Technical Archives - Page 5 of 14

Update on Technical Team Activities at FIS

by Oscar Venus | 16 May, 2024 | Technical

Our technical team at FIS are continuously working to provide guidance answer questions and look out for changes in legislation that could impact your business.

The work we do is varied as you will see from the presentation, this first video update includes:

Details of a new guide on repairing historic lath and plaster ceilings,
Understanding how products work together and integrate with other building systems especially where Fire walls are installed with services, doors, glazed partitions, this will be launched later in the summer.
Addressing a gap in training our teams to estimate or procure products including drylining, ceilings, infill SFS and glazed partitions.
Developing systems to evaluate acoustic performance and specifications for offsite manufactured meeting pods
Reducing risk in managing nominal or unresolved design details
Detail behind the first industry alert issued this year on the suitability of Smoke shafts, one not to miss!
Fire resistance of Glazed fire screens and the importance of insulation values
Update of our publication reviews
Details of our upcoming meetings and events including a free to attend meeting for drylining organisations on 30 May and the Ceilings and absorbers group on 5 June
More information on our Advisory service and answering your technical calls

Play the video below to hear from Jim and Joe

Technical Resources

You can access the full suite of FIS Tehcnical resources in our knowledge hub.

Click Here

FIS issues safety alert for smoke shafts

by Clair Mooney | 30 Apr, 2024 | Technical

FIS Safety Alert: Suitability of gypsum-based systems in the construction of smoke shafts

Concerns have been raised with FIS that gypsum-based systems are being specified to construct smoke shafts for mechanically ventilated systems in some high-rise buildings. Members are advised that gypsum-based systems are typically tested for fire resistance, sound insulation, air permeability and robustness. These tests do not replicate the pressure differential conditions or measure leakage at ambient or elevated temperatures which may be required for this application.

Members are advised to be watchful for this detail in their tender requests and project specifications and seek clarification, especially where any specific requirement to meet performance in accordance with BS EN1366-8, the shaft is classified to BS EN 13501-4 or elevated negative air pressures are referenced. On design matters members should seek clarification from the Principal Designer and/or Engineering Services Designers and consult with Manufacturers with respect to any live or legacy specifications. They are also reminded to be watchful for any clauses in contract that may leave them with responsibility for the design, compliance, or cost of demonstrating compliance of such details.

If you have additional questions, please contact the FIS Technical team on 0121 707 0077 or email jamesparlour@thefis.org or joecilia@thefis.org

Subsequent to the publishing of above statement on the 3rd May 2024 the Smoke Control Association has issued a statement recommending that the materials and products used for smoke control ducts and shafts are tested in accordance with the test standards referred to in BS EN 12101-7 for multi-compartment smoke control ducts which is BS EN 1366-8.

BS EN 1366-8 covers air leakage, integrity, insulation, maintenance of cross-sectional area and mechanical stability under pressure, characteristics which are detailed within BS EN 13501-4.

The full statement from the SCA can be viewed here.

VISIT THE FIS BUILDING SAFETY ACT HUB FEATURING OUR E-LEARNING INTRODUCTION TO THE BUILDING SAFETY ACT COURSE HERE

European Court of Justice Judgment on free standards

by Clair Mooney | 28 Mar, 2024 | Technical

In a recent appeal heard at the European Court of Justice (Case C-588/21 P), the Court ruled that four harmonized standards form part of EU law and access must be freely available without charge.

The Court decided that there is an overriding public interest in free access to harmonized standards that have been cited in the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU). Although the case related to just four standards, in practice it is likely to apply to future requests for access to all harmonized standards that have been cited in the OJEU.

BSI is now working with CEN, CENELEC and the other members of CEN and CENELEC to understand the implications of the judgment. They will look at how the judgment can be delivered whilst ensuring the future sustainability of the standards system.

If you have any queries on the ECJ ruling please send them to ECJqueries@bsigroup.com

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CROSS reports potential problems with the application of passive fire protection products

by Clair Mooney | 28 Mar, 2024 | Technical

FIS is aware of two recent reports raised through CROSS (Collaborative Reporting for Safer Structures UK) that highlight potential problems with the application of passive fire protection products.

One issue relates to the use on sealants with CPVP pipes (sprinkler pipe) which can apply to fire stopped pipe penetrations whereby the sealant or firestopping product used can cause failures over time which require repair and downtime of the sprinkler system. Additionally, it is possible that these failures could manifest only at such a time where the active fire suppression systems are required, and that the firestopping at the location of the penetration could itself fail in the event of a fire due to a difference between the site condition and the test condition.

FIS has previously published guidance on this which can be found here, and the CROSS report can be found here.

The second report deals with assumptions being made about the fire protection of steel supporting members within fire rated timber joist supporting floors. In these cases steel beams are not being protected with intumescent coating as it is assumed that the fire resistance of the floor encompasses the steel beams despite the absence of test evidence demonstrating this.

The CROSS report can be found here.

CROSS is a confidential reporting system which allows professionals working in the built environment to report on fire and structural safety issues. These are then published anonymously to share lessons learned, create positive change, and improve safety.

FIS responds to Welsh Government consultation regarding changes to Approved Document B

by Clair Mooney | 11 Jan, 2024 | Technical

FIS has responded on behalf of, and in conjunction with the views of it’s members to a consultation from the Welsh Government regarding changes to Approved Document B this week. The proposed changes were broadly similar to the changes that we saw to ADB in England at the end of 2022, but also encapsulated the consultation on the removal of National classifications for Fire Resistance and Reaction to Fire from ADB.

We re-asserted our position strongly highlighting the downsides of removing national classifications for fire resistance without provisions around the gaps that exist in the EN testing regime and a sensible timeframe, that is consistent with our previous position paper from the English consultation last year (https://www.thefis.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/FIS-Position-paper-on-Omitting-National-standards-from-ADB-March-2023.pdf). Our response to other issues such as the ban on use of combustible materials in and on external walls of buildings and other areas where more clarity is required were consistent with the English changes seen at the end of 2022 and the views of our colleagues at the Construction Products Association.

If you would like to see the full text of our response, please contact jamesparlour@thefis.org

New Passive Fire Knowledge Group develops knowledge shares to support compliance

by Clair Mooney | 16 Nov, 2023 | Building Safety Act, Technical

A new set of resources looking at penetrations and compatibility were launched today at London Build by the Passive Fire Knowledge Group (PFKG), a collaborative construction forum (co-chaired by FIS Technical Director Joe Cilia).

The PFKG brings together contractors, consultants and relevant trade associations established to encourage collaboration and improve the delivery of well designed, specified and installed passive fire protection by focusing on three key areas: Process, Testing and Education. The group aims to investigate, understand, inform and promote knowledge and research in all areas of passive fire protection and support compliance through the supply chain with the Building Safety Act.

The new resources have been developed to support compliance in the supply chain and cover:

Knowledge Share 1 – MEP Service Positioning And Separation Within Compartment Walls
Knowledge Share 2 – Wall Compatibility Checks
Knowledge Share 3 – Shaft Walls & Services Penetrations
MEP Services Penetration Seals Best Practice Design And Specification

The resources are available to download from the PFKG website here : https://pfkg.org/reports-2/