A fire curtain is the one piece of “passive” fire protection that has to move. It sits hidden until a fire is detected, then deploys to close off an atrium, lobby or open-plan space and hold back flames and smoke. Because it’s an active assembly, compliance isn’t a certificate for the fabric – it’s the whole installed system proven to deploy on detection.
Ark installs, commissions and maintains fire curtains and ceiling barriers to BS 8524 across commercial, healthcare, residential and education buildings nationwide – with certified engineers, full commissioning and interface testing, and a digital record for every curtain through its life.
Fire curtains are specified where conventional compartmentation isn’t practical – atria, open-plan floors, lobbies, lift and escalator openings and feature staircases. The fire engineer designs them into the building’s fire strategy to restore compartmentation and protect escape routes, and building control signs the building off on the basis that the strategy is delivered and demonstrable. That puts the install and its evidence inside the building’s compliance case, not in the “finishes” column.
The people who care about fire curtains are the main contractor delivering the strategy, the fire engineer who specified them, the building control body approving occupation, and – once the building is live – the FM team or Responsible Person who has to keep them working and prove it.
It’s a common and costly assumption that a fire curtain is “compliant” because the fabric assembly is certified. BS 8524 covers the entire active fire curtain barrier assembly – fabric, headbox, side guides, controls, power supply, fail-safe gravity descent and the interface with fire detection. A curtain built from certified parts but commissioned without a verified alarm interface isn’t a compliant system; it’s a curtain that may not come down when it’s needed.
Ark delivers and maintains to the full BS 8524 system standard: correct installation of every component, commissioning of the complete assembly, interface testing with the alarm and smoke control, and the documentation that proves the system performs as the fire strategy requires.
If the system isn’t evidenced
A fire curtain is judged as a system, not a roll of fabric. Without a BS 8524 commissioning record and a tested interface with the fire alarm, there’s no proof it deploys on detection – building control can decline sign-off, and the Responsible Person can’t show, under the Fire Safety Order, that the fire strategy is actually delivered.
If there’s no maintenance regime
Fire curtains fail quietly. A headbox painted shut by a follow-on trade, a side guide knocked out of true, an alarm link never re-tested after a panel upgrade – none of it shows until the annual service, or a real fire. BS 8524 requires inspection by a competent engineer at least annually, covering fixings, mechanical parts and the connections to the alarm and smoke control.
How Ark protects the fire strategy
BS 8524-compliant installation by certified engineers, full commissioning and alarm-interface testing, and a documented maintenance rhythm. Every curtain gets a digital record – specification, components, commissioning result, interface test and inspection history – the Responsible Person can produce on demand for building control, the FRA assessor or the insurer.
At Ark Fire Protection, we’re a leading provider of fire curtain installation services – committed to providing our customers with premium quality products and services. Our team of technicians have installed fire curtains across the whole of the UK, able to install all types of fire curtains, and we’re also able to provide advice and guidance on the best way to keep your fire curtains in good working order.
Our expertise extends across the Commercial, New Build, Healthcare, Student Accommodation, Industrial, Education, Residential, Facilities Management, Social Housing, and Insurance sectors, delivering solutions that effectively prevent the spread of fire and smoke, protecting both people and property.
For more information on fire curtains check out our blog post.
Fire curtains are active fire protection systems constructed from high-performance, heat-resistant fabrics that automatically deploy when a fire is detected. Designed to contain flames and smoke, they restore compartmentation in open spaces such as atriums, lobbies, lift shafts, escalator openings, and open-plan areas. By preventing fire spread and maintaining clear escape routes, they play an important role in meeting building safety and regulatory compliance standards.
We provide our fire curtains & ceiling barrier expertise around the entirety of the UK but have offices in the following locations.
Get in touch with our team for assistance on your next fire curtains & ceiling barriers project.
When it comes to Passive Fire Protection, you need a company that you can rely on. Ark Fire Protection is proud to be accredited by the leading industry bodies – ensuring that we always meet the highest standards of quality and safety, and that our customers can always expect a first-class service.
We’re also ISO 9001 certified, meaning that our quality management systems are regularly audited and approved. So when you choose Ark Fire Protection, you can be confident that you’re making the best possible decision for your property.
Ark Fire Protection are experienced installers and work closely with Industry leading manufactures. All fire curtains and ceiling barriers installations are third party accredited, Health & Safety accredited and ISO 9001 quality assured.
For fire curtains, Onetrace turns a one-off install into a maintained, defensible record. Each curtain is logged with its specification, components, commissioning result and alarm-interface test at handover – then every annual inspection is recorded against the same entry. The Responsible Person can pull the full history on demand, the FM team can see what’s due, and nothing slips through the gap between “installed” and “maintained”.
Fire Barrier Systems are essential in preventing the spread of fire within concealed spaces in a building. Here at Ark Fire Protection, we use a range of fire barriers including the Rockwool Fire Barrier Slab which effectively prevents the spread of fire and smoke within unseen roof and ceiling voids. We use Rockwood for our fire curtain and ceiling barrier installations as they make industry leading products, providing the utmost safety for your premises, limiting the damage to your building caused by a fire.
We also work with one of the the most recognised and respected brands in the business, Firefly, who supply us with certified products to compartmentalise fires and protect your premises. We only work with the best passive fire protection products, such as the Flame Stop 60, which is a cost effective, lightweight fire barrier solution which offers up to 1 hour of compartmentation of voids.
With our extensive experience, we have successfully fitted our cutting-edge fire curtains in thousands of applications, properties, and commercial buildings. Our primary goal is to provide you with a fire curtain that remains discreet and unobtrusive until the critical moment arises. To achieve this, our highly skilled Fire Curtain team has developed numerous innovative and visually appealing methods for installing our products.
Rest assured that our solutions combine functionality, aesthetics, and effectiveness, ensuring optimal fire safety without compromising the overall design of your space. Discover the peace of mind that comes with our expertise and commitment to excellence in fire protection.
We want you to feel confident and assured in our ability to provide you with the appropriate fire safety solutions at a fair price, so we’ll keep it straightforward – but we’ll always show you the BS 8524 evidence and the commissioning record, because that’s what proves the system works surrounding the fire curtains or their composition. We won’t bore you with technical talk about the fire curtains or their construction, but we will offer courteous and efficient client service where your needs are met and your custom-built items are designed quickly.
We will take you measurements and provide a technical design brief for our manufacturers to create your curtains efficiently and expertly.
Once your fire safety curtains have been produced and checked, we can now bring them to your location and install them. We come to the job with all of the equipment and tools necessary to quickly and effectively install your fire safety curtain.
We provide a range of fire curtain systems designed to suit different building layouts and fire safety requirements:
Our installation process ensures full compliance, reliability, and long-term performance:
BS 8524 covers the entire fire curtain system, and fire curtains must pass all required testing to be fully compliant. Fire curtains must also be designed, installed and maintained in accordance with the relevant standards, depending on their use.
Fire curtains should be inspected regularly by an accredited engineer who should be able to provide a report detailing any deficiencies or maintenance needed. The fire curtain must also meet certain requirements in terms of size, construction and material used, as well as the correct type of closure mechanism.
Our certified technicians have extensive experience in fire curtain maintenance, ensuring that your systems function as intended when they’re needed most. We stay up-to-date with the latest fire safety regulations and manufacturer guidelines, so you can rest assured your property is in safe hands.
We proudly uphold the highest standards in fire safety by ensuring our maintenance services are fully compliant with BS 8524, the British Standard for active fire curtain barrier assemblies. This compliance guarantees that our fire curtain systems are designed, installed, maintained, and tested to meet rigorous safety and performance benchmarks. By adhering to BS 8524, we ensure that our clients receive reliable and effective fire safety solutions that safeguard both life and property.
Regulatory Standards: At the forefront of our fire safety solutions is a commitment to regulatory standards. We ensure that all our fire curtain installations adhere to the latest local building codes and fire safety regulations. Our fire curtains are certified by recognised fire safety authorities, providing you with the assurance that our products and services meet the highest safety standards.
Documentation: To support compliance and ease of insurance processing, we provide comprehensive documentation for all our fire curtain installations. This includes detailed reports outlining the specifications and performance of the fire curtains, as well as certificates of conformity. These documents serve as crucial evidence of compliance, giving you peace of mind and confidence in the safety measures we implement.
Our team at Ark Fire Protection are UK-wide leaders in the installation and maintenance of ceiling fire barriers. We have a highly skilled team with years of experience and expertise in providing fire protection solutions for a range of sectors such as Commercial, New Builds, Healthcare (NHS), Student Accommodation, Industrial, Education, Residential, Facilities Management, Social Housing, and Insurance sector.
Every sector has its own unique fire protection requirements and our team is trained to understand these specific needs. We work closely with our clients to provide tailored solutions that meet their individual fire safety needs. Trust us to provide professional, reliable and efficient services for expert fire barrier installation services.
Fire curtain inspections should be carried out by a qualified engineer at least once a year, minimum. Maintenance engineers must inspect the security of fixings, mechanical parts and connections to other systems such as the fire alarm and smoke control systems. They must also undertake a range of electrical checks.
In open and complex buildings, fire curtains compartmentalise space, similarly to fire doors. They drop down and seal an area off. They contain the fire from floor to ceiling, within the perimeter of the curtain.
Fire curtains play a crucial role in buildings and public spaces where large, open areas pose distinct fire safety challenges. Such environments often experience high occupancy and demand strong fire protection measures to safeguard everyone present.
Fire and smoke curtains are essential for preventing the spread of fire and smoke, allowing people to evacuate safely. They also help contain the fire within a specific area, minimising damage to property and reducing the risk of injury or loss of life.
Yes, fire curtains can and should be integrated with other passive fire protection systems, such as fire doors and fire partitions, as well as active fire protection systems like fire alarms and sprinkler systems. This integration ensures comprehensive protection against fire hazards.
Maintenance involves inspecting the curtain fabric, testing motorised or automated systems, checking control panels and connections, replacing worn parts, and verifying integration with other fire safety systems.
No, fire curtain maintenance must be performed by certified professionals. Improper servicing can compromise the curtain’s functionality and safety compliance. Trusting trained technicians ensures your system operates as designed during an emergency.
BS 8524 is the British Standard for active fire curtain barrier assemblies. It covers the whole system – fabric, headbox, guides, controls, fail-safe descent and the interface with the fire alarm – not just the curtain material. If a fire curtain forms part of a building’s fire strategy, it should be designed, installed, commissioned and maintained to BS 8524, with the evidence retained.
Usually the fire engineer, as part of the building’s fire strategy, where conventional compartmentation isn’t practical – atria, open-plan floors, lift and escalator openings. Because the headbox, power and alarm interface all have to be designed in rather than retrofitted, the earlier a fire curtain is engaged on a project, the cleaner the install.
Yes. A fire curtain has to deploy automatically on detection, so it must interface with the building’s fire alarm and, where relevant, the smoke control system. That interface has to be commissioned and tested – and re-tested whenever the alarm system changes. An untested interface is the most common hidden point of failure.
At least annually, by a competent engineer, under BS 8524 – covering fixings, mechanical parts, the descent mechanism and the connections to the alarm and smoke control, plus electrical checks. Ark logs each inspection against the curtain’s digital record, giving the Responsible Person a continuous, defensible history.
