UL Qualified Firestop Contractor

FCIA's Accreditation Committee worked with UL for 2-1/2 years to develop the UL Qualified Firestop Contractor Program. Launched at the FCIA Firestop Industry Conference, this program is gaining steam as a way to improve fire and life safety in buildings through firestopping quality.

UL Qualified Firestop Contractor Program Details

What does it take to get UL Qualified ?

There sevaral steps towards UL Qualified Firestop Contractor Status:

1. Download the UL Program Guidelines & Checklist

2. Study the FCIA Firesotp Manual of Practice

3. Take the UL Firestop Exam for DRI's

4. Write a company Management System Manual. Join FCIA to access the FCIA Sample Management System Manual, for use as a 'template' to start your manual. Once joining, find in Members Only)

5. Have UL audit your management system a the office, and on the jobsite.

6. Once the company is UL Qualified, the person who passed the UL Firestop Exam becomes a "DRI', Designated Responsible Individual.

The links below step you through the process. Contact the FCIA Office at 708-202-1108 if you have questions.

NOTE: Become an FCIA Member and get the DRI Test Prep Education free of charge. Non-members pay $295. Need to write a quality manual? FCIA's Quality Management System Education is offerred to members free, non members at $295. The Exam is adminstered by UL at various locations, and costs $450 in addition to any education fees.

Download the UL Program & Checklist

Firestop Contractor Company Quality Management System Manuals are key to preparing for UL's Qualified Firestop Contractor Program audit. Use this checklist as a guide to prepare your firm's quality manual for audit by UL's Personnel.

UL Qualified Firestop Contractor Program - Contractor Management System (MS) Checklist

Learn the UL Qualified Firestop Contractor Program Requirements. This document, plus the checklist, help you design your quality management system and get ready for audit.

UL Qualified Firestop Contractor Program Requirements

Apply for the UL Program

Want to become UL Qualified? Download the UL Qualified Firestop Contractor Program Application Form. How much is it? Contact FCIA for cost info.

Contractor Program Application Form

Systems Selection is a huge part of being a Specialty Firestop Contractor. Whether you are going for Qualified Firestop Contractor Status or not, this is essential for being a firestop contractor, inspector, or specifier. This presentation from UL's Rich Walke deciphers the mystery of the UL Fire Resistance Directory.

UL Fire Resistance Directory User Guide

Here's how UL Qualified Firestop Contractor DRI's can receive CEU's. Details about UL DRI CEU's are in the DRI Recertification by Continuing Education Application.

1 CEU = 10 hours of contact education time.
Attend FCIA Conferences - 1 CEU*
Attend a Fire Protection Conference; NFPA Seminar, International Code Council, AIA, ALA, Construction Specifications Institute national or local chapters.*
Attend FCIA Total Fire Protection Systems Symposium, FCIA Effective Compartmentation Symposiums, or present the FCIA Education Program and or presentations.

* UL determines CEU Values for these. Contact UL's representatives for values.

For more information about how to become an UL Qualified Firestop Contractor, contact the FCIA Office at (708) 202-1108, or email us.

FSA - UL's Fire and Security Authority Magazine

Issue 1, 2007

The Total Fire Protection Solution Symposium for the Design, Specification, Building Offical, Fire Marshal, and Fire Safety Community.

Registration Closes:
Cost: Free to AHJ's, Architects, Specifiers.
Hours: 8:00-4:30 pm
Location: Various Locations in the US, Canada and other locations.
Contact: email bill@fcia.org.

UL, in partnership with FCIA (Firestop Contractors International Association) invites you to attend a comprehensive and informative new symposium for architects, specifiers and regulatory authorities.

FCIA worked with Underwriters Laboratories for 3 years in the development of the UL Qualified Firestop Contractor Program. The program's objective is to give Specialty Firestop Contractors a credible 3rd party Quality Management System Program to set themselves apart. This quantitative management system audit verifies that the contractor lives what they say in their quality manual every day, with special attention to how non-conformances are managed.

UL Qualified Firestop Contractors and the ASTM E 2174 & ASTM E 2393 Standards for the Inspection of Firestop Systems, are complimentary programs. A contractor who has invested in UL Qualification, inspected by a Consultant to the ASTM Standards, means quality contractors, with a project inspection to validate the installation quality process is working.

To become qualified, the contractor firm must employ a Designated Responsible Individual (DRI-UL), who must pass a rigorous industry test to become the key person in the firm responsible to upper management of the firestop contractor firm for the firestop systems selection and installation quality process. The firm must also have a written Quality Manual that outlines how firestop systems are

UL then audits the contracting firm's procedures in their Quality Manual to confirm that the firm's paper trail is in order for successful installation of Firestop Systems. A destructive test verifies that the paperwork process and the physical in place Firestop System match.

UL Qualified Firestop Contractor designation is only given those firms who have passed both the DRI Test and the Quality Management Audit Process. Follow up Audits are performed by UL Auditors yearly. DRI's must provide verification of CEU eligible Education sessions attended or retest again every three years .

The FCIA Firestop Contractor Members have donated time to develop and maintain this program which is a new trend in the Construction Industry ...... Quality Process Protocol program for Specialty Firestop Contractors that can be specified quantitatively for better Fire and Life safety in buildings.