Poor build quality adds to perpetuation of fire spread, says ASFP 1,900°C (3,450°F) for periods of 30 minutes, with no damage or loss of material contributing to the spread of flame. Additionally, as a solvent-free material, it is ideal for both internal and external masonry, experiencing no shrinkage during cure. Jason Horn, Belzona’s R&D manager, said: “Belzona has an established range of composite concrete repair systems that have been used in hundreds of projects around the world. With this product, we wanted to extend the capabilities of the range by developing a system that would complement our existing concrete repair systems, introducing an added element of safety – more specifically, fire safety. “Belzona has now introduced a fire resistant concrete repair system that is non-combustible, produces a very low volume of smoke and maintains its structure under immense heat. This allows the product to meet the conditions of projects where stringent fire and smoke standards are specified, for example underground services.”
Belzona 4141FR applied on a corner section of concrete without shuttering Belzona 4141FR aims to provide a safety conscious, fire resistant composite concrete repair system. Without the need for formwork/ shuttering, downtime is reduced and allows for an easy and quick application even with basic tools. From high-rise buildings and car parks to metro stations and tunnels, the system provides a long lasting, cost-effective solution for any type of building and structure. q • For more information visit www.belzona.com/4141FR.
[THE FIRE AT the five-storey Travelodge hotel in Brentford,
West London, on 4 December serves to highlight yet again concerns regarding modern building processes, materials and the overall quality of construction, the CEO of the Association for Specialist Fire Protection (ASFP), Niall Rowan, has said. The ASFP lists a ‘catalogue’ of fires in recent months involving buildings where rapid and ‘unexpected’ fire spread has been a major feature. They include the Holiday Inn hotel in Walsall, the Premier Inn at Cribb’s Causeway in Bristol, a block of flats in Worcester Park in south west London, the Beechmere retirement complex in Crewe and The Cube student accommodation block in Bolton. The buildings use a range of modern methods of construction (MMCs), with many being of timber-framed construction or featuring cladding products. The ASFP is concerned that the use of such materials, matched with poor levels of build quality and little understanding of fire protection principles, is putting lives at risk. The association says that, while there is little information available to date on those particular buildings, there are a number of documented examples of modern buildings where fire protection systems have been poorly installed and maintained, and even missing from key areas. The ASFP believes the failings of the buildings are the result of decades of a prevalent culture in which fire safety has not been considered seriously, with cost rather than quality and safety being the key drivers. “A change in culture is necessary to ensure that fire safety is valued, with all forms of protection recognised as being part of a holistic system that ensures that failures or inadequacies in one system are compensated for by others, rather than systems being engineered out to reduce costs,” the ASFP says. Niall Rowan stated: “Building owners and fire services alike must be confident that buildings are constructed and maintained in accordance with the Building Regulations and that they can rely on them to perform as expected should a fire occur. However, changes in building materials and construction processes have transformed the way in which our building stock behaves in fire; and poor workmanship and light touch enforcement of Building Regulations has frequently resulted in buildings that offer poor levels of fire protection. Cost rather than quality has become the key driver. “The only way to ensure the safety of our buildings is to adequately enforce the Building Regulations and require owners and responsible persons to undertake regular audits of compartmentation and other firesafety systems. Similarly, competency requirements for specifiers, installers, maintainers and responsible persons must be defined and policed. “Education about the role played by fire safety systems and their intrinsic value is also vital. Only then will the importance of quality and competency rather than cost be truly recognised and the safety of our built environment assured.” q www.constructionnational.co.uk
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