# Can only penetrate a true "firewall" below 3'



## jar546 (Dec 12, 2019)

I had a situation where the large distribution center building I was working in had a true firewall that went from below grade to above the roofline and the only doors were roll up with fuseable links.  Every 6 months I had an inspection by either Factory Mutual or Chubb that went through our facility to inspect and report on their findings.

One of the biggest things that I learned from both companies was that since we had a true firewall made from solid concrete, designed to allow the building on either side to collapse, we were not allowed (nor were there) any penetrations above 3' from the finished floor and that all wall anchors for conduit that was surface mounted had to be anchored with plastic, melt away shields.

One of the jobs that I had to do was running conduit and pulling a low voltage "backbone" 1850' from one end of the facility to the other which included going through the firewall.  The entire run was up in the ceiling and when we got to the firewall, we had to turn down, penetrate below 36" then go back up into the 35' ceiling and continue on.

Who else is aware of this requirement?  Is it anywhere other than the insurance company's requirements?


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## cda (Dec 12, 2019)

Strange requirement

Have not heard that one


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## steveray (Dec 13, 2019)

The theory there is the "independence" of the building on either side.....If you pull down the pipe, conduit, etc....what do you take with it when the building on one side collapses....If someone invented like a QD or plug that could pull apart "easily" it would answer that concern as well....


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