There are so many dangers in the world
today. Some of them are manmade; some of
them we have inherited from Mother Nature herself. Fire is one of the few dangers that transcends
the boundaries between the two very separate realms. And it can be scary indeed. And, as our towns become more populated, it becomes
even more life threatening. That’s why it
must be taken so seriously. And, that is exactly the reason behind all kinds
of fire prevention and containment accessories.
This, of course, includes everything from walls to fire collars and pipe
collars. And, whether you are constructing
a new building or renovating an old one, you’ll need to know all about fire collars
and pipe collars before you begin your project.
The Basics
of Fire Protection
There are a few different components to fire
protection in the modern world. Although
the different aspects are linked, they are considered independently of each
other to begin with. The first component
is obviously prevention, as this is the best case no matter what the situation. However, no matter how much prevention is undertaken,
there is still always a risk of fire. In
the event that a fire does break out, then the next component becomes important.
This second component deals with the containment
of a fire within a compartment. This is essentially
the prevention of the movement of fire between different rooms or areas within a
structure. Although this sounds quite simple,
it is a rather technical process to insulate against the transfer of fire between
compartments. But, once a fire has been
safely contained, there is a third factor to consider. That’s the safe and timely evacuation of people
from building that is experiencing a fire.
And this is the crux of the matter as everything leading up to this step
is the foundation on which human safety is derived.
The
Legalities of Fire Safety
In the UK, there is a set of building codes
that regulate all new builds and material change of purpose conversions. In some cases, these codes also apply to existing
structures. That is the case when it
comes to fire safety. These regulations are
each assigned a letter and updated as new and safer methods, and materials are developed. Fire safety regulations fall under Part B of
these building codes.
Part B covers everything from prevention in
terms of the materials that can be used in the construction of a building and the
containment of fires within individual compartments to the safe evacuation of occupants
in the event of a fire. All three parts are
treated as equally important in the quest for health and safety. As such, each component requires specific materials
and procedures – and certification throughout every step of the building and occupation
process.
Structural
Fire Protection
Given the type of structure, fire prevention
is often less concerned with the materials used in construction and more to do
with safety standards once occupied. That
includes things like the safe use of gas and electricity as well as the maintenance
and supervision intentional fires. However,
the materials used in buildings plays a great part in the containment of a fire
should one ever break out.
To begin with walls, floors and ceilings must
be considered. These are obviously the largest
structures in any building, not to mention the ones that offer the greatest deterrents
when it comes to containing the spread of fire between compartments. Fortunately,
protecting these structures is usually fairly straightforward. They can either be made of fire resistant materials,
or they can be coated with additional protection once they are constructed. Provided it is done correctly, either of these
can and will be effective.
However, it must be noted that there are very
few compartments that do not share service provisions with other, neighbouring compartments. This is usually the case with water and electrical
connections. Unfortunately, when these services
pass through the walls between compartments, they negate the fire safety measures
already in effect. And, in these instances,
additional safety precautions must be taken in order to contain fires within
the compartment where they erupt.
Pipe
Collars and Fire Collars
When services and pipes pass through walls,
something additional needs to be done in order to prevent the passage of fire between
compartments. This has traditionally been
done through the use of pipe collars and fire collars. These handy fire protection accessories are used
to maintain the high level of protection between compartments. As a pipe passes through an aperture in a protected
wall, fire collars are applied on either side of the wall. These collars hold the pipes in place and are
designed to work with other pipe insulation to contract in the event of a fire. In other words, these collars shrink to cut
off the pipes that connect compartments.
This effectively cuts a fire’s ability to move between passages.
In addition to pipe collars and fire
collars, there is a new product on the market called Ultra Universal Pipe
Wrap. This product offers the same protection
as two pipe collars. However, instead of
requiring the use of additional insulation and collars, Ultra Universal Pipe
Wrap simply enfolds itself around the pipes crossing through chambers. Pipe wrap is held in place with tape and then
passed through the wall. Instead of requiring
a pipe collar, Ultra Universal Pipe Wrap is simply held in place with an adhesive. Fortunately, this product is not only easy to
install, it is also remarkably effective.
It expands to times the size its normal thickness, burning to a char and
thus cutting off the ability of fire to pass between walls.
Of course, the installation of these items requires
professional attention. Because fire
safety is taken so seriously (as it should be), installation is only the beginning. Certification is required after fire protection
has been implemented in a structure. Without
this, a building is deemed unfit to occupation, and violations are treated extremely
seriously. That’s good news in a world that’s
so inherently filled with danger.
For more information about fire collars and
pipe collars please visit the Technical Insulation website - http://www.sigtechnicalinsulation.co.uk/ultimate-guide.asp
