Features & reviews
Seeing through the smoke
The impact of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order has been well documented for specifiers, yet what does this change in legislation mean for decorators? Chris Watts, Brand Manager for Specialist Coatings at Dulux Trade, demystifies flame retardant paints and offers appliers advice on when and how to use them.
In 2006, the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 was brought in to simplify the law on fire safety in buildings. The main aim of the new law was to place greater emphasis on prevention rather than measures to fight fire once it has broken out. While the legislation does not cover private homes, it does apply to communal areas such as corridors and staircases in flats or apartments, meaning appliers who work on small or medium sized commercial projects need to be up to speed with the rules and regulations.
Looking at layers
The legislation, known as the RRFSO, requires communal areas in 'multi-occupancy properties' to have the highest level of fire protection standard - 'Class 0'- as they are likely to be the primary means of escape from a building in a fire. At the same time, as a main exit route, these areas are often subject to high traffic and, therefore, redecorated regularly.
From a fire safety perspective, this poses a potential problem as decorative paints contain combustible organic materials. This means as multiple layers of paint build over time, the fire classification of the original wall is gradually reduced.
Using a flame retardant paint system however can actually help restore the required level of fire protection and prevent flame spread in the event of a fire.
Adding value
To determine if a surface is in need of a fire safety upgrade, it's critical that the history and soundness of a surface is thoroughly assessed - and that's where an applier's knowledge can really come in handy and add value to a painting project. It may be the case for instance, that an applier has previously redecorated a property so knows the history of a substrate. Equally, a decorator will be able to assess whether a surface has good or poor adhesion; another critical factor during upgrades.
Steps in fire safety
- Current fire safety legislation applies to communal areas, such as corridors and staircases, in multi-occupancy properties
- Flame retardant paints aren't always needed for these areas - the first step is to check if a surface is newly decorated or has a single layer of paint
- Adhesion is crucial - if a surface has poor adhesion, you may need to start from scratch
- If you're unsure of when or where to use flame retardant coatings, speak to the paint manufacturer
Assessing surfaces
When analysing a surface's fire safety requirements, the following guidelines should be considered. Firstly, is it a new, unpainted surface? If yes, there's no need to use a flame retardant coating system, instead a tested and approved water-based finish will give the required level of fire protection.
If a surface has previously been painted, the next step is to analyse whether it has good or poor adhesion. If blisters or flaking is evident, then it's likely that adhesion is poor. In this instance, it's best to completely remove all coatings and start from scratch. If adhesion is good, the next step is to work out what level of protection the surface needs and the combination of flame retardant coatings required.
Selecting the appropriate paint system and number of coats can be complex, so that's why paint manufacturers such as Dulux Trade offer a site survey service. The surveys are completed by specification experts who have years of experience in selecting the right coatings for a job. This means they will be able to draw up a detailed paint specification using coatings from the Dulux Trade Pyroshield range of flame retardant coatings and advise painters and decorators on how to apply it.
For further information on Dulux Trade and its Pyroshield range of coatings, contact the Technical Advice Centre on 0870 242 1100 or visit www.duluxtrade.co.uk/pyroshield
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