Short answer: Do not wait until turnover. Inspect each firestopped penetration right after sealing and before a ceiling or shaft is closed. For each penetration, check that the opening is fully sealed, that the listed system matches the penetrating item and the required rating, and that location, photo, installer and date are recorded.
Why inspect penetrations before turnover?
At turnover a penetration is often hidden behind a ceiling, shaft wall or soffit. Whoever inspects only at the end has to open finished work or rely on what others say. That is why the inspection belongs at the moment the firestop is still visible and easy to reach, before other trades close it in.
You know the situation: 2 weeks before the final inspection, the owner asks for an overview of all firestopped penetrations. The firestop contractor has a list, the plumber remembers a few extra openings and nobody has photos of the shaft by the elevator core. Ceiling tiles come down, the schedule slips and the discussion about who pays begins.
Before occupancy, the building official and, where required, the special inspector need to be confident that rated walls and floors are intact. Many AHJs also hold an above-ceiling inspection, which is common practice rather than a model code term, so missing penetration data can delay the certificate of occupancy.
What do you check at each firestopped penetration?
A good firestop inspection looks at the installation itself and at the record of it. A firestop that is technically correct but documented nowhere cannot be proven later. These 7 points cover both, so every penetration is not only sealed but also documented in a way an inspector can verify.
- Fully sealed. No gaps or open seams around cables, pipes or cable trays.
- Listed system. The system is tested and listed for this penetrating item, such as a cable tray, plastic pipe or metal pipe, and for this type of wall or floor.
- Correct rating. The F rating, and for floors usually also the T rating, meets the rating required for this assembly.
- Installed as listed. Depth, annular space, fill and sleeves match the listing and the manufacturer's installation instructions.
- Identification present. A label with a unique code is placed next to the penetration.
- Photos recorded. At least 1 photo after sealing, preferably also 1 before.
- Data complete. Location on the drawing, listed system, installer and date are in the log.
If points 2 to 4 are in doubt, the listing, a manufacturer's engineering judgment accepted by the AHJ or a fire protection engineer decides, not the checklist.
When do you inspect: during construction or at turnover?
The best approach combines an inspection of each penetration during construction with a final check per area just before turnover. That way you catch mistakes while they are still within reach, and at the end you have a complete overview that matches what is actually built in the walls and floors.
| Moment | What you check | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Right after sealing | Installation, listed system and photo per penetration | The firestop is still visible and reachable |
| Before ceilings or shafts close | Whether all penetrations in that area are Completed | Repairs get expensive and difficult after that |
| Special inspection, where required | Installed firestops against the listing and approved documents | The special inspector reports to the building official |
| Final check per area | Whether the number of penetrations in the log matches reality | Finds forgotten openings |
| At turnover | Whether the log is complete and handed over | The owner needs it during occupancy |
How do you record the inspection so it counts as proof?
An inspection counts as proof when, for each penetration, you can see what was checked, by whom, when and with what result. A checkmark on a list without a photo or location is worth little when the fire marshal, the building official or the owner asks a question months or years later.
| Inspection on paper | Inspection with digital audits | |
|---|---|---|
| What was checked | List with checkmarks | Audit per penetration or per area |
| Proof | Loose photos | Photo attached to the penetration on the drawing |
| Deviation | Note on paper | A ticket for the Responsible right away |
| Repair | Follow-up phone calls | Status from Started to Completed |
| Turnover | Collecting files | Export as a report in 1 step |
Where special inspection of firestops is required, the special inspector works to ASTM E2174, the standard practice for on-site inspection of installed firestop systems. Your own records do not replace that inspection, but they make it faster.
How does an inspection with audit templates work in Ed Controls?
Ed Controls, quality control and project collaboration software for construction, uses audit templates: fixed inspection lists that you fill in on site for each penetration or each area. When an answer reveals a deviation, you create a ticket from the audit for the party that has to fix it, directly on the drawing.
- Create an audit template with the 7 inspection points: seal, listed system, rating, installation, label, photos and data.
- Carry out the audit on site, with photos for each inspection point.
- When you find a deviation, create a ticket on the drawing and assign it to the firestop installer.
- Check the repair and set the ticket to Completed.
- Export the audits and tickets as a report for the turnover documents.
Fire safety company BrandZorg in the Netherlands works this way during building inspections. Rens Verbakel, fire safety specialist: "We literally walk through the building with the floor plans in Ed Controls." And: "Users such as contractors and firestop installers can get to work right away on the defects I have identified." Read the story Ed Controls at BrandZorg (in Dutch) or more about safety checks and audits.
Who is this checklist for?
This checklist is meant for the people who prepare turnover and want to prove that every penetration in a rated wall or floor is sealed and documented. It is not a design tool, because choosing ratings and fire-resistance-rated assemblies belongs to the registered design professional or fire protection engineer.
Suitable for:
- Superintendents and project managers preparing turnover
- Firestop contractors who want to prove their work
- Fire protection consultants and inspectors
Less suitable for:
- Designing fire-resistance-rated assemblies or calculating required ratings
Frequently asked questions
Who inspects firestopped penetrations before turnover?
Usually the general contractor or a hired firestop or fire protection consultant inspects them, sometimes together with the owner. The building official inspects as well, and in buildings where the adopted IBC requires it, such as high-rise buildings, a special inspector checks installed firestops and reports to the building official.
Do you inspect every penetration or only a sample?
To show that the building is safe, you want a record for every penetration that it was sealed, with a photo and data. Sampling can add value as a final check per area, but it does not replace a record per penetration, because the forgotten opening is the biggest risk.
What if a penetration above a ceiling is no longer visible?
If a photo and the data were recorded when the opening was sealed, you can use them as proof. If they are missing, the ceiling has to be opened to assess the penetration. That is the main reason to inspect before the ceiling is closed, because opening finished work costs time and money.
Which photos should you take of a firestopped penetration?
Take at least 1 photo straight on after sealing, with the identification label in view. A photo of the opening before sealing also shows which cables and pipes pass through it and how large the opening was. Together those 2 photos are the strongest proof of how the work was done.
How long before turnover should the firestop log be ready?
No model code sets a fixed deadline for a firestop log. In practice, have it complete before the above-ceiling and final inspections and before you request the certificate of occupancy, so missing photos or data do not delay occupancy. Check your contract and the AHJ for project-specific deadlines.
Read more
- Firestop log: what goes in it and who keeps it?
- What US building codes say about penetrations
- Fire safety software from Ed Controls
Sources
- ASTM E2174
- ICC, 2021 IBC section 1705.18
- ICC Building Safety Journal, Common firestop code violations
- UL Solutions, Firestop and Joint Application Guide
- Ed Controls at BrandZorg (in Dutch); the quotes from Rens Verbakel are translated from Dutch.
Last updated: 12 October 2026
