Fire Protection - Electric Cupboard in Shared Residential Entrance Hallway

[Guest James]

I live in a First Floor Flat of a Two-Storey residential property which I access via a ground floor shared entrance hall. 

In the shared ground floor entrance hall there is a high level cupboard built out of 18mm MDF surround and 18mm MDF Doors which houses the electrical distribution boards for the ground floor and first floor flats.

I understand that this 18mm MDF cupboard is not compliant - as it does not provide fire protection around the electrical distribution boards.

I wanted to open this topic for discussion to find out if I did the following would this make the cupboard fire compliant?

• Lined the internal MDF cupboard with Gyproc Fireline 12.5mm (providing 30mins fire protection)
• Replaced the current 18mm MDF doors with 2 no. FD30 Doors with intumescent strips on fire rated hinges x 2 per door
• Installed fire rated lock to the FD30 Doors 

Any factual guidance that can be provided would be gratefully received.

Best regards

James

[AnthonyB]

That may well be a potentially suitable upgrade - some premises go down an alternative route, especially where there isn't much room for a bulky cupboard: https://envirograf.com/product/ecu-fire-protection-system/

 

[Guest Chris]

Good morning. We have a communal floor to ceiling meter cupboard in the entrance lobby of our small block of pb flats - 2 x gf + 2 x 1st floor. The cupboard is divided into three sections, each with their own doors, and the central section of the cupboard houses the meters but nothing else stored elsewhere in the cuboard. I have lined the interior/middle section of the cupboard with 6mm Medite fire retardant mdf (Euro class B) and sealed gaps with intumescent sealant. Can I fix the same fire retardant mdf to the back of the two timber doors with intumescent strips around the frame perimeter? I read in a similar post that you can get self adhesive strips, if so, where can I get suitable ones.

Have tried to upload photos but keep getting unknown server error - probably fault my end

[AnthonyB]

It's unlikely to significantly enhance the fire resistance as it's not thick enough or anywhere near the tested specification (https://files.mutualcdn.com/medite-smartply/files/TEUSG0429-Rev01-Medite-Prem-FR-Euroclass-C-30-minute-FR-Partition-Wall.pdf) Euroclass ratings are for a wall or ceiling linings reaction to fire not their ability to hold back fire. Plasterboard or Gypsum board is more common for use to increase fire resistance of walls & doors

https://files.mutualcdn.com/medite-smartply/files/Specification-Guide-to-Flame-Retardant-Wood-Panels-Part-1-REV0.pdf

https://files.mutualcdn.com/medite-smartply/files/Specification-Guide-to-Flame-Retardant-Wood-Panels-Part-2-REV0.pdf
https://files.mutualcdn.com/medite-smartply/files/Specification-Guide-to-Flame-Retardant-Wood-Panels-Part-3-REV0.pdf