Gulf Construction Online - Firestopit helps keep the fire out

Fire Protection

A Firestopit employee fire-proofs surfaces of construction materials.

Firestopit helps keep the fire out

Firestopit, a UK-based specialist in passive fire protection products, highlights the importance of the use of sound building components and specialised materials to ensure the structural integrity of a building in the event of a fire.

01 March 2007

The stability of a building in a fire depends upon the performance of all the component parts of the structure. If it is adequately protected, the building should withstand a fire for a reasonable time, without collapse.

Buildings are designed to keep products of combustion away from occupants, allowing them time to escape safely while also ensuring the safety of fire-fighters who attend an incident.
Passive fire protection is the term applied to the components of a building that ensure it offers adequate fire performance. This may apply to the elements themselves or to the improvement in performance gained by the addition of specialised materials, products or systems. The important aspect in the design and construction of any structure, whether simple or complex, is that any weak links must be spotted, if disaster is to be avoided.
Specialised materials and products generally offer either structural stability or act as fire-separating elements (or compartmentalisation). In both cases, the products must provide protection for a specified period of time.
Passive protection provides the time necessary for the other parts of the fire strategy to operate. Within the strategy, the way in which an alarm is raised, the occupants react and the fire response systems (including fire fighters) operate must, therefore, be taken into account. Without this time, the rest of the strategy cannot work.
Often, it is not realised how much the individual elements of construction contribute to the fire performance of the complete structure, nor how the structural performance is vital to a success fire strategy.
If occupiers can resume operations with minimal business interruption, everyone’s interests are served. For this to happen, the spread of any fire must be restricted, if possible to the compartment of origin. In all cases, the spread of smoke and flames can only be restricted or delayed by sound fire-separating elements, and this requires regular inspection of the structure by those who know what to look for.
The performance in practice of all construction materials is dependant upon the way in which the product is installed. For this reason, it is recommended to get third-party accreditation of both materials and installers; a principle which is also endorsed by the Chief Fire Officers’ Association (CFOA), whose members have to deal with situations that arise from incomplete or badly maintained fire protection. Approved document B of the building regulations in England and Wales recommends that all certified products and third-party accredited installers of all fire safety products should be used as a means of ensuring that products achieve the required level of performance. Building owners and regulators alike should follow this advice and follow the lead set by CFOA.
The UK-based firm Firestopit designs and manufactures a complete range of passive fire protection products for the construction industry. Its products – which play a vital role in ensuring the safety of a building’s occupants and minimising financial loss in the event of fire – are used in modern and refurbished buildings to slow down or prevent completely the spread of fire from one part of the building to another.
Firestopit products are available from its UAE agent, the Dubai-based Sealant Technology, a dealer in speciality sealants, adhesives and fire barriers.
Firestopit, formed in October 2000 by Carl Atkinson a veteran in the field, prides itself on being able to provide the best quality products in the industry on time and at a competitive price. Its production facilities are geared towards a fast turnaround, allowing goods to be manufactured to order and still delivered when the customers requires them. Quality is strictly monitored and maintained according to ISO 9001 and Certifire third party accreditation.
“This ability to meet the needs of a demanding customer base has enabled Firestopit to expand rapidly over its short life,” says a spokesman for Firestopit. “To cope with the new business, both domestic and export, production has been expanded by approximately 200 per cent since 2002 and new staff have been employed. This investment in manpower and machinery means that with 13 staff it managed a turnover of £2 million in 2003/2004, up from £450,000 in its first year. Firestopit is now the biggest manufacturer of Ablative fire boards, sealant and coatings in the UK.
Last year, Firestopit went through its biggest evolution by moving premises to a new 36,000 sq ft site and opening another 16,000 sq ft site last August. This was done without down time on production due to a complete new machinery base having been purchased, the total spend on which was in excess of £400,000. Nigel Lockwood joined the business at this point, bringing a new element of expertise and development to add to the success brought on by Atkinson.
This growth comes in part from capturing many prestigious projects on such as Canary Wharf, TAG McLaren, JBR Dubai and MTRL Hong Kong. As well as goods supplied directly to the customer, growth has come from taking on new distributors and agents, both in the UK and aboard.
“We also own-brand for some of the most respected ‘manufacturers’ in the industry, supplying Japan, New Zealand, Canada, Belgium, Hong Kong, Switzerland and South America, to name but a few,” says the spokesman.
Firestopit is particularly well prepared to take advantage of upcoming changes in legislation. It is a major contributor to the Association Of Specialists Fire Protectors – the industry’s largest trade body – and has a seat on the technical committee responsible for drafting the new Europe-wide EN testing standards.
“In the coming years, export is likely to become more and more important as foreign markets mature and as European testing standards are finalised.
“We are continuing to drive sales forward through talking to customers and with advertising in the form of our website. The website, in particular, is proving to be invaluable to many customers who can download comprehensive information on all our products quickly and easily. Product description, installation manuals and safety data are all available to anyone visiting the web site. Putting such a mass of data online is not just beneficial to customers but also helps reduce the workload on Firestopit technical staff,” says the spokesman.
What sets Firestopit apart from the competition is its in-house research and development facilities. The test furnace, acquired during 2002, has been used to test new products not just for Firestopit but other manufacturers and several of its suppliers. Working with suppliers, in particular, has helped the company to develop its own products and to be more focused to its specific needs.
“In the fire-stopping industry, third-party Fire Test Evidence is the key to product acceptance and the furnace has proved an invaluable tool in developing products before they are submitted for expensive independent testing,” says the spokesman. “Having a furnace on site not only saves money on full-scale fire tests that might fail but also allows us to try different manufacturing methods and techniques. Our collection of test evidence is one of the largest and most comprehensive held and underlines our commitment to quality.”
Research and development has helped Firestopit to introduce several new products since incorporation in 2000.