Many building owners and occupiers assume that they are compliant with the Regulatory reform order after carrying out a fire risk assessment. This assumption occurs because a large part of the fire risk assessment should cover the risks of breached fire compartments. Unfortunately, this is not always the case as fire risk assessors do not cover “out of sight” areas. Instead, they recommend the client seeks “specialist” advice for these areas.
An FRA (Fire Risk Assessment) requirement has been the law since October 2006 for commercial properties including Landlords and Tenants. Without an assessment, you are not legally compliant, and your business is unlikely to be insured for fire.
Many people decide to carry out their assessments or employ a company that offers a basic service. This is acceptable, however, the question that a person would need to ask themselves is “Have I considered everything” to warrant this reasonability. If there was a serious event that person would be liable and not the risk assessor.
If you do not want the burden or feel you cannot be certain that you have fire protection compliance, then you may want an inspection from Onyx Fire.
For a no-obligation survey please complete the form below.
Fire Protection
All holes/voids in your compartmentation need to be plugged and the area made fireproof by using the relevant fire stopping products that are fit for purpose. Onyx Fire has trained technicians who can assess the requirements, and carry out the relevant remedial works.
Fireproofing is achieved by using a range of different fire stopping materials and methods. These can include intumescent seals and pipe collars, intumescent socket box inserts; putties; sealants; sprays and foam. In addition, acoustic intumescent sealant is available where noise between compartmentations needs to be minimal e.g. in hospitals wards, schools and hotels.
Pipe collars, sleeves and wraps work by providing a protective barrier to stop smoke from a fire from spreading through rooms or floors. Intumescent paint can also be applied to certain areas, which again provides a protective layer in the event of a fire.
Fire doors fitted with fire and smoke seals also provide passive fire protection, by hindering the spread of smoke and fire. Fully fitted fire doors can reduce the spread of fire by up to 120 minutes
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Fire Stopping
One of the main causes of fire spread within a building is a result of fire and smoke travel through unsealed voids in floors, walls, ceilings and roofs. Although these voids will always be necessary to allow the distribution of mechanical and electrical services to necessary areas of a building, they will still present a risk regardless as they compromise the fire compartmentation. Fire compartmentation is essential to areas such as escape corridors and staircases as they are the vital evacuation routes for building occupants in an event of a fire. It is also imperative that “hazard rooms” – such as plant rooms and kitchens – are suitably contained due to their notably high risk of causing a fire.
Firestopping is the use of a suitably tested application to maintain the fire integrity of fire-resistant walls wherever penetrations occur due to the above mentioned mechanical and electrical services. Typically, this involves a combination of an ablative-coated high-densityhigh density mineral wool and an intumescent mastic system that is used to seal the void and prevent the spread of fire and cold smoke from the affected room. The ablative ‘batt’ is cut and friction fitted in tointo the void, around any services and penetrations, and then sufficiently sealed with intumescent mastic to maintain a complete fire and smoke seal. This system can be used in conjunction with all types of walls (block, concrete and plasterboard partition) and can maintain fire integrity for up to four hours.
Fire stopping systems benefitbenefits from:
Having an easy installation process.
Being resistant to humidity.
Provide an airtightair tight seal.
Being maintenance-freemaintenance free.
Having good sound dampening qualities.
Pipes and services can be wrapped in an intumescent sleeve so they are fully sealed in the event of a fire.
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Fire Doors
FD30 and FD60 fire doors are an integral part of any fire compartmentation system. Such systems are required in all buildings whereby staff, residents, students, visitors or any person is present. According to the Association for Specialist Fire Protection (ASFP), we build passive fire protection such as fire doors into the structure of a building to safeguard people’s lives and limit the financial impact of damage to buildings and their contents.
Doors have to prevent the passage of flames and hot gases for the relevant period. Secondly, to protect people needing to evacuate by keeping escape routes clear. So, a building owner needs to ensure the routine maintenance of fire doors to keep them in excellent working condition.
FD30 & FD60
There are two main types of the fire door. FD30 doors provide 30 minutes of fire resistance whilst FD60 doors provide 60 minutes of shielding from fire.
Eventually, the door will succumb to the fire but the time it takes to do so will provide vital time for any persons in the building to vacate safely and without harm.
In the UK, most FD30 and FD60 fire doors are still timber-based. On the other hand, steel fire doors are generally specified for industrial applications or where longer fire resistance is required i.e. 90, 120 or 240 minutes.
Some fire doors provide protection from the spread of cold smoke which can be potentially fatal. To provide this level of protection, FD30s doors are fitted with a smoke seal consisting of brushes and/or intumescent strips.
If you are specifying an FD30 or FD60 fire door to be installed as a replacement in your existing building or as part of a new project, please contact us for details. Furthermore, we are happy to talk about any of our passive fire protection products & services.
FIRE BARRIERS / CURTAINS
There are two different types of fire barriers designed to offer smoke and fire protection within roofs and ceiling voids. One being a mineral fibre barrier that
thatwhich offers both insulation and fire protection, the other is a lightweight woven cloth material thatwhich offers an extremely cost-efficientcost efficient solution.
Why are Cavity Barriers Important?
A wide range of buildings are honeycombed with concealed cavities and voids within roofs, floors and walls. Concealed spaces in a building can present a significant danger, however, as they can act as a chimney; providing an easy route for flame, hot gases and smoke to move from one compartment of a building to another.
Cavity barriers ensure each compartment and concealed cavity of a building is sub-divided, preventing the rapid spread of fire from one compartment to another. Cavities that haven’t been effectively managed allow air to be drawn in and smoke to vent out, accelerating the spread of fire.
Cavity fire barriers are an essential element of fire protection in modern buildings – research has shown that fires can extend up to 10 times higher in buildings without cavity barriers (regardless of whether the surfaces of the cavity are combustible or not).
BS 9991 provides recommendations and guidance on the design, management and use of residential buildings to ensure adequate fire safety measures are in place. It covers dwellings (houses/flats), residential accommodation blocks and specialised housing, and applies to both the design of new buildings and to alterations on existing buildings.
FIRE BARRIERS / CURTAINS
There are two different types of fire barriers designed to offer smoke and fire protection within roofs and ceiling voids. One being a mineral fibre barrier which offers both insulation and fire protection, the other is a lightweight woven cloth material which offers an extremely cost efficient solution
WHY WORK WITH US
MANAGEMENT
Onyx Fire hashave been recognised across the Nation for their approach towards management. All the Fire Stopping Team are commercially minded with their strategy, always fully competent and goal focussed.
HEALTH & SAFETY
You can always be certain that Onyx Fire will never carry outcarryout any Fire Stopping work unless it is safe to do so. Health and Safety is a key factor for the company. Rest assured you can always rely on the Team to work on a strict schedule. This is always attractive for the large contractors we work with across London and the UK.
WORKMANSHIP
Technology within the industry is always changing. Fire Stopping/Fire Protection on commercial projects require a high-levelhigh level skill set. Our investment in product training ensures we are always able to competently carry out any task.
Who We Are
Onyx Fire is market-leading specialist installers of Passive Fire Protection (PFP) which includes fire doors, fire stopping systems, intumescent coatings, all types of fire protection board, and soffit fire, thermal and acoustic lining systems.
Onyx Fire Ltd was formed in 2021 by Director Marvin Williams. Marvin has had almost two decades of experience in the industry and has worked on a lot of major projects throughout the country. His expertise and knowledge of passive fire protection and fire protection services are second to none and this shows with all our repeat clients.
All our applications are followed up with in-house Quality Assurance inspections completed in accordance with industry standards and are third party approved.
Our on-site workforce all hold CSCS health and safety cards as a minimum, with the majority having the appropriate skill card and/or NVQ assessment together with SSSTS/SMSTS safety qualifications.
Onyx Fire understands the need to control the environmental, economic and social impact of its business activities and demonstrates its commitment to Corporate Social Responsibility for employees, clients, suppliers.
