TL;DR
- Active fire protection is often front-of-mind when it comes to protecting buildings from fires, but passive fire protection is also an essential consideration during the construction process.
- Of all the passive protection methods, fire spray is a popular favourite for its convenience and multitude of applications.
- Post-implementation, maintenance and inspections are crucial to ongoing fire protection.
Introduction
Fire protection systems are crucially important to ensuring fire safety in buildings and ensuring compliance with fire safety regulations and building codes. Passive fire protection systems in particular are designed to slow the spread of fire until firefighters and other emergency services workers arrive at the scene.
Generally written into the building code, passive fire protection includes many different types of measures taken to prevent fire from spreading – installing fire doors and windows, building with fire-resistant materials and applying fire-resistant coatings, and performing regular maintenance on fire alarm systems, for example.
Unlike passive systems, active fire protection systems – whether manual or automated – are triggered after a fire has started. These include things like smoke detectors, sprinkler systems, fire hose reels, fire extinguishers, and automated fire doors.
Understanding Passive Fire Spray
Passive measures of fire protection won’t necessarily prevent the spread of fire, but they will delay it, providing building occupants more time for a safe evacuation. Passive fire sprays, otherwise known as intumescent coatings, can be used to coat a variety of surfaces, from floors to roofs and all of the structural components in between.
John, an insulation specialist from Advanced Insulation and Fabrications, says many building owners and managers could benefit from a better understanding of passive fire protection methods.
“Our clients invest in protective measures like passive fire spray because they understand that it could be the difference between life and death, and we’re proud to provide such an important service.”
How passive fire spray works
Also known as vermiculite fire spray, this popular fire protection solution works to preserve structures by expanding when heated to provide a powerful insulation barrier against fire.
These qualities make spray fireproofing an ideal complementary safety strategy to the many other passive fire protection systems that can be put into place, from intumescent paint to fire-stopping penetrations such as fire-rated sealants and retardant boards.
Key Applications of Passive Fire Spray
Protecting Ductwork with Passive Fire Spray
Role of ductwork in buildings
In any building, ductwork is crucial for the circulation of air. Fire-rated ductwork comes in two main categories: smoke extraction, which is used to remove smoke from buildings, and ventilation, which guarantees fire compartmentation and prevents the spread of heat.
All building materials and structural elements must share a common fire classification and fire resistance rating.
Application of passive fire spray on ductwork
The benefits of using passive fire spray on ductwork are manifold. It not only helps to protect the integrity of fire-rated compartments, keeping smoke and toxic gases out of buildings and ventilation systems, but also preserves key areas of a building that could exacerbate fire damage, and much of this preservation targets ductwork.
In buildings with multiple storeys, for example, fire spray can be used on steel ductwork to pressurise stairs, keeping fire evacuation routes free of smoke and heat. It also plays an important role in the preservation of kitchen exhaust ductwork, where the accumulation of grease and debris might otherwise rapidly escalate and spread the fire.
Steel beams, or structural steel members, are renowned as the strongest structural supports available for construction. In line with construction industry standards, steel is the best bet for keeping any structure sturdy, even in the event of a fire.
Fire risks associated with unprotected steel beams
Unprotected steel beams can survive only about 30 minutes in a fire before reaching its maximum temperature limit and begins to deflect, buckle or twist. While this is much longer than most other building materials, fire spray can help to maximise this time – a potentially life-saving adaptation in the midst of disaster.
Why apply fire spray to steel beams?
Fire spray can be applied directly onto bare steel from a can; however, larger applications can require a specialised machine and a team of up to six workers.
The most significant benefits of protecting steel beams with passive fire spray come down to the preservation of property. Typically designed to absorb heat, fire spray can preserve a building’s structure for longer, giving occupants a better chance of making a safe escape and affording firefighters more time to extinguish the blaze.
Securing Pipework Penetrations with Passive Fire Spray
The fire risks of pipework penetrations
Pipework penetrations occur when pipes cut through the floors or walls of a building, passing from one fire area to another and creating a potential channel through which fire could spread in a building. Pipe insulation with a non-combustible material is the best way to combat the risk of spread – and as different pipe systems call for different insulation systems, it pays to have a team of experts on hand to provide guidance as to the best solution.
The benefits of passive fire spray for pipework penetrations
Invisible and effective, passive fire spray is a popular method of sealing off gaps caused by pipework penetrations such as pipes, conduits and cables, and creating a more fire-safe property. Fire spray works by sealing the gaps to build resistance, delay the spread of fire and ultimately maintain structural integrity.
Benefits of Passive Fire Spray
Beyond the obvious fire safety benefits of passive protection during a blaze, there are plenty of reasons building managers choose to have fire suppression systems installed during the construction phase.
For example, the materials used in fire spray provide highly effective insulation and protection against fires, saving critical time during an emergency.
This method of passive fire protection is also highly cost effective and easy to apply, saving time and money both instantaneously and over the life of the investment.
Comparatively, other passive fire protection measures, such as fire-rated walls, fire doors, smoke curtains and fire compartments, are all reasonably effective methods of slowing the burn in buildings – as are active fire protection systems like sprinkler systems. A distinguishing factor for fire spray is its ability to form an invisible fire resistant barrier.
Maintenance and Inspection
Fire resistance systems are a must within any constructed space, but simply having them installed is not sufficient for safety without regular maintenance and inspections.
Building codes generally require all passive fire protection systems to have regular maintenance for effectiveness.
Beyond the all-important installation process, insulation experts often provide inspection services, giving property owners and occupants peace of mind. These inspections will typically include biannual checks of fire alarms, smoke detectors, and emergency lights, as well as annual checks of hoses, fire hydrants, and fire extinguishers.
Conclusion
As technology continues to evolve, methods and systems of protection will continue to improve – a fact of which passive fire spray is a textbook example. Now that you understand more about how it works and its key applications, as well as the many ways in which you stand to benefit from its use, there are plenty of reasons to consider taking the next steps to protect your property and the lives of those who use it.
Isn’t it time to invest in passive and active fire safety systems and enjoy the peace of mind that comes with knowing you’re prepared for the worst? For more information on passive protection and fire safety solutions you can trust, call the team at Advanced Insulation and Fabrications on 1300 887 260 or fill in our contact form.