December 2023

Fire Safety
THE IMPORTANCE OF INSPECTING &
RECORDING YOUR PASSIVE FIRE
PROTECTION INSTALLATIONS
By Mike Wyles, Site Services Manager, Siderise Insulation...
Accurate installation
is critical to the
performance of
passive fire protection
products, and over the last
two editions of Total
Contractor, we have
explored the ways in which
contractors can ensure
that they are not only
equipped with the right
knowledge to install these
life-safety critical
products, but that they
have access to
products that make the
process as
straightforward as
possible.
Nevertheless, with the
introduction of the
Building Safety Act and
the increasing demand
for more accountability
throughout the
construction process, it’s also important that you
can both demonstrate and verify the quality of
your work. One way to do this is by
taking advantage of free
manufacturer inspection services.
How do manufacturer
inspections work?
Inspections are a regular
requirement for many projects,
particularly on large and complex
buildings where there may be many
different considerations. However, if
Above: In addition to its in-person inspection service, Siderise has developed
the free Siderise Inspection App.Left: Siderise uses special QR codes on a
number of its products which link to a BSI UPIN held by BSI in an accessible
and searchable registry. Below: The app makes it simple to record the progress
and quality of installation of Siderise standard firestop, cavity barrier and
acoustic barrier systems before they are concealed.
a specific passive fire protection
inspection isn’t considered a necessity,
some project teams choose to skip this
service, instead relying on the Building
Control inspection to verify compliance.
But this typically takes place after the
passive fire protection products are concealed
by the facade, and therefore cannot truly verify
the passive fire protection installation.
Therefore, it is important for project
teams to show due diligence and,
where available, engage with the free
inspection services offered by
passive fire protection
manufacturers to verify if their
products have been installed in line
with their installation guidance, so
that they will perform as expected in
the event of a fire.
For complex or large-scale
projects, this is typically
done in-person, with regular
visits and support from
trained and experienced site
services engineers. On
more standard and
straightforward projects,
contractors can also use
manufacturer-developed
inspection and recording
apps.
Typically, these digital
inspections are suitable for
standard systems, allowing
users to capture images as
each area/element is
installed, and to update the
data input fields using their smartphone or tablet.
The app then immediately turns this into a
comprehensive, easy-to-understand report which
can be reviewed offsite by a technical team to
ensure the installation meets recommendations,
and to quickly identify if any areas need remedial
actions before the works progress further, helping to
save time and money whilst ensuring a consistently
accurate installation across the project.
How can inspections help to support the
Golden Thread?
In addition to providing a way for contractors to
independently verify their competency and ensure
any passive fire protection measures within the
building envelope have been installed correctly,
inspection records can also help to maintain the
Golden Thread.
48 TC DECEMBER 2023