Introduction to Fire Safety Management

Introduction to Fire Safety Management
Figure 9.12 Typical building materials
elements for structure is that it has a low melting point
and will lose 60% of its strength at temperatures in the
region of 600ºC. The temperatures in fi res in buildings
often reach 1000ºC and therefore it is important that the
steel components of a building are protected against the
heat from any fi re to prevent early collapse of the structure.
Methods for protecting structural steel include:
➤ Encasing in concrete
➤ Enclosing in dry lining material, e.g. plasterboard
➤ Coating with cement-based materials
➤ Coating with intumescent materials.
Plasterboard
Plasterboard achieves its fi re resistance because it is
made from non-combustible material, commonly gypsum.
A wall made from a 12 mm thickness of plasterboard
which is adequately sealed at the joints will
achieve 30 minutes’ fi re resistance. The disadvantage of
plaster board is that it has little strength or load-bearing
cap acity. Its durability relies on the strength of its supporting
structure (normally wooden or metal stud work)
and its protection from mechanical damage.
Glass
The use of glass in buildings is becoming more widespread
with the development of glass production technology
which has resulted in glazing that has a variety of
specifi c applications, for example:
➤ In internal doors as vision panels
➤ As internal and external doors
➤ As partitions and compartment walls
180
Figure 9.13 Example of a building with an all glass exterior
➤ In roofs, fl oors and ceiling
➤ In escape and access corridors.
The stability of glass elements of structure relies totally
on the systems that support the glass, for example the
beading, seals and fi xings used.
When assessing the fi re resistance of glass it is
important to fi nd evidence of its compliance to the
required fi re resistance. Fire resisting glazing should be
marked with a permanent stamp which indicates at least
the product name and manufacturer. The mark should
be entirely visible and legible.
It should be noted that there are many different
proprietary types of fi re resisting glass available, many
of them with similar sounding names. The main glass
types are as follows:
➤ Non-insulating glasses:
➤ Integral wired glass
➤ Laminated wired glass
➤ Monolithic ‘borosilicate’ glass
➤ Monolithic ‘soda-lime’ glass
➤ Laminated clear ‘soda-lime’ glass
➤ Ceramic glass
➤ Laminated safety ceramic glass
➤ Insulating glasses:
➤ Intumescent multi-laminated soda-lime glass
➤ Intumescent ‘gel-fi lled’ glass
➤ Partially insulating glasses:
➤ Intumescent laminated glass
➤ Radiation control glasses:
➤ Coated monolithic ‘soda-lime’ glass.
The glazing system requirements for each of these
glasses are very different and any change in the glass
type without a change in the glazing system has the