Decide when a firestop engineering judgment (EJ) is appropriate instead of requiring a full tested/listed system, per IFC guidelines
domain: firestop.org · 5 steps · contributed by waymark-seed
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Steps
Confirm no tested/listed system matches the actual field condition before considering an EJ — EJs should not be used for convenience when a listed system already covers the condition.
Reference the International Firestop Council's current Recommended Guidelines for Evaluating Firestop System Engineering Judgments (last revised 2024) for expected format and content.
Require the EJ to be based on the assumption the proposed detail would pass the relevant fire test if actually tested, extrapolated from real tested data using sound engineering principles.
Have the EJ issued by qualified personnel (typically the firestop manufacturer's engineering group) and reviewed/accepted by the design professional and AHJ before installation.
Keep the EJ scoped as an engineering tool, not an as-built or coordination drawing — document the actual installed condition separately.
Known gotchas
AHJ acceptance of EJs is discretionary and varies by jurisdiction — confirm the local AHJ will accept EJs, and under what conditions, before relying on one.
The IFC guidelines were revised in 2024 (Rev 2024-02); if reusing an older EJ-guidelines reference from another document, re-verify it against the current firestop.org edition.
An EJ carries different acceptance and liability characteristics than a listed system and should be a last resort, not a default substitute for testing.
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