Ashe Construction quality manager Rob Hatchett shared his insight on passive fire protection recently in a webinar outlining the benefits of early engagement with fire safety consultants.
Ashe is a member of GIRI, the Get It Right Initiative, which aims to eliminate error and improve quality in the construction industry. Getting it right first time has the potential to save the UK construction industry £10-15bn per year according to GIRI, and Ashe is keen to use best practice to improve quality, safety and reduce costs for everyone in the supply chain, by avoiding errors and re-work.
The webinar, attended by 80 GIRI members, allowed an open discussion about the key challenges surrounding passive fire protection, and in collaboration with Ashe’s fire consultants, Rob explained the process Ashe undertakes to ensure that passive fire protection is considered very early on in the design process.
Compartmentation
Buildings are designed to be divided into smaller spaces or ‘compartments’ which form a protective barrier in the event of a fire to help contain flames and smoke. Preventing the spread reduces the risk of injury or loss of life and provides building protection. But when building services such as ducting, electrical and data cabling and water pipes need to penetrate walls, floors or ceilings, they compromise the compartmentation. Passive fire protection systems create a seal around these services as they penetrate a wall, which is tested and certified as preventing smoke or fire escaping for a recommended period, allowing occupants to escape and the emergency services to be called.
All in the detail
During the webinar, Rob talked about Ashe’s approach to passive fire protection. He explained:
“Our early engagement starts with providing our fire consultants with detailed information about the fire rating and insulation integrity required, for example whether it should withstand 30, 60 or more minutes exposure to fire. We also tell them the construction methods being used and the type of substrate that any fire protection seals will be fitted to.
“There are strict rules about the distance between each service penetration and the depth and thickness of any seals to ensure robust compartmentation of the building. We also use appropriate frames or service holders to ensure they are secured into place. The fire consultant needs to know whether it’s a multi service penetration, or single penetration or whether there will be a letter box opening with a framed and lined aperture. Knowing these key details is vitally important to ensure that there is no way of fire or smoke penetrating a wall, floor or ceiling through unsealed gaps around services.”
Using a specialist design tool, designers, site and project managers can easily identify a tested passive fire stopping detail when they need one and a robust project specific design can be created.
Early engagement
Incorporating passive fire stopping information into projects early on offers a multitude of benefits adding to the integrity, safety, and efficiency of projects.
Thinking ahead allows potential fire hazards and risks to be identified and addressed upfront, ensuring that the design prioritises the safety of the building occupants and its first responders.
Rob continued: “We can also ensure regulatory compliance by collaborating with our fire safety experts and passive fire stopping specialists early on and be confident that our design meets all relevant building codes, regulations, and standards related to fire protection such as Approved Document B. This proactive approach minimizes the risk of compliance issues arising during the construction phase and avoids costly delays and rework.
Minimising cost
“We can also ensure we are minimising the costs by addressing passive fire stopping requirements early in the design phase by identifying cost-effective solutions that deliver optimal fire protection without exceeding budget. This proactive cost management approach helps minimize unexpected expenses associated with retrofitting or remediation work later in the project lifecycle.”
It’s thought that 21% of costs are due to error and 37% of accidents on site are as a result of re-work so reducing errors through early involvement and getting it right first time is a priority for Ashe.
Knowledge sharing
Clifford Smith, executive director at GIRI said: “Fire safety is vital to the construction industry. Following the publication of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry final report, we are more committed than ever to eliminating error to improve safety. This collaboration with Ashe Construction and our wider work with the Passive Fire Knowledge Group is helping us to highlight the critical importance of addressing fire safety at every stage of the design and development process. Together, we are using our collective expertise to keep people safe through a common culture of getting things right first time.”
Avoiding retrofits and reworks saves time and money and engaging the services of passive fire protection experts to proactively design safety into a project early on is key to a successfully delivered project.