So, I was wondering how much folks think about passive fire protection in their day-to-day lives. I guess if it’s doing its job, it’s something that we don’t need to worry about, knowing that the correct products have been used and installed correctly. I think I’m a bit of a geek, whenever I’m in a public building I always look at fire door seals and make sure they’re there and installed properly, it drives my daughter mad! The thing is, it’s so important that when I’ve seen issues in buildings, I’m compelled to inform someone as the thought of there being a fire and the people in the building aren’t properly protected haunts me. It’s easy to check things like intumescent door seals being installed and intact and looking at the intumescent paint on the beams on an underground car park, but in normal circumstances, things like intumescent collars and penetration seals are hidden away and so we rely on building inspectors checking them and making sure they’re compliant, not just when a building is being built but on a regular basis.
Also, there is the consideration that as with all industries, there can be differences in quality. Obviously, we can guarantee the products that we manufacture such as the ceramic glazing tape, intumescent tapes, and black fire-rated tapes, but we also make sure that any products that we distribute such as the Lorient seals and Superwool blankets are fully tested and compliant. We’re always on hand for advice as to which products are best to use and this will also give me the chance to be a geek and talk passive fire protection!
Stay safe – Niky.