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AIM FIRE STOP BLOCKS NOW TESTED FOR WIDER APPLICATION

AIM – Acoustic & Insulation Manufacturing Fire Stop Blocks are now backed by test evidence covering a wider range of applications.  Tested to the principles of BS EN 1366-4:2021, AIM’s Fire Stop Blocks also have IFC Certification Ltd third-party certification.  

Made from high density stonewool, AIM Fire Stop Blocks are incorporated into multi storey buildings during construction to seal apertures.  They are used where the underside of a profiled metal sheet, typically a composite deck, needs to be filled to prevent the passage of smoke and fire to maintain fire compartment lines and to reduce the transmission of sound.

“At AIM we continuously strive to improve our product certification.  We now have test evidence covering a much wider range than previously – we think the widest of all fire stop block manufacturers,” explains Ian Exall, AIM’s Commercial Director.

“Our Fire Stop Block range is comprehensive.  Additionally, our CNC machine can manufacture Fire Stop Blocks to pretty much any profile,” he adds.  

Available in lengths up to 1200mm or in shorter pre-cut blocks, AIM’s Fire Stop Blocks are designed to fill the flutes of trapezoidal formwork.  With its CNC wire saw capability AIM manufactures Fire Stop Blocks to almost any profile or customer’s dimensions.  The CNC cut provides ultimate accuracy especially for profiles with rounded shoulders.  

For maximum protection, Fire Stop Blocks should be sourced at a length to match the width of the wall or partition.  The compression fit means mastics and sealants are not required for most applications and the Fire Stop Blocks are easy to install without tools.  If the head of a masonry wall is rough, then a metal ‘slip plate’ can be used to provide a smooth surface for the Fire Stop Block to slide across.  

Ablative/pre-painted Fire Stop Blocks are also available if required, these should be sealed around their perimeter using AIM Acrylic Intumescent Mastic.

AIM’s 100mm Fire Stop Blocks provide a one-hour integrity and insulation fire rating whilst the 125mm solution provides a two-hour integrity and insulation fire rating.  The ratings are supported by testing to BS EN 1366-4:2021, which provide a specific methodology for ‘testing fire stops installed into permanent trapezoidal formwork’.  Tata Steel’s C19, CF80 and CF225 profiles were used in the testing programme – direct field of application that covers most profiled metal decking available in the current market.  

Ablative Fire Stop Blocks, sealed with AIM Intumescent Mastic, have also been tested for applications where air tightness and general aesthetics are more important.

The tested profiles are now supported by third party certification from UKAS accredited IFC Certification Ltd, a process involving independent auditors which ensures the product that had been fire tested is the product that is sold to market and the finished product is manufactured to consistently high standards.  Regular audits ensure the standards of production are maintained.

A new AIM Fire Stop Block technical datasheet, which explains the application, scope of test evidence and fixing instructions, is available to download at: https://www.aimlimited.co.uk/solutions/fire-stop-blocks-2/   

AIM’s specification team is on hand to advise specifiers, fire consultants/engineers, metal deck system holders and installers, including cladding and bricklaying contractors, dryliners and fire protection contractors.

Part of the Performance Technology Group, UK-based Acoustic & Insulation Manufacturing has over 30 years-experience in the design, testing and manufacturing of high-quality fire, thermal and acoustic barriers.  The company produces a wide variety of bespoke insulation products to customer specification and a range of standard fire, thermal and acoustic insulation products.  

www.aimlimited.co.uk

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Lindapter Fire Rated Hollo-Bolts

  

Lindapter Hollo-Bolts are now independently Fire Rated for up to 120 minutes.

As part of our continued commitment and investment in product development and testing Lindapter commissioned the Building Research Establishment (BRE) to independently fire test Lindapter Hollo-Bolts.

Lindapter’s Hollo-Bolt Hexagonal Head is an expansion bolt that only requires access from one side of the Structural Hollow Section (SHS). They offer a faster alternative to welding or through-bolting, enabling contractors to reduce construction time and labour costs. Installation is quickly carried out by inserting into pre-drilled steelwork and tightening with a torque wrench. Also suitable for blind connections where access is available from one side only.

We are now pleased to announce that our carbon steel, hexagonal head Hollo-Bolts have been independently fire tested under tensile and shear loading with simultaneous exposure to standard fire conditions in accordance with ISO 834/ASTM E-119 for 120 minutes.

This provides further reassurance to construction professionals working with Lindapter and demonstrates our commitment to quality and transparency of product performance by increasing the volume of independent data that we have.

For further details and load data please contact Lindapter technical support

on +44 (0) 1274 521444

or CLICK HERE to email Lindapter

 

 

 

 

 

 

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FSi leads the way with new UKCA quality mark to fire stopping products

Passive fire protection specialist FSi has added the new UK mark of compliance to all its qualifying products more than two years ahead of the deadline – offering customers further assurance of its high standards.

Although the date for compliance has been pushed back to June 2025 for construction products as the UK transitions aways from the European CE scheme, FSi has already secured this for the majority of their range; including their Sealants (Pyrocoustic, Pyrolastic, PyroPro HPE and LST), Stopseal Batts, PipeBloc PCP Collars and PipeBloc PWP Wraps.

From June 2023, the company’s fire stopping products will be labelled bearing the UKCA mark. This follows successful technical assessments by a Government-approved body, following work within FSi to provide the comprehensive documentation and control processes required.

The UK Conformity Assessment (UKCA) mark has been introduced by the Government to show that manufactured products are fit for the market in Great Britain and meet relevant requirements relating to health, safety and the environment.

The CE mark was originally set to be replaced by UKCA on January 1, 2021, which was then pushed back to January 2022. However, for products used in the construction industry, which includes passive fire protection, the date was extended even further until June 30, 2025.

Based in Measham, in Leicestershire, FSi manufactures a range of fire stopping systems that are used in the envelope of a building to limit the spread of a fire. Fire stopping is a process of adequately sealing imperfections in the building, or breaches to walls or floors by penetrations or linear gaps to create a compartment.

Matt Metcalfe, Firestop Manager at FSi, said:

 

“FSi takes responsibility for the quality, safety and performance of its products at every level, and this means showing compliance and backing that up with technical data and proof of performance.

“In adding the UKCA mark of compliance to our products as early as possible we underline that commitment to standards, accountability and taking responsibility for the products that we manufacture.

“Compliance, testing and thorough documentation are second nature to us as a passive fire protection manufacturer and we will always go that extra step to show that we meet requirements, legislation and testing related to our products.

“The technical team worked hard to ensure that all the relevant documentation was in place to support the checks and testing required to achieve compliance.”

“As FSi manufactures products for the global market we understand the need for product confidence, particularly in fire protection products and are happy to have been able to show our compliance.”

CLICK HERE FOR THE FSI WEBSITE

 

 

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No room for risk – EXAP is the key to fire safety

Nigel Morrey, technical director at Siniat, discusses what EXAP is and why it is vital to removing ambiguity and ensuring robust building safety standards.

Last month, Michael Gove admitted pre-Grenfell cladding guidance was ‘faulty’ and ‘ambiguous’. While shocking to hear, for those of us who work in the construction industry, many of us had to agree.
Since Grenfell, the government has invested heavily into finding out what went wrong and ensuring such a tragedy never happens again. These actions have resulted in major tightening up of the fire safety guidance detailed in Approved Document B in 2019, yet it is still full of ambiguous footnotes, exceptions, and grey areas. So much so that Approved Document B is currently under consultation to discuss the removal of the national classification system for construction products (BS 476 series).
Ambiguity can lead to compromises on safety and questions around liability. The only way to achieve clarity and give specifiers the confidence they need to build safely is to cut out grey areas and eliminate differing national standards. EXAP holds the key to this.

What is EXAP?

EXAP means extended field of application and is the standard used to extend a fire test’s results to other similar systems – it is now referenced in Approved Dcoument B as the only recognised method of making these extensions or assessments.
The publication of the Hackitt report in 2018 played a major role in identifying failings within the construction industry’s regulations, codes, practices, and approval processes. This resulted in changes to Approved Document B to ensure fire safety legislation is more robust.  The changes outlined that the industry should move away from testing systems for fire resistance to BS standards and instead ensure that systems are both tested and classified to the latest EN standards. This means following a process of ‘Test’, ‘Extend’, and ‘Classify’.  First, testing must use the appropriate EN fire testing standard. Next, extension of test data to similar applications can be done, but only by qualified and approved 3rd party bodies using the test standard or extended application (EXAP) – and critically only where the standards explicitly allow it. Finally, this evidence must be validated and summarised in an official 3rd party classification report.
While more robust standards are vital, the challenge is that the updated guidelines in Approved Document B are more onerous than previous testing standards. They demand extensive additional testing, extension and classification of a manufacturer’s entire portfolio of systems, which is a laborious and expensive task. This process takes time – even years to complete. So, it is understandable that since 2019 the industry has been in a transitionary period.

The time is now

A transitionary period has been required to allow manufacturers to undertake the adequate testing and ensure the nation’s buildings are being built to the safest standards. However, four years down the line and with a question hanging over national classifications,  we should no longer be seeing projects that require EXAP being specified to BS. It simply is not good enough.   We know that the industry is serious about preventing the loss of property, and of life. So, we need to put that concern into action. Meeting the most up-to-date, robust, legislation is the best – and easiest – way to improve the safety of our buildings and give our partners and more importantly, the people who will live and work in the buildings we construct, the peace of mind they need.
To achieve this, a change in mindset is required. EXAP should now be seen as the minimum standard, whether or not the current consultation results in the removal of BS 476 recognition now, or in the future.   Manufacturers have the power to enact this by ensuring their entire portfolio of systems meet these requirements. But organisations throughout the supply chain, including specifiers, have the responsibility to hold their manufacturers and suppliers accountable.

The Golden Thread

Liability is a huge concern within the industry and so it should be. Regulation 38 states that not only organisations can be held responsible, but individuals can be prosecuted too. In fact, any person responsible can be held liable retrospectively for up to 30 years since a build, and 15 years prospectively.  So, demanding EXAP classification reports is crucial for ensuring that fire safety standards are taken seriously. If contractors, architects, and building control aren’t requesting adequate fire resistance information, it won’t become part of the project requirements and inevitably won’t be supplied, potentially exposing the client, designers and contractors to future issues.  On top of this, the reports also help the industry to move towards the Golden Thread of information which is expected to become embedded in law within the next few years.
The Golden Thread has become a crucial way to increase transparency within the industry and show how every organisation contributing to the construction of a building has mitigated risk. It stipulates a need for an up to date, easily accessible and unbroken thread of information. The evidence found within EN and EXAP evidence ensures that fire safety information is supplied in a clear and consistent format, enabling the Golden Thread to be achieved more easily across the industry.
Requesting EXAP classification reports is vital to ensuring that as an industry we are moving towards safer processes and futureproofing our buildings. This will give construction professionals today, and tomorrow, the peace of mind that their building is safe.

www.siniat.co.uk

 

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deflection head fire seal

Knauf’s Deflection Head Fire Seal takes the hassle out of constructing deflection head details, simplifying the installation process and delivering peace of mind when meeting the ever-stringent fire protection standards.

New to the Knauf range of drywall accessories on July 1 2019, and ensuring full system compliance, Knauf Deflection Head Fire Seal reduces complexity when installing drywall systems, so simple that when installed correctly, it’s guaranteed to do its job.

An alternative to the arduous traditional plasterboard fillet deflection head, this elastic polyurethane foam with intumescent firestop additives acts as a firestop and acoustic solution at the partition top track whilst providing up to 25mm deflection capability.

Using Knauf Deflection Head Fire Seal saves contractors a significant amount of time on site, provides a clean environment, can be cut to size without creating dust and is a lightweight easy-to-handle product. Gone are the days of having to attach plasterboard strips and laboriously lifting the heavy top tracks into place. This reduction in site practices not only simplifies the build process and ensures quality, but saves time, money and onsite waste.

The guarantee of quality assurance doesn’t stop there. Because Knauf Deflection Head Fire Seal can be integrated within Knauf drywall systems, Knauf can provide a full System Performance Warranty, reducing the associated risks and reassuring clients.

Available in four standard widths, the Knauf products provide a friction fit for all common track sizes with a further double width option accommodating larger track widths and a cost-effective solution for double stud systems.

Knauf Deflection Head Fire Seal is also space saving and easy to manoeuvre on site. One box of 20 rolls, covering 60 linear metres of top track, has a mere 0.3m2 footprint compared to the alternative pallet of plasterboard fillets at 3.6m2 and at less than a tenth of the weight.

As a market leader, Knauf understands the importance of offering solution-based systems that cater to the needs of customers and their clients. By offering full Knauf systems, our customers can enjoy the backing from Knauf’s technical expertise but also feel safe in knowledge that the system is backed by a System Performance Warranty.

The introduction of Knauf Deflection Head Fire Seal is part of Knauf UK’s commitment to build for the world we live in where product development goes hand-in-hand with customer insights and innovation is driven by their needs.

 

www.knauf.co.uk

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