Passive Fire Protection

Hi, I've followed a few questions on this forum now and seems a really good source of information. I have a question I hope I can get some info for regarding cigarette testing and match test exempt fabrics. If I'm using a 100% cotton or other exempt fabric with a fire resistant interliner do I still need to send samples/fabric to be tested? If the interliner is manufacturer tested do the exempt fabrics need to be tested regardless? I'll be covering chairs mainly on a one off basis in terms of fabric choice so would I need to send for testing every time I use a new fabric? I seem to be able to find information regarding requirements for interliners and ratings etc but…

Hi all, Quick question - old pub (built 1600's). Timber floors throughout. L1 alarm system was installed in 2010 as compensation for uncertainty on building materials / levels of fire resistance. Separate sleeping accommodation above pub (private flats with own independent entry / exit). Question is, would you expect the basement / beer cellar ceiling to be compartmented?? They have a fire door on ground floor to the cellar, but when you get down in the cellar, the ceiling is riddled with holes to allow pipes and cables to travel up... There is no formal fire strategy which i guess is normal for this type / age of premises. Reason for query is tha…

Hi, I've been discussing with building control whether or not it's feasible to convert the loft of our 1998 townhouse and meet fire safety requirements. Others on our estate appear to have done it only through one fire protected enclosed stairwell, but I can't see how this meets Approved Document B without a misting system. There's no room for another staircase. Anyhow, building control said that they would insist on a one hour fire rating throughout the house, and mentioned another part of the building regs. I've not managed to trace the reference, nor do we want to renovate all the floors that have just been refurbished. So I was wondering what the inhere…

I hate to say it but BC have accepted a scribble on a piece of rough paper stating that an Armstrong suspended ceiling has been selected and installed according to manufacturers instructions. The ceiling is in a large commercial kitchen below a bedroom floor in a hotel. It was required to have 60min resistance. Having had a good look at it, I am not convinced at all. Neither I nor BC were provided with specification details so I have really no way of making an informed determination. What bewilders me is that BC don’t seem to have learned anything from the tragedy of Grenfell. Are they nothing more than gatherers of certificates or is this LABC officer just a poor example…

Hello all apologies if this is not the right section. I have been asked about putting a fire curtain into a domestic house to keep the open plan feel, instead of doors and glass. This will be activated by automatic detection. My question is, it appears that there are two standards that may apply, BS 8524 and BS EN 1634. Is there a difference between the two and if so, which one to follow. Many thanks for your help. Regards Steve

Can anyone signpost me to the relevant guidance / regulations on inspection and / or drop testing of fusible fire dampers on bin chutes. I understand it is somewhere within BS:9999 (2017) but I’ve trawled through it without success. Thanks

Hi I’m about to embark on a new career path as an fire technician for a socail housing organisation i have spent the last ten years as a fire check carpenter as part of me remit will be sighning of new fire doors and other works associated with fire stopping.the housing association will give me training possibly bm Trada accreditation . my main worry is the sighning of the work I haven’t got a clue in what is envolved in how I go about signing of the works being a simple carpenter I am finding it all a bit dounting but the one thing I do have is a passion for fire stopping any advice from you veterans would really be appreciated

I am currently working on a project where FD30(S) and FD60(S) flat entrance doors are being installed to a block of flats. The door manufacturer has provided installation instructions for installing the doors into a standard and regular sized aperture with the surrounding wall structure being brick block construction. After visiting site it is clear the works being carried out differs slightly from a regular / standard installation due to the size of the aperture and construction of the surrounding existing structure. In this case the timber frame that surrounds the existing door and adjacent WC window (NB: a solid brickwork wall separates the WC and entrance corrido…

Hi, Back in March I purchased a sofabed for my narrowboat, which was made to order. It was eventually delivered, and after a couple of months I realised that there were no fire safety labels at all attached to it, or the accompanying footstool. Now I know they should have them attached at manufacture and I also believe they should be permanent and difficult to remove. What this means, I am not sure but I suspect either stitched or glued or both. I contacted them by email and he said that he'd send me some. I objected to this and said that they need to be permanent, stitched in. This is what he responded with "They don’t have to be sewn in at all , I have sent yo…

Hi All, I am trying to find out where I can get a reliable assessment of whether a property needs AOVs and where they should be situated if needed. There are 2 blocks at the property, one with 30 flats and one with 12 flats. Each block has a single stairway and is three floors high above the ground floor. There is no separate fire exit route. There are communal corridors with windows. We want to change the communal area windows but before we do this we need to find out where AOVs (if any) would be, to finalise the job specification for the windows. The difficulty I have is that the Fire Risk Assessment we had done 2 years ago amazingly does not deal with AO…

I am looking at importing footstools to the U.K and am unsure exactly which parts of the furniture need to be tested so that every aspect is covered for fire safety. I’d be grateful for advice. The stools are made of wood/mdf. The pad on top of the wood is foam. A permanent polycotton cover finishes the stool over the foam The out of sight, underside of the stool has a fabric to make it look finished. In addition a removable loose cover is supplied which may or may not be added for use by the eventual customer should they wish. Please advise if my understanding is correct: 1. The foam needs to be fire tested and I need a certificate of proof. 2. The fix…

Hi Can anyone give advice regarding firestopping certification? As a small ltd company do i need to have 3rd party accreditation for doing firestop works? I am a level 2 nvq firestopper and have been offered a contract for some apartments. As long as i do the works to full spec and building control and the FSA are happy with the works can it be signed off? Or do i need a 3rd party accreditation such as FIRAS? I would be grateful for any help Thanks

Hello, I'm wondering about a block of flats that I visited that was built circa 1960 and has four floors. The ground floor are only private garages and the upper three floors have 2 flats each - opening into the stairway. The block has a stay-put policy. However, there doesn't seem to be anyway of controlling the smoke. Although there are large windows on each floor, they can't be opened. There are no ceiling vents. What is the correct way of going forward? Would they be obligated to create some sort of smoke control method, e.g. install openable windows? And if they should install openable windows, does it have to be on every floor, or only on the top…

HI I have been searching the Internet for a feeler guage set to check fire door gaps. The Firas assessor had them during a site inspection but i have not been able to source them anywhere. Do any of you guys know where I can purchase some from please?

Hi, Sorry if I seem like I am being silly but I am struggling to find the answers to my questions on the internet. I am looking into starting to upcycle furniture and sell it. This would include some re-upholstery and adding upholstery to pieces that currently doesn't have any. What happens in term of fire safety? I have read that I would be liable to make sure my furniture is safe, passes all fire safety tests and has the correct labels. But who does these tests and who provides the labels? I can obviously make sure that I am buying fire safe fabric but how do I prove this? Surely I don't just do my own tests and make my own label and stick it on?! Also …

Hi, I am currently looking into upcyciling furniture and selling it on. Part of this would include re-upholstering or adding upholstery to pieces that don't currently have any. I just want to double check what the rules and regulations would be for me? I am obviously not the first manufacturer of the furniture but if I am adding new fabric, I am sure I would then become responsible to some extent. Would I need to get documentation from wherever I am purchasing my fabric and fillings from to prove they would comply and then would it be my responsibility to label the piece of furniture to say it is fire safe, even if I know nothing else about the history of the pie…

Hi Would you mind informing me of the fire regulations concerning the reupholstery of domestic (settee and two chairs) furniture. I had them reupholstered in the 1990s and there is no fire labels attached. I am trying to sell the above. Whose responsibility is it to attach fire safe labels when reupholstering domestic furniture, so it can be sold in the future? Thanks

Hi, I have a ten year old faux leather 2 seater black (pvc) sofa. I'm trying to pass it on to a charity in my local area, it does have a fire label which had been firmly sewn into the underneath of sofa, with loads of wording, and it came with a picture fire label also on the corner of the sofa which was a tag. The charity said they can't accept the sofa if the fire label isn't attached, even I though I have it. And there is a permanent label sewn underneath. where do I stand.

Hi, Could someone help please - we are building a mobile coffee cart for use outside (under cover) initially but then maybe indoors later, it won't have any other cooking equipment on it apart from the coffee machine. Does all the wood in the construction need to be fire treated with a certificate? Or is it acceptable to have just the main parts of of it fire treated? If you cut fire treated wood, does it invalidate a manufacturers certificate? What would an 'appropriate' fire extinguisher(s) be for this? (its 1.8m x 70cm, and has a bin, coffee machine and fridge) Sorry about the mass of questions, I just want to make sure we do this …

What fire regulations are required for carpets in hotels?

I am installing audio system in a basement of a commercial premises. I had planned to use the LSZH cable because I figured if it is safer then why not. However, on receiving the cable I have found that it is significantly more rigid than conventional PVC cable and will consequently have a noticeable negative affect on our acoustic plan which is the main reason I have been employed to do this. I am mounting most of the cable in standard plastic trunking. Am I right in thinking that if the cable is in plastic trunking the amount of smoke generated by the trunking will out weigh any improvement in visibility/toxicity provided by the LSZH cable. The basement is not …

Where walls are dot n dab on masonry party and external walls and not on the fire line escape route are intumescent "putty" pads required? Thanks for any advice.

Hi, Looking at getting our current office sofas and armchairs reupholstered. They currently have the carelessness causes fire label attached inside the seat cushion, 1988 conditions cigarette and match tested covering inner componets and covers. Possibly only suitable for domestic use? We want to get the old existing covers off, which is easy as they just unzip off and can be removed and simply get new ones made, basically get a reupholsterer to copy the existing pattern and make new ones so we can pop on the existing foam inners. We are not looking at changing any foam or adding anything new, apart from the newly reupholstered covers. The new m…

I live in a retirement village and we have a large number of leather chairs. These were installed as new in 2007 when the village was built and at some time during this period the labels stating that the furniture was flame retardant has been removed. We are now being advised by the managing agent that we will need to ha have them all replaced or treated with flame retardants. I was always led to believe that leather was inflatable and just glowed. Could you please advise on this.

Hi there, I am a small business who up cycles furniture as commission work and to sell online. I have been asked by a local cafe to upcycle a dining room table and 4 chairs. The chairs will need re upholstering. I wondered what the fire regulations were for providing up cycled furniture in a commercial setting? I always upholster my furniture using new foam and a fire retardant calico/wadding before I add the top layer of fabric. Any help with this would be much appreciated. Many thanks.