what is fire rating
Fire Rating refers to the methodology of protecting building structures to increase their resistance to fire. As such, fire rating falls within the class of Passive Fire Protection, as it seeks to contain the fire, counteract the spread of flame throughout the building and maintain structural integrity for as long as possible. The Building Code of Australia requires that new building construction have fire rating measures in place (either passive or active) to prevent the spread of flame and to minimise structural damage.
A key solution to maintaining the structural strength of steel in a fire is to fire rate the steel. Fire rating involves the application of fire retardant materials which act to protect the steel from heating up too quickly in fire, thus allowing building occupants to get out and the fire brigade to douse the flames without the building collapsing. In the past this proces has often been lablled fireproofing, however, this is a slight misnomer as nothing is quite fire proof.
There are a number of fire rating alternatives available including:
The latest form of protection is offered by Remedial Building Services in the protection of your building. We are certified installers of water-based thin film intumescents. These protective coatings aim to allow the steel structure to resist the damage of fire for longer.We have products designed for achieving Fire Rated Limits (FRL) of 30, 60, 90 and 120 minutes.
If you would like further information on fire rating and our fire protection products, please contact our office to request a brochure.