Protective coatings have been used for many years to improve the ability of metal structures to survive and maintain structural integrity when involved in a fire. The recognized challenges for fire protective coatings
(commonly called "fireproofing") have become more rigorous and the standards being used by industry have changed in response to these challenges. This paper discusses these new recognized fireproofing challenges, the standards and test protocols developed in response, some of the fireproofing approaches used to address these needs and how these might impact corrosion. Special attention will be placed on the oil and petrochemical industries which have experienced the greatest challenges and changes, in this transition, we have moved from approaches designed for structural fires to standardized tests simulating hydrocarbon pool fires; and some specialized tests simulate
hydrocarbon "jet" fires. A table comparing new and old fireproofing standards is included in this paper. This review includes a discussion of the American Petroleum lnstitute's second edition of Publication 2218 Fireproofing Practices in Petroleum and Petrochemical Processing Plants. A major revision of this widely referenced standard issued in 1999 includes new approaches to fireproofing and discussion of new
materials. The quality assurance and inspection sections of this standard relate equally well to both fire protection and corrosion protection. Keywords: fireproofing, standards, hydrocarbon fires, jet fires, temperature, heat flux, fire scenario, risk