CONSTRUCTION
STEEL SAFETY
Off-site fire protection urged by North-East fabrication boss
Warning – SCH Site Services managing director Gary Finley is urging contractors to consider the benefits of off-site fire protection to steel structures before installation.
PICTURES: CHRIS BOOTH
The boss of an established North- East fabrication specialist is urging contractors to consider the benefits of off-site fire protection to steel structures before installation.
It follows changes to UK building regulations concerning fire safety, primarily driven by the Building Safety Act 2022( BSA) after the Grenfell Tower tragedy.
The act addresses systemic failures in design, construction and management, with a specific focus on Higher-Risk Buildings( HRBs) – defined as residential buildings that are at least 18m high or have at least seven storeys and contain at least two residential units.
Gary Finley, managing director of Newton Aycliffe-based SCH Site Services, said:“ The UK construction industry has undergone a radical transformation, moving from a system focused on broad compliance to one prioritising accountability, competence and a safetyfocused culture throughout a building’ s entire lifecycle.
“ The recent regulatory changes have fundamentally altered the requirements around fire protection for structural steel, particularly for Higher-Risk Buildings( HRBs).
“ The focus has shifted from simply applying a product to ensuring its compliance, quality of application and lifelong accountability.”
This has specifically affected steel structures and the use of fire protective paint, primarily intumescent coatings, due to the new Dutyholder Regime, which places statutory obligations on clients, principal designers, principal contractors and contractors for all building work in England, with extra duties for HRBs.
The regime requires all duty holders to demonstrate they have the necessary skills, knowledge, experience and behaviours( SKEB) to undertake their roles.
Historically, the UK construction industry has widely applied water-based intumescent products on-site.
However, this new focus on quality and accountability has driven a market shift toward controlled, off-site application.
Focus on efficiency, cost and quality assurance Gary said:“ There are two distinct markets for intumescent coatings: the solventbased market, which is primarily oil and gas, and the water-based market, which has dominated the UK construction industry.
“ The solvent-based segment has grown exponentially in recent years, due to the increasing construction of high-rise buildings, and there’ s a greater emphasis on increased speed of drying times when applied off site.”
Crucially, new solvent-based and solvent-free products have become the preferred choice for off-site shop application because they dry significantly faster than traditional water-based products.
This rapid drying time is vital for maintaining production throughput and
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