Fire Safety
Following London’s Grenfell Tower tragedy and other disasters around the world, the devastating effects of fire – and what we can do to prevent them – have once again been thrown into the spotlight.
Our industry has long been aware of the terrible human and economic costs of fire.
The Cost of Fire
Before addressing prevention and control, let’s first examine how a typical fire develops.
Imagine a fire starting in a wastepaper basket in one corner of a room. It will take some time to grow, but fuelled by the oxygen in the room, the flames will begin to spread and a smoke layer will develop. As the temperature rises, this smoke layer deepens and becomes more toxic. At the point of flashover, which is 600 ̊C, everything that can burn ignites.
How a Fire Develops
Every building needs its own fire strategy and fire protection systems. Fire protection systems fall into two categories: active fire protection and passive fire protection, both of which need to work together in the event of a fire.
What can be done to combat fire and smoke?
Creating an Effective Fire Strategy
When active fire protection and passive fire protection systems work together, in unison, they save lives and protect property.
Unfortunately, as statistics show, this doesn’t always happen.
A Shared Responsibility
While the value of third-party certification is universally recognised, the requirements on fire doors and associated standards vary country by country.
International Standards and Test Methods
Fire Testing
Whether a doorset or door assembly provides 20 or 120 minutes’ fire resistance, only a very high standard of both design and specification, right down to the type of seals and intumescent materials used, will pass the rigorous standards of these tests.
Given how crucial a role fire doors play in the overall fire strategy of a building, how can you ensure they are fit for purpose?
Fire Door Performance
Having Halspan at the core of a fire door has been an assurance of quality and integrity for more than 20 years.
