MEMBER SPOTLIGHT 12

URL: www.hempel.com Phone: +44 (01633) 874024 Email: pfp.uk@hempel.com

HEET coatings estimation software - making estimations simpler for passive fire protection (PFP) coatings

Hempel recently launched HEET (Hempel Estimation and Engineering Technology), a software estimation tool that accurately calculates the right amount of intumescent coating for structural steelwork on projects. For our customers in the PFP market, coating estimations can be a significant challenge. PFP coatings require very specific thickness and volume calculations, and these can be time-consuming to perform. Hempel’s HEET software overcomes this issue by enabling customers to perform calculations themselves, quickly and easily.

The software enables our customers to perform PFP calculations for their own projects on their own terms. With HEET, customers get:

• Time-savings through faster intumescent thickness and volume calculations • Cost-savings by using free software • Simplicity with built-in parameters and easy-to-use solutions • Estimation accuracy, thanks to a mandatory online tutorial for users

HEET comes complete with a list of typical default limiting temperatures that are used throughout the industry, eg according to Eurocode and the Yellow Book 5th edition. When it comes to section factor calculations, HEET is equipped with a variety of steel sizes, including custom profiles, with built-in parameters for easy calculation. When custom data is essential, the software also allows data input from Excel for external data mapping requirements. These are just some of the key features that ensure users are guaranteed estimation accuracy.

HEET is available for users who are competent in PFP estimations and can be obtained in all countries and regions where Hempel’s intumescent coatings are available. In order to access the software, users will need to complete an online user tutorial, followed by a software download which can only be activated with a licence key.

If you are interested in learning more about HEET, please visit our Hempel website or email Lindsay Hutcheson at pfp.uk@hempel.com

Welcome to our newest members

We also welcome

Fire Duct Systems Ltd Alexandru Stoian Angus Nairn Brendan Hughes Cem Demirel Chris Cole Chris Gadney Colin Walker Colin Taylor Darren Stranger Dave Hanrahan Elizabeth Saunders Gary Tibbs Hassan Ahmed Jake Walker Jakub Machalinski Joanne Overton Joseph Melmoth Marian Pavaloaie Ozan Taylan Seven Paul White Peter Wildi Philip Martin Richard Price Richard Titmus Scott Forrest Sean McDermott Simon Bevan Simon Burke Stephanie Halle Steven Orme Stewart Proctor Takuya Iijima

As the UK implements changes in fire safety legislation to improve fire safety in buildings, David O’Reilly, ASFP Ireland’s Chief Operations Officer, describes how Ireland got there first, and without a tragedy to force it to happen

Elsewhere in this publication, ASFP’s Technical and Regulatory Affairs Officer Niall Rowan discusses the Association’s thinking on recent consultations for secondary legislation in the UK being prepared following publication of the Building Safety Act. This article explains how Ireland is already ahead of the game

In a new development, a whitepaper was launched at the Fire Conference 2022 in October by the Fire Sector Federation (FSF) and other industry leaders, calling for a wider discussion to create a national fire safety strategy in the UK.

The FSF whitepaper, Developing a National Strategy for Fire Safety, sets out a possible pathway for the fire sector and government to work together to create a safer society – one which goes beyond the current legislative proposals. Seeking a framework to effectively manage fire risk to help achieve a sustainable and safer society, the whitepaper states: • Without a strategy we will always seek to reconcile and compromise, rather than take direct forceful action • Fire has historically been a low priority in Britain • Fire safety legislation in Britain continues to be reactive to tragedy • Competency and commitment are at the heart of all success in safety.

Britain isn’t alone when it comes to legislators reacting to tragedy. This is a common theme globally, and certainly the Irish experience. The Stardust Disco fire in 1981 claimed 48 lives and was the trigger needed to develop a proper set of building regulations and approved documents, under the Building Control Act 1990 which came into effect in July 1992.

The FSF whitepaper states that fire safety, especially in buildings, is dependent upon being focused on prevention and control from inception until closure, or in the case of a building, demolition. It describes six fundamental principles as being at the core of fire safety and it is the fifth of these that could be described as the core of the core:

‘A written fire safety strategy, with a plan that details all building work and integral fire safety processes must exist that will allow a “certificate of completion” to be issued when the works are satisfactorily completed according to the plan. No building should be handed over to the owners, or clients, or be occupied without an appropriate and valid completion certificate, accompanied by the background material used to assess completion including ‘as built plans’ etc, which must be maintained up to date.’

In Ireland, we tick each of these three boxes already. The issue is that they come under two separate pieces of primary legislation further divided by the separation of Building Regulations from Building Control Regulations.