this can be the difference between partial damage and total loss.

According to the CSIRO Fire Technology Centre, these treatments can provide 30 – 240 minutes of fire resistance depending on design.

Passive fire protection is not optional, it’s a legal requirement under the National Construction Code (NCC) and AS 4072.1 – 2005.

These standards specify how fire-resistant elements must be designed, installed, and maintained to achieve a compliant Fire Resistance Level (FRL). Councils and certifiers require evidence that passive fire systems are compliant before issuing or renewing an Annual Fire Safety Statement (AFSS).

Failure to comply can result in fines up to $110,000 for corporations and $22,000 for individuals under the NSW Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979. More importantly, non-compliance exposes owners to serious liability if a fire occurs.

Insurance companies are increasingly scrutinising fire safety documentation. If your building’s fire systems, including passive components are found to be non-compliant, your insurer can deny claims for property damage or business interruption.

The Insurance Council of Australia (ICA) has stated that “compliance with all statutory fire safety requirements is a condition precedent to coverage” in many policies. Maintaining up-to-date certification of fire-rated walls, doors, and penetrations helps safeguard against coverage disputes and protects financial continuity after a fire event.

Beyond protecting lives, passive fire protection protects investments. By isolating a fire to its origin zone, it prevents rapid escalation and limits damage to unaffected areas.

This containment reduces repair costs, downtime, and environmental contamination from smoke and water damage. For asset owners, especially those managing high-value or multi-tenanted properties, effective passive fire protection supports operational resilience and faster return to business continuity following an incident.

In the aftermath of a fire, investigations often focus on whether building owners took “every reasonable step” to ensure safety and compliance. Demonstrating that passive fire systems were properly designed, installed, and maintained can be a powerful legal safeguard.

Comprehensive documentation including inspection records, certification reports, and maintenance logs, provides evidence of due diligence. Courts and regulators look favourably on owners who can prove proactive management of fire safety measures. Conversely, if passive systems are found defective or uncertified, owners, directors, and facility managers can face personal liability, including prosecution or reputational damage.

Australia’s fire protection requirements are primarily governed by the National Construction Code (NCC) and key standards issued by Standards Australia.
For passive systems, compliance often intersects multiple standards:

Failure to comply can trigger enforcement action under the Environmental Planning and Assessment Regulation 2021 (NSW), including fines of up to $110,000 for corporations and $22,000 for individuals.

Through inspections across NSW, up to 45% of buildings fail their Annual Fire Safety Statement (AFSS) on the first inspection, often due to overlooked passive elements, according to NSW Council Annual Reports in 2023.

The most common non-compliances include:

These issues don’t just breach compliance, they can void insurance or lead to criminal liability if a fire occurs.

The most compelling argument for passive fire prtotection (PFP) is evidence.

Studies by the CSIRO and the Fire Protection Association Australia (FPAA) show that buildings with compliant compartmentation experience up to 70% less structural damage and 60% fewer fatalities in major fire events compared to unprotected ones.

In the 2012 Bankstown unit fire, one occupant died and five were injured. Investigators found fire-rated separation had been compromised by unsealed penetrations, allowing smoke and heat to spread rapidly between levels, according to reports from the NSW Coroners Court.

The key insight here is that even a single missing seal can undermine an entire fire-resistance barrier. Passive fire elements are the last line of defence when active systems fail or become overwhelmed.

Fire safety compliance isn’t just about protecting people, it’s also about protecting your legal and financial standing.

Under the Environmental Planning & Assessment Act 1979 (NSW), property owners, building managers, and certifiers share responsibility for maintaining fire safety measures.
If a fire causes injury and the investigation finds passive systems were neglected, directors can be held personally liable.

While traditional fire-rated walls and sealants remain essential, modern materials and testing techniques are improving resilience and sustainability.

These paints swell under heat, forming an insulating char that protects steel and structural elements. New water-based formulas now meet AS 1530.4 – 2014 with lower environmental impact.

Advances in multi-layer laminated glazing allow for fire-resistant transparency, combining aesthetics with safety.

Building managers increasingly use digital AFSS records and BIM (Building Information Modelling) to map fire compartments, seal locations, and certification data, reducing audit errors and simplifying compliance.

Achieving compliance isn’t a one-off exercise. It’s an ongoing process of inspection, documentation and maintenance.

Engage an accredited fire safety practitioner to inspect:

Replace damaged seals, re-tag doors, and document all repairs in accordance with AS 1851 – 2012 service schedules.

Maintain an up-to-date Fire Safety Schedule and Annual Fire Safety Statement (AFSS).
Records must be accessible to council inspectors, insurers, and auditors.

Ensure passive measures complement your active fire protection — from alarm zones to evacuation routes and sprinkler layouts.

Only engage FPAA-accredited practitioners or NSW Fire Safety Assessors approved under the Fire Protection Accreditation Scheme (FPAS).

At Essential Asset & Fire, we help property owners, strata managers, and facility operators meet their passive fire protection obligations through a comprehensive, compliant and cost-efficient process.

We provide traceable documentation, photo records, and compliance evidence aligned with AS 4072.1, AS 1530, and NCC Volume 1 E1.

If you’re unsure whether your building meets current fire-resistance standards, our experts can conduct a full compliance audit and report any remedial actions before they become costly problems.

Passive fire protection is the silent safeguard of every safe building. While alarms alert and sprinklers fight, it’s passive systems that quietly keep fire and smoke contained, protecting lives, property, and your legal responsibilities.

In an era of increasing regulatory enforcement and insurer scrutiny, non-compliance is not an option. Whether you manage a high-rise, warehouse, or commercial complex, ensuring your passive fire systems are certified and maintained is both a moral and financial imperative.

Important Disclaimer: This article is general in nature and does not constitute legal or building compliance advice. Always consult a licensed fire safety practitioner and review relevant legislation for your property classification.