Testing time – There’s little one can do once a ďŹ re really gets going, but important observations can be drawn from monitoring the process. Fire testing is literally the business of Firelab of Pretoria. The company’s Karel van Dyk showed how combustibility testing of building materials at up to 750ÂşC and higher is conducted. This is obviously a serious undertaking, and Firelab has been able to make some very relevant recommendations. • Firelab can be reached on phone 012 349 2929.
ďŹ res in the industry itself, the 1996 blaze in which a plastics factory in Johannesburg was razed, construction of the plant had deviated from the original plans. There have been a number of other ďŹ res in the industry itself over the last few years, including ďŹ res at a polystyrene foam manufacturing business (source material styrene is exceptionally ammable), an injection moulding business, a ďŹ lm printing business (solvents used in printing are hazardous) and others. www.fpasa.co.za
Source of much blame Prior to the development of more effective ďŹ re retardant (FR) additives, fumes from the burning of plastic materials were widely
blamed for the death of victims, mainly as a result of noxious gases emitted. Foams used in furniture cushioning and insulation in work and domestic situations and cable insulation in mines and transport areas were seen as major culprits. As the conference progressed, however, it became apparent that not only have FR systems become far more effective, but that a huge quantity of research has been focused on the area too. The research has led to the development of standards for ďŹ re prevention materials and measures, which topic formed a main component of the conference. The standards process has focused particularly on expanded polystyrene, PVC and polyurethanes, which materials have up till now been most likely
to appear in expanded foam form. But, as always, there has not been complete agreement with standards setting process. The simple fact of the matter is that in the amount of combustible materials is greater in the more industrialised nations, a situation which has almost unexpectedly presented an opportunity for developing nations to learn from the international experience. South Africa ďŹ ts into the latter category and the event hence provided an opportunity for SA suppliers to gain from the international speakers present. Since elimination of the risk of ďŹ re is basically impossible, the focus of measures to reduce the ammability risk of polymer materials is rather to delay the process APRIL / MAY 2012 41
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