Firestopping Engineering Judgements, or “EJs” as they are commonly referred to as, show up on construction projects often when field conditions differ from the original intended design. These unanticipated construction hindrances encountered in the field often cannot be easily or cost-effectively redesigned, so firestop manufacturer recommendations are typically made to propose alternative designs to ensure performance of the firestop system is not compromised. While EJs may be unavoidable at times, upfront planning during preconstruction meetings and coordination between the trades can minimize the number of EJs required. Still, firestop manufacturers are called upon to issue tens of thousands of EJs per year to address non-standard construction. Since these recommendations are not based upon identical designs as tested, it is important that they be developed using sound engineering principles and good judgment. This course is intended to identify the critical elements needed for architect, specifiers, construction industry professionals, building officials, fire officials, firestop contractors and other stakeholders to obtain EJs when necessary, providing guidelines and resources for doing so.