Chiltern International Fire (CIF) and international passive fire protection and firestopping specialist Firetherm™ have reconstructed a simulated section of a major hospital project to satisfy Building Control requirements for fire test evidence.
FirethermTM are providing the firestopping products for the service area of the new
‘The size and significance of the seals were beyond conventional installation requirements and therefore Building Control insisted on site specific testing,’ said Firetherm™ Technical Manager Ian Outram. Although all the company’s products have been tested for end use application as individual products, inspectors wanted further evidence that they would perform in the multiple configurations demanded by the hospital.
The service area is in the basement, with numerous cables, pipes and ducts running through the compartment line, floor, ceiling and the many partition walls. Allowances must also be made for increased loading of the floor above, as X-ray and other heavy equipment is brought in as needed. ‘This will put particular pressure on the expansion joints,’ said Mr Outram. ‘The area also incorporates a larger than usual fire damper measuring 800mm x 400mm and Building Control were anxious to know that this would not become dislodged by buckling steel, for example, should the worst happen and a fire occur.’
In the test, sponsored by the installer SBS (System Building Services) London Ltd, and witnessed by Skanska senior project management, Chiltern International Fire was able to reconstruct a 2.2m x 2.8m simulated section of the service area, incorporating the outsize fire damper, along with the Firetherm™ fire batts, penetration seals, fire collars, expansion joints, damper seals and other products used. The replica installation passed with ease and Building Control are now satisfied that the Firetherm™ system is up to the task of safeguarding this key area of The Royal London hospital building.
Chiltern International Fire Senior test engineer Ross Newman said, ‘We are seeing a significant growth in demand from clients to replicate site conditions to satisfy Building Control’s increasingly stringent requirements for test evidence to prove that products will work in situ. We have the facilities and the experience to accommodate this new approach to testing, which requires us to think outside the narrow parameters of a simple fire resistance test and find a solution to a real life problem.’
Ian Outram added, ’This was an urgent requirement and not only did Chiltern International Fire fit us in at short notice, they have worked closely with both ourselves and Skanska to replicate accurately the design of the service area.’
