The Passive Fire Knowledge Group aims to investigate, understand, inform, and promote knowledge and research in all areas of passive fire protection. The tragedy of the Grenfell Tower has induced many positive changes in the industry, including more emphasis on service penetration sealing and early engagement. The traditional approach to
Sentry Fire Safety Group (Sentry), the leading fire safety and security doorset manufacturer, was delighted to welcome Ed Miliband, Shadow Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, to its Doncaster manufacturing facility on 12th January. Having last visited the firm in 2011, Mr Miliband toured Sentry’s newly expanded facility,
The new $30 million facility in Warrington, UK, is expected to open in 2025 creating 50 new jobs Warringtonfire, a global leader in Fire Testing, Inspection and Certification (TIC), has announced plans to open a new facility in Warrington, UK. Expected to open in 2025, the new facility will be
In June, the Home Office published a report on the economic and social cost of fire in England The estimated total economic and social cost of fire in England, in the year ending March 2020, was £12.0 billion. Of this, £3.2 billion was labelled as ‘marginal cost’ (or as the
Christophe Bind, Country Manager at passive fire protection specialist FSi Promat, looks ahead to 2024. With the Building Safety Act coming into force, 2024 will be a time of change for the construction industry as a whole, with a close focus on fire safety including passive fire protection. Long overdue
New whitepaper explores how to identify and mitigate fire risks for flat roofs functioning as additional social or practical spaces of a building, including for solar installations The role of the roof in modern building design has expanded significantly in recent years. Now ROCKWOOL® has published a whitepaper aimed at
Award-winning UK supplier of external wall insulation (EWI) solutions, K Systems, has launched two innovative new systems to the industry in a matter of weeks. The most recent innovation, a new KIWA BDA-certified Direct Fix system is ideal for new build or retrofit steel framed structures of any height, delivers
Every year in the UK, billions of litres of drinking water are wasted as businesses are forced to test their fire suppression systems weekly, without a need to capture the water pumped through the pipes and down the drain. Alpine Fire, one of the UK’s leading specialist providers in the
Choosing and installing the correct passive fire protection system can be confusing – with a range of application requirements, legislation and a host of products to choose from. Here, Ken Francis, Technical Support Manager at Promat, talks us through some of the most frequent questions posed to him and the
The terms under the new Building Safety Act 2022 became enforceable from October 1st this year. Here, Bob Glendenning, Fire Design Engineering Manager of Sherwin-Williams Protective & Marine Coatings, examines why creating a ‘Golden Thread’ of information within the new legislation is so important for those involved in the intumescent
The Passive Fire Knowledge Group aims to investigate, understand, inform, and promote knowledge and research in all areas of passive fire protection. The tragedy of the Grenfell Tower has induced many positive changes in the industry, including more emphasis on service penetration sealing and early engagement. The traditional approach to service penetration sealing was to construct a building, create the apertures, and run all the services through before initiating contact with the firestopping contractor. However, as Craig Wells highlighted, the industry must approach construction from a ‘design, then build’ method – not the other way around. Dame Judith Hackitt, author of the Independent Review of Building Regulations and Fire Safety, stated: “The industry must prepare and should be taking action ahead of legislation coming into force.” Service penetration seals involve the direct participation of many trades, requiring early engagement, attention to detail, and collaboration. For these concepts to be successful, an element of cultural change is needed. Does this start with the vocabulary the industry uses? The industry has long used the terms ‘passive fire protection’ and ‘firestopping’. While not inaccurate, these terms may be considered too generic, potentially misleading individuals unfamiliar with fire safety. In recent years, there has been an effort to introduce the term ‘service penetration sealing’ as a more descriptive alternative. This term conveys the action of preserving the fire ratings of walls and floors by appropriately sealing service penetrations in a given application. Also finding that vocabulary is often misused in the industry, Joe Cilia noted that terms like soundproof and fireproof do not exist. He also emphasised the prevailing attitude of the industry around stating that ‘it is just a wall’. Cilia said, “It is not just a wall. We have fire doors, fire glass, and fire doors – so why not fire walls?” He said, “They are the largest passive fire product by area, yet we don’t describe them as such; if we did, we would be more likely to consider the detail and interface with the structure and elements such as MEP, leading to a safety-first approach.” Further to this, Paul McSoley emphasised the importance of accuracy in service penetration sealing, noting that achieving success in this area begins with getting the language right first. Firestopping of Service Penetrations: Best Practices in Design and Installation In the guide jointly published by several industry associations titled Firestopping of Service Penetrations: Best Practices in Design and Installation, there are nine Golden Rules, seven of which relate to the building’s design. This emphasises the importance of all parties, from architects to specialist firestopping contractors, engaging from the early stages of design to installation. Nick Pickles highlighted the need for a mindset shift regarding design and build contracts. He pointed out that contractors often outline the project’s design only for it to be deviated from later down the line. Adding to this point, Wells highlighted the importance of understanding the ‘what’ and the ‘why’ for all parties involved. He expressed the need to increase education and awareness in the industry while acknowledging greater collaboration. Golden Rules One & Four The Golden Rules have proved to be an invaluable resource across the industry post-Grenfell. The panellists referenced Golden Rule One and Golden Rule Four. Golden Rule One relates to issuing early engagement with service penetration seal manufacturers and specialist installers. Golden Rule Four is about following the design process for penetration seals. Wells stated that early engagement needs to be implemented because products must be installed as per the tested scope of application. First and foremost, to save lives, but also to avoid extra costs and delays and improve reputations. Aspects like the positioning of services, types of services and insulations, and sizing of letterboxes affect the products and system’s efficiency. Today, firestopping solutions are typically selected by the main contractor. Because of this, they have the responsibility to ensure the chosen solutions are compliant and installed accordingly. As many external trades need to be involved, making it a complex process, implementing a standardised design process for each project is highly recommended. Laing O’Rourke has defined a robust process from design through to handover, which clearly explains to designers how to position and size apertures, Richard Fordyce stated. He highlighted that this gives them the option to choose from multiple tested details as there will be enough space to accommodate services. Additionally, because of a robust design, the application becomes more straightforward, the installation is compliant, and an easy-to-follow document is issued upon handover. McSoley added that project planning is a complicated process; he said, “You may select a lovely system of seals only to find out that the product is in the wrong location.” Thus, early engagement and standardising processes are crucial to solving any grey areas before the build commences. Professor Stuart Green’s research into procurement practices found that 17% of rework on drylining could be avoided, but this could be applied across all areas. Cilia further highlighted that “we’re paying up to 17% more than we need to, at the back end of the job, because it is not being designed and scheduled properly in the first place.” He emphasised that the money wasted at the end of a project could be used at the forefront of the project instead, ensuring the layouts are agreed to in as much detail as possible. Extra costs and delays on remedial work can be avoided by involving the specialist drylining and firestopping contractor, as well as the manufacturers in the early stages of the project. Meanwhile, Fordyce stressed that having a plan is essential. When the plan contributes to improved outcomes in terms of penetration sealing, there is no alternative approach. This provides better metrics and established rules and frameworks, as well as facilitates continuous improvement in construction practices each year. Consequently, this requires internal collaboration within the industry to establish compliant processes and external collaboration to ensure the golden thread is easily traceable and followed. The construction industry and competency Competency can be hard to
Sentry Fire Safety Group (Sentry), the leading fire safety and security doorset manufacturer, was delighted to welcome Ed Miliband, Shadow Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, to its Doncaster manufacturing facility on 12th January. Having last visited the firm in 2011, Mr Miliband toured Sentry’s newly expanded facility, chatted to staff, learnt about the company’s transformation and impressive growth trajectory, and saw first-hand how Sentry is leading the way in sustainable manufacturing. Sentry manufactures compliant, certified timber fire safety door sets for use in social housing, education, healthcare, care, and commercial environments, from a 35,000 sq. ft factory in Adwick le Street. It works closely with social housing and other sector providers to replace unsafe fire doors and advance the aims of the Fire Safety Act, which has become an important focus following the Grenfell tragedy. Investment in new facilities and state-of-the-art machinery Following its partnership with strategic advisers Cairngorm Capital in 2019, Sentry has benefited from a £2m investment in new facilities and state-of-the-art machinery and equipment, and investment in a new ERP system to streamline procurement and automate the ordering process and contribute to ongoing staff training. The company has also gained a second facility in Birmingham following its acquisition of Knowles in August 2022, a move which saw Sentry become the UK’s leader in fire safety and security doorsets market. Employee numbers have increased from 28 in 2019, to 200 today across both the Doncaster and Birmingham factories and has been supported by investment that has been made in staff training. Overall, this investment has resulted in an astonishing 100% increase in turnover and profits. A sustainable approach to manufacturing As Shadow Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, Mr Miliband was particularly keen to find out more about Sentry’s sustainable approach to manufacturing, which guides everything that the firm does from product design to selecting their supply chain. Sentry leads the way in sustainable doorset production, through a variety of initiatives. For example, sawdust created during the production of Sentry’s timber fire doorsets is recycled by a local mill and the warehouse is heated using a return air duct from their extraction system. Sentry’s Birmingham factory is proud to hold IS0 14001 certification and FSC Certification, and the company is a strong supporter of green initiatives including Trees for Cities. Ty Aziz, Sentry’s CEO who spent time with Mr Miliband during his first visit, commented: ‘We were delighted to welcome Mr Miliband to our facility once again, we thoroughly enjoyed his company and welcomed the opportunity to demonstrate the transformation in our business and the growth that we’ve achieved since he was last here. It was also great to discuss our various ESG initiatives with him and be able to introduce Mr Miliband to some of the people that make Sentry the fantastic, forward-thinking business it is today.” Following his visit to the Sentry Doors facility, Mr Miliband commented: “I’m delighted to visit Sentry again and witness the growth in the business that has occurred since I was last here. Sentry provides jobs for local people and is a great example of how quality companies can thrive with committed partners. I look forward to Sentry continuing to support local people’s livelihoods for many years to come.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
The new $30 million facility in Warrington, UK, is expected to open in 2025 creating 50 new jobs Warringtonfire, a global leader in Fire Testing, Inspection and Certification (TIC), has announced plans to open a new facility in Warrington, UK. Expected to open in 2025, the new facility will be the largest in the UK and provide fire testing, technical and certification services. Customer demands for Warringtonfire’s product testing are set to continue to grow significantly, due to increasing regulatory requirements, the introduction of additional standards, the rising importance of third-party certification and product assurance as well as the need for shorter testing lead times. The new facility will meet this increased demand; it will represent an almost 80% increase in size over its existing facility in the region and is expected to triple Warringtonfire’s testing capacity in the medium term. The new facility, which is being built at Birchwood Park near Warrington, will add unique capabilities including eight state-of-the-art fire resistance testing furnaces, comprising three horizontal and three vertical furnaces (designed to evaluate the fire performance of different products or assemblies built either horizontally or vertically), and two indicative furnaces (which provide a very focused testing method to quantify the ability of a material or assembly to withstand exposure to high temperatures). The new facility will also provide larger preparation areas to improve workflow as well as higher quality and more accessible customer reception and viewing areas. In line with the commitment to be more sustainable, the new facility will implement extensive measures to reduce energy use, maintain air quality and potential environmental impacts, including built-in recycling systems, energy-efficient fans, plus smoke & odour capture and treatment. The new facility will create over 50 new jobs in the Warrington region, with a commitment to training and upskilling new and existing employees. The 200 strong team will be one of the world’s largest teams of fire technical experts. Jason Dodds, VP of Warringtonfire, said: “Our new fire testing facility in Warrington is a major investment in the region and a statement of our ambition for the business. We are excited to be expanding into Birchwood Park and undertake our essential product testing in this state-of-the-art business park. “The new facility will significantly improve Warringtonfire’s testing offering for our customers, providing a faster and more wider ranging service, as well as expanded access to technical excellence delivered by the foremost experts in the fields of fire testing and certification. It will solidify our position as the go-to partner for fire testing and related services and broaden our ability to serve customers across the value chain. Using best in class building design and new technology, we will also be able to greatly improve our environmental footprint, which is incredibly important to us as a company and is becoming increasingly important for our customers.” Warringtonfire’s existing facility will continue to operate at full capacity while the new facility is under construction. Following the transfer of fire resistance testing to Birchwood Park, part of the existing facility will be used to create a center of excellence for reaction to fire testing, which are smaller scale tests including spread of flame and heat release. Construction of the new 101k sq. ft. facility has begun and is expected to be completed in 2025. The total investment in the new facility will be circa $30 million. The designers were TP Bennett Architects and Hoare Lea and construction is being managed by Arcadis with Tilbury Douglas as the principal contractor carrying out the works. Warringtonfire specialises in providing comprehensive testing and certification services related to infrastructure, with a portfolio of services including fire resistance and reaction to fire testing, security, durability and weather testing, product certification and inspection. Warringtonfire works with key stakeholders at every stage of the project lifecycle, from architects and designers to contractors and developers, planning and local authorities, building owners and operators and product manufacturers. The new enhanced facility will be of particular use for product manufacturers for their R&D development for bringing a product to market or for achieving certification.
In June, the Home Office published a report on the economic and social cost of fire in England The estimated total economic and social cost of fire in England, in the year ending March 2020, was £12.0 billion. Of this, £3.2 billion was labelled as ‘marginal cost’ (or as the cost incurred following a fire). Breaking this down to an individual level, the unit marginal cost of all fires attended was £20,900. The report splits ‘cost’ into three separate categories: As passive fire protection experts, we believe that increasing the preventative ‘Anticipation’ costs (or defensive expenditure in buildings) directly correlates to a reduction in the costs incurred as a result of fires. The government does seem to recognise this in their budgeting, however, with the largest ‘cost’ being attributed to Anticipation, with approximately: It is promising to see such investment into anticipator methods such as passive fire protection products. These products play a significant role, slowing the spread of fire and smoke and buying more time for fires to be identified and extinguished — thus minimising damage costs. Find out more about passive fire protection on the Fire Seals Direct advice centre. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Christophe Bind, Country Manager at passive fire protection specialist FSi Promat, looks ahead to 2024. With the Building Safety Act coming into force, 2024 will be a time of change for the construction industry as a whole, with a close focus on fire safety including passive fire protection. Long overdue changes to increase the safety of high-rise residential buildings are finally in place, but the impact of these on an operational level is yet to be fully seen and understood. Already raised as potentially being the end of design and build, the gateway scheme means that more detailed specification of products and applications will become increasingly important from an early stage as plans need to stipulate safety provisions. For passive fire protection this is an ideal solution. Early specification ensures the right product is installed for the building, cavity barriers and fire stopping are delivered to the correct timeline, and that waste is minimised. It also allows any issues to be identified long before installation takes place. However, a lack of clarity around central issues in the Act remains, such as the definition of notifiable changes, and at what point do changes to specification need to be notified. Having clarity on this as soon as possible is imperative for efficient project management and to ensure consistency in the application of passive fire protection. Education and awareness Competence continues to be a concern and we, as an industry, need to ensure that life critical products are manufactured, specified and installed to the highest standards. Along with a laser focus on fire safety we hope to see education and information prioritised across all sectors involved in the building process. Within the industry the spotlight will absolutely be on skills, awareness and competence, and everyone involved in fire protection needs to take responsibility for theirs. FSi Promat has already set up its own training facility to support accurate installation of its fire stopping and cavity barrier products – and we look forward to welcoming more partners across the coming year. The golden thread will support this – and again this will see more industry change with a need for comprehensive information to be readily available throughout the full building lifecycle. This is one of the most important parts of the new legislation, ensuring the attention to detail that makes sure the right products are in place and have been installed correctly. To this end we expect to see more transparency and increased digitalisation to support ease of access to information. With the implementation of the gateway scheme there is the possibility that we could see delays to some projects, but demand for fire stopping and cavity barriers is expected to remain high – both from a regulatory point of view and from raised awareness, but also the demand for recladding to make existing buildings safe. While conditions have been challenging in the construction industry, there are signs of an improvement in 2024, which will, in turn, see an upturn for passive fire protection. The coming year will be a time of change, these are changes that we need to see – and that are long overdue. Buildings should be made with safety in mind, and we at FSi Promat will do all we can to support that. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
New whitepaper explores how to identify and mitigate fire risks for flat roofs functioning as additional social or practical spaces of a building, including for solar installations The role of the roof in modern building design has expanded significantly in recent years. Now ROCKWOOL® has published a whitepaper aimed at helping specifiers and roof contractors to consider and plan for possible fire risks arising from flat roofs being used as multifunctional spaces for a variety of social and practical applications, highlighting, for example, the increasing number of solar energy installations. The Flat roofs: The functional fifth façade paper explores the fire safety implications of modern multifunctional roofs and discusses best practices for identifying and mitigating the risks. It also explains the role of the guidance provided in approved documents, including Approved Document B (ADB) for fire safety, and examines potential limitations of such advice for non-standard flat roof circumstances and scenarios. The whitepaper can be downloaded at https://rockwool.link/ffpr “While the use of flat roofs as functional spaces is not a new concept, the practice has become more and more popular in recent years, especially in increasingly crowded urban areas,” explains Lisa Stephens, Product Manager – Building Envelope, ROCKWOOL UK. “Now, flat roofs don’t just house plant and building services but energy efficiency infrastructure and social spaces too.” With the increasing complexity of the flat roof space in mind, this whitepaper addresses the risks associated with social and commercial uses of flat roofs, considering implications such as greater footfall and the impact of penetrations from building services and cabling on compartmentation and fire resistance. With the market for solar energy growing rapidly in the UK and Europe, Flat roofs: The functional fifth façade also places a specific focus on the lack of dedicated guidance for solar panels despite evidence that their presence may increase fire risk. “The information in the whitepaper will help those involved in the design and installation of flat roofs to make responsible choices when selecting materials to enable a modern flat roof to be multifunctional, safe and long-lasting,” says Lisa Stephens. “It offers practical advice to simplify specification whilst going above and beyond legislative requirements.” For more information and to download the whitepaper go to: https://rockwool.link/ffpr Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Award-winning UK supplier of external wall insulation (EWI) solutions, K Systems, has launched two innovative new systems to the industry in a matter of weeks. The most recent innovation, a new KIWA BDA-certified Direct Fix system is ideal for new build or retrofit steel framed structures of any height, delivers outstanding cost efficiency compared to cavity-based systems, and offers four stunning finishes, the widest range available on the market, with A1 fire resistance options within that. The new solution by K Systems, a renowned brand by industry leaders Kilwaughter Minerals, represents a significant R&D investment and follows extensive market research in partnership with existing customers and stakeholders. The launch of the distinctive and transformative Direct Fix system comes hot on the heels of K Systems’ introduction of its new M VBriQ+ system to market. The A1 fire-resistant mineral wool system with clay brick slip finish is a perfect architectural solution for buildings at all height levels and offers exceptional levels of durability and workability. The system is available in a variety of colours and textures providing unrivalled choice for customers to achieve their desired aesthetic with a standard range of brick slips available in stock. Kilwaughter Minerals’ Business Development Director, Caroline Rowley, said: “At Kilwaughter Minerals, we pride ourselves on maintaining continuous dialogue with our customers and the broader market to innovate and formulate new products tailored to their evolving needs. “We understand growing industry demand for EWI systems that are not only cost effective but that comply with stringent safety regulations whilst also offering superior durability. “With Direct Fix we have perfected an unmatched product which ticks all of those boxes, and we are delighted to finally bring it to market.” Two of the four finishes available with Direct Fix are A1 rated systems, offering the highest standards of fire safety. This launch and the A1 rated M VBriQ+ launch takes K Systems’ A1 portfolio to four A1 rated systems, evidencing the company’s equal dedication to safety and compliance in addition to innovation. Benefits of the newly introduced Direct Fix system also include an easier, faster installation process for applicators due to significantly reduced components, and an option for category one impact resistance rating guaranteeing buildings maintain a pleasing aesthetic for longer, and an unrivalled variety of finishes, colours and textures. Chief Executive of Kilwaughter Minerals, Gary Wilmot, added: “At K Systems, safety is non-negotiable, so we are proud to once again have our products awarded with the industry’s highest A1 fire resistance rating, enabling us to offer a solution that provides complete peace of mind to both customers and residents alike. “The launch of both systems is a shining example of our ability to deliver innovation without compromise and further testament to our prowess in creating products which provide tangible advantages for both those working with our systems and those living in the designated buildings.“ K Systems is a trusted supplier of EWI systems into the UK market for over 30 years and boasts a proven track record of reliability and durability. To learn more about Direct Fix, M VBriQ+, or various other industry-renowned K Systems available, visit www.k.systems. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Every year in the UK, billions of litres of drinking water are wasted as businesses are forced to test their fire suppression systems weekly, without a need to capture the water pumped through the pipes and down the drain. Alpine Fire, one of the UK’s leading specialist providers in the design and maintenance of active fire suppression systems, has launched a campaign to reduce, recycle and reuse this water. The business has also partnered with the London School of Architecture and Orms Designers & Architects to design a fire suppressions system of the future that can reuse the water used in tests. Student architects have started work on the project and are due to report back in March. Every week, sprinkler systems in commercial buildings have to be tested for 30 minutes at full power. That means companies are flushing billions of litres of clean water through their pipes which then goes down the drain rather than being saved and reused. The campaign has already engaged with former DEFRA Secretary George Eustice MP and is working with DEFRA to explore how changes can be addressed. In addition, and by way of offset for the hundreds of millions of litres of water that they use each year, Alpine Fire has embarked on a multi-year programme of dam restoration with the Lake District National Park. The first project will see the dam at Throng Moss Tarn restored, a critical haven for wildlife and am important strategic reserve for wildfires in the Lakes. Commenting on the campaign, CEO Steven Nanda said: “Billions of litres of drinking water are needlessly lost every year in the cause of fire safety, and we are working with the officials at DEFRA and leading architects to solve the problem. Water usage in the UK’s fire suppression systems has been overlooked so far, and our customers are under pressure to address every aspect of their sustainability. We are committed to leading the campaign for change. “We are hugely encouraged by our engagement with DEFRA and feel confident that together we can work towards a change in regulation for new builds as well as retrofitting existing buildings” Commenting on the campaign, former SoS of DEFRA George Eustice said: “Water scarcity is a real and live issue in the UK. Any initiative that identifies such a huge amount of unintended water wastage is to be welcomed and I am delighted to be supporting Alpine Fire and their 4 billion campaign.” Commenting on the partnership, Neal Shasore CEO of LSA said: “We are delighted to be part of this worthwhile sustainability initiative and are already inspired by the work our students have produced in response to this challenge.” Gavin Capstick of the Lake District National Park said: “A partnership of this kind with a forward-thinking business like Alpine Fire is something we welcome. Water scarcity is a very real issue for the UK’s National Parks, and as England’s biggest park, the Lake District sees the effects more than most. We are delighted to be working with Alpine Fire to restore Throng Moss Tarn for wildlife and as a strategic water reserve.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Choosing and installing the correct passive fire protection system can be confusing – with a range of application requirements, legislation and a host of products to choose from. Here, Ken Francis, Technical Support Manager at Promat, talks us through some of the most frequent questions posed to him and the technical team. 1. Do you need to be an approved or accredited installer to work with fire protection boards? While being approved or accredited is not mandatory, here at Promat, we expect installers to be competent and experienced in all aspects of the installation of passive fire protection systems. Ideally, we would recommend that installers are registered by a third-party certification scheme. These schemes typically carry out site inspections and set out training, competency and standards that must be achieved by the installer. There are a number of these schemes, one of which is FIRAS. The following link will guide you to a list of FIRAS-accredited installers: https://www.warringtoncertification.com/certified-companies/ but other schemes are available. 2. How do I provide compartmentation to a steel structure that sits on a compartment line? There are various methods of providing fire protection to steel sections, these include boards, special coatings or designing steelwork so no protection is needed. However, if the beams or columns are on compartment lines, then there will be a requirement to provide fire insulation through the steel. This needs to be taken into consideration when the method of fire protecting the steel is chosen. For boarded protection, the thickness may need to be increased above that required for the protection of the steel, to a defined limiting temperature, so that fire insulation (compartmentation) is achieved. Fire insulation periods of 60-240 minutes can be achieved with Promat board products. It’s important to note that methods such as intumescent paint are unlikely to meet compartmentation requirements. It’s also important to pay careful attention to any openings or penetrations in the compartment walls, and through the steel fire protection encasement and use appropriate firestopping measures, such as fire-resistant seals, penetration collars, or intumescent materials, to seal the openings and maintain the compartmentation. Whatever fire protection method is put in place, it’s vital they are regularly inspected, maintained, and tested (if required) to ensure their effectiveness as in the Building Regulations. 3. How do I upgrade the fire performance of the existing concrete structure of a building I am refurbishing for change of use? To upgrade the fire performance of concrete structures there is a requirement to know what thickness of concrete, or cover to reinforcement, is needed to achieve the fire performance without additional treatment. Once this is established then the correct Promat product and thickness can be selected according to its “concrete equivalence” which has been derived from test data. Promat can provide thin lightweight board products which can upgrade the fire performance to up to 240 minutes which can be fixed directly to concrete walls, beams, columns and soffits. 4. Is there a ceiling system which provides fire resistance from both above and below? Promat have two types of boarded ceiling system available that can provide fire resistance from above and below. Choosing the correct one depends on the application and location. There are self-supporting systems, which include steel channels that must be fixed to masonry. There is also a system which can be suspended directly from the structure above which must also meet the desired fire performance. In both cases, there are 60 and 120 minute versions available which provide both integrity and insulation from both above and below. 5. Do Promat have systems for load bearing steel joisted mezzanine floors which require 30, 60, 90 or 120 minutes protection? A mezzanine floor system which is protected using a single layer of 15mm thick PROMATECT®-250 to the underside of the steel joists can provide 30 or 60 minutes load bearing capacity, fire integrity and fire insulation (from below). Depending on the section factor (or A/V value) of the steel sections it is likely that the 15mm thick board will also provide fire protection to the hot rolled steel beams and columns supporting the cold rolled joists. For 90 & 120 minute systems, the thickness will need to be increased to two layers of 15mm thick PROMATECT®-250 to the underside of the steel joists. Two layers of 15mm will cater for section factors of up to 140m-1 for 120 minutes, or section factors of up to 350 m-1 for 90 minutes (both assuming a 550oC limiting temperature). Got a technical question for the Promat team? Email today: technical@promat.co.uk or check our website for other frequently asked questions Promat.com/knowledge-base Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
The terms under the new Building Safety Act 2022 became enforceable from October 1st this year. Here, Bob Glendenning, Fire Design Engineering Manager of Sherwin-Williams Protective & Marine Coatings, examines why creating a ‘Golden Thread’ of information within the new legislation is so important for those involved in the intumescent coatings industry. The Building Safety Act 2022 (BSA) has been developed as a new framework for the design, construction and occupation of ‘higher risk’ buildings. These buildings are defined as being a minimum of 18 metres or seven storeys in height and comprise of at least two domestic premises. These regulations required that all existing occupied high-risk buildings should be registered with the new Building Safety Regulator (BSR) from April 6, 2023 and no later than October 1, 2023. The BSR is an independent body which forms part of the Health and Safety Executive, which aims to raise building safety standards and the performance of buildings whilst also monitoring the competence of regulators and industry professionals. The reality of this new legislation is that under the terms of the Act, a Principal Accountable Person who fails to register an occupied higher-risk building ‘without a reasonable excuse’ will be liable to either a fine or imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years. The Principal Accountable Person is described as the organisation or person who owns, or has responsibility for, the building. It may also be an organisation or person who is responsible for maintaining the common parts of a building, for example corridors or lobbies. The three Gateways provide evidence The Golden Thread is an information trail that runs through all of the three Gateways from the outset to completion and occupation so that end users can be assured of compliance, quality and safety and have confidence in the products used to provide fire and life safety. For the protection of structural steel with intumescent coatings, those who may need to submit information may include main contractors, architects, designers, specifiers, fabricators and applicators. Indeed, any party who is responsible for fire safety critical elements or components. Importantly, the criteria for the Golden Thread requires all relevant documents and evidence to be stored digitally to prove that adequate steps have been taken in the construction and ongoing maintenance of a building. Gateway 1 – covering the planning stage. This has been in force since August 1, 2021 and sets out the framework for the second and third stages. Applicants need to demonstrate that fire safety matters have been incorporated into the planning stage for all buildings. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE), who are now also the BSR, will be part of the consultation. If a fire statement is required to be submitted with a planning application it will be an issue for consideration for the Local Planning Authority (LPA) when reaching its decision on the application. Contractors should take note that if the LPA considers the statement inadequate it can refuse the application. At Sherwin-Williams, our policy of early engagement and collaboration between all parties helps to clarify any points up front before they become a problem with the subsequent knock-on effect on time and cost. It is clear that engaging multiple stakeholders – including designers, fabricators and applicators – early and consistently throughout the process is key to delivering a successful, safe and cost-efficient solution. Working together, we share knowledge and help our clients to reach their goals. After all, we are ALL now part of this renewed responsibility. We encourage and fully support this early engagement, and with the correct information from the project team we can provide information and guidance on a safe and efficient structural fire protection approach. Gateway 2 – submitting building control approval to the Regulator. This should include written declarations covering the competency of the main contractor, designer, a description of works and plans and a planning statement from Gateway 1. Importantly, there should be information about how evidence is being captured to maintain the Golden Thread. The Regulator has a 12-week period to approve or reject these building control applications or to approve subject to fulfilment of certain requirements. Any major changes at this stage will also need approval from the Regulator, and records of the controlled change – including an explanation of compliance with Building Regulations – will also need to be maintained. The categorisation of major and ‘notifiable changes’ are still subject to consultation under the new legislation. Gateway 3 – providing information to ensure the building is safe for occupation. There is a requirement to submit a completion certificate application and provide updated plans. These plans should reflect the scale of the higher-risk building, key building information, a list of mandatory incident reporting and signed declarations from the main contractor and principal designer that the works and building comply with Building Regulations. Finally, confirmation that information for the Golden Thread has been handed over to the accountable person should also be declared. There is then a 12-week period for the Regulator to approve the application for a completion certificate. We all have a role to play Remember – responsibility lies with us all. Nobody in the supply chain can absolve themselves. The Accountable Person must have assessed all building safety risks and taken all reasonable steps to control them, give the safety case report to the Regulator on request and apply for a building assessment certificate. To be clear, the information stored in the Golden Thread needs to be accurate, easily understandable, up to date and readily accessible. In echoing the point made by Dame Judith Hackitt, we at Sherwin-Williams emphasise that the Golden Thread constitutes any relevant package of information which refers specifically to a project or programme of works. This could come in various forms including a product specification, marked-up drawings, CAD data, a BIM model, a product / member DFT schedule, application records or datasheets for example. As long as it provides evidence of good practice and compliance, it is relevant. It is important to
