Fighting fire with floors

Adrian Birmingham says that the correct choice of floorcoverings is crucial for the prevention of the spread of fire, and that specification for walls has become the benchmark.

Of all the factors to be considered in the design and specification of a building, fire is self-evidently among the most important. And nowhere is this more true than in the structure and product specification for healthcare premises, where the potential impact of fire on the sick, the elderly and the infirm is so much greater.

The specifier, therefore, in the front line of liability, needs to ask and answer key questions before any outbreak of fire rather than for any investigation which might follow. Was the specified material used a contributory factor in the fire? Should it have been specified in that location? Was it used in accordance with the manufacturers instructions? Is the manufacturer's literature accurate and valid? Ultimately, who carries the responsibility?

In light of the above, it is perhaps surprising that UK Building Regulations concerning fire do not apply to floorcoverings laid onto flooring surfaces; because, according to the regulations, they do not play an important part in the early stages of a blaze.

We are among a number of leading international manufacturers involved in the detailed development of a new common European fire resistance standard for flooring, but its introduction is still some way off. So how, in the meantime, can the specifier feel confident in choosing a particular floorcovering in relation to its fire resistance? Interestingly, building regulations do apply to coverings fixed to vertical surfaces, because here they can play an important part in the spread of fire, and a variety of floorcoverings are in fact used as wallcoverings, especially in hospitals and other healthcare locations.

Our own sheet vinyl floorcoverings, for example, are widely specified for both floors and walls in clean rooms, laboratories, accident and emergency rooms, hospital corridors and similar areas where impervious seam welded surfaces are mandatory or desirable for reasons of hygiene and ease of cleaning.

The significance of this for the specifier is that wallcoverings must meet specific standards and, through custom and practice, certain of these standards, which were primarily conceived for wallcoverings, have been adopted as guidance for the specification of floorcoverings. They have in fact become the established benchmark. Most flooring manufacturers in the UK therefore do test their products to provide the specifier with an indication of product performance in this area.

THE STANDARDS

With regard to flooring applications, the British Standard test most often quoted is BS476: Part 7: 1997. This test essentially measures surface spread of flame. Our sheet and tile vinyl floorcoverings are all designed to achieve either a Class 1 or Class 2 fire rating to BS476: Part 7: 1997.

When considering wallcoverings, however, the situation is slightly more complex. According to UK Building Regulations, the two properties which influence the spread of fire are the rate of flame spread and the rate at which a material gives off heat when burning. These properties are tested under British Standards BS476: Part 6: 1989 and BS476: Part 7: 1997.

Building Regulations demand that surface linings for walls meet specific fire classifications for specific locations (see table). A Class 0 fire rating is defined in the Building Regulations and is not a classification identified in any British Standard test. It is the highest product performance classification for lining material and is achieved if a material on the surface of a composite product is either composed throughout of materials of limited combustibility or is a Class 1 material which has a fire propagation index (I) of not more than 12 and a sub-index (i) if not more than six.

From this, it would seem that all a specifier has to do is choose a material which has a Class 1 fire rating. Unfortunately, it is not that simple. It is possible to achieve an overall Class 1 result by using with the floorcovering specialist adhesives and particular substrates which may not be of the type normally found on a wall lining system. The regulations BS476: Part 7:1997 recognise this fact and say that details of the composite should be listed on the test report. Building Regulations also recognise the importance of ensuring that the actual system used is the same as that which has been tested and states: "Any reference used to substantiate the surface spread of flame rating of a material or product should be carefully checked to ensure that it is suitable, adequate and applicable to the construction to be used. Small differences in detail such as thickness, substrate, colour, form, fixings, adhesive etc may significantly affect the rating."

The specification of a floorcovering as a wall lining thus demands significant attention to the detail of the composite. Similarly, specification of floorcoverings should take into account not only the BS476: Part 7: 1997 classification, but also the adhesive, the substrate and any supplementary observations. All adhesives and substrates used in testing should be typical of those to be used where classification is required.

Fire is a crucial area of safety and specifiers should demand the highest possible standards at all times. To achieve those standards it is vital to read product literature carefully and use the following checklist:

Are there requirements in Building Regulations for the location in question?

.When considering Class 1 ratings to BS476: Part 7: 1997 ensure that the classification is valid for the proposed adhesive and substrate.

When specifying a Class 1 rated product for a sensitive area, obtain a recent, independent report from the manufacturer.

Check that test reports include details of material, thickness, adhesive and substrate - as advised by Building Regulations.

If in doubt demand help and advice from the manufacturer. It is in everyone's interests to get this area of product specification absolutely right.

Adrian Birmingham is market and product development manager for the Ilic Polyflor commercial flooring division of James Halstead.

Copyright Wilmington Publishing Ltd. Nov 1998
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