A sound fire engineering approach will provide solutions which satisfy the operational needs of the client and ensure that both statutory and insurance requirements are met through appropriate design rather than through prescription.

Key to a successful solution is a balance between the "3 E's" -Engineering, Education and Enforcement.

Good fire engineering requires that attention be paid to both the active and passive elements of protection. These are then focussed to confining the fire to the area of origin, alerting the occupants to the presence thereof, ensuring the safe evacuation of the occupants and finally extinguishing the fire. Cognisance having duly been taken of the specific threats to life and property posed by the special occupant needs, process or storage hazards.

Active Protection can be considered as components included in the fire protection design which respond to the presence of a fire, this would typically include automatic fixed fire suppression and detection systems, possibly linked to an evacuation alarm, an air conditioning isolation relay, stairwell pressurisation system or smoke extraction systems etc.

Passive Protection refers to the inherent protection designed into a component to resist the effects fire before it will fail to fulfil its original design purpose. This area includes the segregation of high risk structures, introduction of fire resistant compartments by utilising fire rated walls, doors, floors and increasing the use of fire structural steel either in concrete or other fire resistant material to protect the steel against significant temperature rise under fire conditions.

SFP are able to provide cost effective engineered solutions for all fire risk types by assessing the actual risks and preparing a comprehensive package of measures which include both active and passive elements of fire protection, designed to provide the desired level of protection and which complies with all applicable legislation.