Intumescent Paint for Steel
Intumescent paint contains thermodynamic compounds, which increase in size when exposed to high temperatures. This forms a protective coating around a building’s steel framework. By protecting the steel’s load-bearing properties for a certain period, allowing firefighters and other emergency services to undertake reactive work safely. To find out more, visit our dedicated page to spray-applied intumescent paint.
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FIRAS-accredited
Our FIRAS-accredited installers provide a number of structural fire protection solutions including:
- Walls (partitions)
- Floors (structural high strength compound)
- Purpose Built Shafts
- Beam Encasement (Boarding)
Our team of experts can advise clients throughout the construction process. From the initial design to project completion and handover, you can be assured that your building is 100% compliant with fire safety legislation. All of our work is carried out with the aid of BORIS, our quality and compliance management technology platform. This ensures a clear audit trail for our fire protection services.
How fast does fire spread in a building?
There are several factors which can affect the speed at which fire spreads. For example, if there is insufficient or damaged compartmentation then smoke and flames can easily move between rooms and floors. We must also consider the presence of flammable or combustible materials. This applies to materials both inside a building and within its external walls. The below timescales are an informed estimate, and should not be used in place of a thorough risk assessment:
First point of ignition
From the first point of ignition, a fire can get out of control in 30 seconds or faster if flammable materials are present.
One minute
Within 1 minute smoke will fill a room, rising to the ceiling and then descending.
Three minutes
After 3 minutes temperatures can reach over 300 degrees and will begin spreading to other rooms.
Five minutes
After 5 minutes the heat from the source of the fire will begin to ignite its entire surroundings. This is referred to as a ‘flashover’.
Can a building collapse from fire?
A comprehensive enquiry into Grenfell Tower unearthed a chain of structural and maintenance failures leading up to the fire. A number of structural elements in a building can be damaged from fire, across a variety of temperatures and speeds. Therefore, a collapse can occur across multiple stages of severity.
The most common cause of building collapse is damage to non-structural elements, which then increases the risk of structural exposure to fire. These elements include false chimneys, roof coverings, and windows. For more information, consult the official resources below provided by National Operational Guidance titled ‘Hazard – Partial or Structural collapse: Fires in buildings’.
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