58 INTERNATIONAL FIRE PROTECTION
By The
Association for
Specialist Fire
Protection (ASFP)
FIRE RESISTANT COATINGS
I
n order to avoid the potential loss of life that may
result from fire in occupied buildings, it's vitally
important that all fire protection measures are
installed in a manner that will assure their effective-
ness and provide confidence that they will perform
as required and intended in the event of fire.
In its section on `Use of Guidance � Materials
and Workmanship', Approved Document B goes
further, in that it advocates the adoption of
independent certification schemes specifically in
the installation of fire protection, as follows:
`Since the fire performance of a product,
component or structure is dependent on
satisfactory site installation and maintenance,
independent schemes of certification and
registration of installers and maintenance
firms of such will provide confidence in the
appropriate standard of workmanship being
provided'.
The importance of fire safety has been further
emphasised in recent legislation. Under the
Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, the
`responsible person' (who may be the owner,
designer or architect, specifier or contractor) is
responsible for ensuring that the structure is fully
compliant with all known, current legislation
appertaining to the fire protection of the building.
As is well known, Approved Document B of the
Building Regulations provides guidance on the fire
protection requirements and standards that must
be observed in buildings in England and Wales.
The regulations are not concerned with the com-
mercial or financial losses that usually follow the
destruction of a building by fire, but set out clear
guidelines to ensure that in the event of a fire, the
occupants of the building have both the means
and the time to escape safely.
The key clause in Approved Document B is that
which establishes this intent. It states that `the
building shall be designed and constructed such
that, in the event of a fire, it will maintain its
stability for a reasonable period'.
The forthcoming BS9999 has developed alter-
native rules for fire protection beyond those in
Approved Document B (ADB) and may be used as
an alternative, approved basis for design. Both
standards are intended to provide the same end
result; safety in the event of fire.
Most major construction projects in the UK are
designed using steel to create the shape of the
structure and to provide its main load-bearing
strength. Providing the strength of its steel frame
is not subsequently compromised, therefore, the
New procedures f
of on-site intume
A new Technical Guidance Document (TGD 0011) has been produced by the
ASFP that considers the entire process of fire protection of steel structure using
intumescent coatings. Its prime objective is to establish procedures for the
specification, application and control of intumescent coatings on site.

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