Fire Safety
Compliance with the minimum standards of fire safety laid down in Building Regulations is crucial in achieving buildings which provide adequate protection for life and property in the event of fire.
The content of the Regulations, the frequency and timing of revisions and the regulatory regimes differ between England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. However, in each country’s Regulations, glass performs a vital role in achieving the requirements for fire protection. This booklet examines the three sets of Regulations separately, and for each shows how the requirements are met in respect of glazing.
Developments in glass have resulted in the introduction of more sophisticated products with increasingly higher fire resistance performances, in both integrity (resistance to fire penetration) and insulation (resistance to the transfer of excessive heat).
Pilkington Fire Protection Glass Range:
Pilkington Pyrostop™
A clear, laminated fully insulating fire and safety glass that offers the highest levels of fire protection (integrity and insulation), maximising the available levels of natural light and visibility. The achieved classifications for integrity and insulation (EI) are for 30, 60, 90, 120 and 180 minutes.
Depending on the thickness, it provides impact safety up to Class 1 BS EN 12600.
Pilkington Pyrodur™
A clear, laminated fire resistant and safety glass primarily designed to provide integrity but also offering full insulation (against all heat transfer) for a short period. Developed specifically for use in doors and screens, it provides impact safety to Class 1 and Class 2 of BS EN 12600 (depending on thickness). It has achieved integrity classifications (E & EW) for 30 and 60 minutes, and insulation (EI) for 15 minutes.
Pilkington Pyrodur™ Plus
Pilkington Pyrodur™ Plus is an advanced thin, clear fire-resistant laminate glass, which easily meets all the latest European fire and impact standards. Using a special clear intumescent interlayer, it offers an excellent combination of fire and impact to Class 2 of BS EN 12600. It has achieved integrity classification (E & EW) for 30 minutes, and insulation (EI) for 15 minutes.
Pilkington Pyroshield™ 2 Safety Clear
A monolithic safety wired glass for use where there is a specific requirement for both integrity fire protection and impact resistance A certificate to Class 3 of BS EN 12600 has been achieved. Available as a clear version only. It has achieved integrity classification (E) for 30 minutes.
The relevant Regulation is Part E of the Building Regulations (Northern Ireland).
This is supported by Technical Booklet E Fire Safety, compliance with which, like Approved Document B for England and Wales, is taken to demonstrate that the requirements of the Regulation have been satisfied.
Like Approved Document B, Technical Booklet E covers the five basic provisions:
● Means of escape
● Internal fire spread – linings
● Internal fire spread – structure
● External fire spread
● Facilities and access for the Fire Brigade
In respect of glazing, the requirements of Approved Document B and Technical Booklet E are essentially the same.
The main variance is that a more detailed methodology for determining the limits to the areas of unprotected glazing is given in Technical Booklet E, a methodology which is similar to that appearing in Part D (D6.3) of the Scottish Technical Standards.