Posts tagged: Quelfire

Quelfire sheds light on its latest campaign: ‘BECAUSE IT’S YOUR JOB TO KNOW’

Working in an ever-changing industry means staying up to date with regulations, best practice, and new scopes of application.

The beauty of the construction industry is that you have the collective power to positively impact future homes, workspaces, and leisure hubs for millions of people across the country.

Yet, its fast-paced nature makes it easy to get left behind.

One way to combat this is to consciously adapt to the changing world and be willing to learn and understand the what – what is your role in firestopping? – and the why – why do you need to fulfil it? Why have you made that decision?

While some decisions regarding firestopping may appear trivial and routine, they are, in fact, crucial determinations that can be a matter of life and death.

It is illustrative to see how often, but not always, disaster leads to legislation changes.

For instance, the Lakanal House fire brought about the Construction Strategy ‘2025’ in July 2013; the Wharfside fire in 2015 saw the introduction of the Construction Strategy ‘2016-2020’ in March 2016; and the Grenfell Tower fire saw Hackitt’s Independent review in 2017, which led to the Building Safety Act in 2022.

Since the Grenfell Tower fire and the introduction of the Building Safety Act, the importance of passive fire protection has started to be recognised.

Though no fire should be overlooked, the tragedy of the Grenfell Tower exposed the decades of deregulation and lack of regard for fire safety across all sectors.

This exemplified the incompetence and misconduct within this country’s government and construction industry.

In the past couple of years, the industry has started to embrace cultural change, and many positive changes are taking place.

There is more teamwork and collaboration across trades, increased educational resources, and early engagement across projects.

But there is still a long way to go.

Our campaign hopes to create an open conversation about embracing responsibility, while nurturing best practice.

Why? BECAUSE IT’S YOUR JOB TO KNOW.

Whose job is it to know?

Passive fire protection is a critical component of fire safety, ensuring the protection of people and property.

Take, for example, service penetration sealing, where the effectiveness of the firestop relies on factors such as its design, installation, the substrate it’s installed into, and the actual services installed.

Dryliners, mechanical contractors, electricians, and other specialist trades, along with the wall manufacturers, directly influence the efficiency of the whole system.

Consequently, all stakeholders involved in the design and installation of service penetration seals are responsible for communicating this information early enough to ensure the building aligns with the tested details available.

What do you need to know?

Understanding your role in firestopping is paramount to ensuring that buildings meet the regulatory requirements.

A key aspect of this is understanding compartmentation – the practice of dividing the premise into areas of manageable risk using fire-resistant barriers.

Effective compartmentation is not solely about the products used but how they are tested in different applications and installed.

A building must be designed and built around tested details, requiring collaboration and early engagement among all stakeholders.

The complexity of service penetration sealing requires understanding your involvement at different RIBA stages and how taking responsibility can facilitate the project’s next stage.

At the design stage, this looks like proactively considering the project’s wants and needs, including the fire strategy requirements, such as essential fire ratings and the location of fire-rated walls and floors.

Central to this understanding is competency, built from skills, knowledge, experience, and behaviours.

However, recognising your limitations is equally important.

This encourages you to seek answers beyond your limitations, reaching out to those competent on the subject matter.

But when – and how?

Legislation changes drive standards, laws, and sometimes even mindsets.

But the industry mustn’t wait for government: the time to act is now.

It is never too late to change the way you work and ensure fire safety is at the forefront of your projects.

Though you may feel apprehensive about work completed on previous projects, acknowledging the need for change is the first step towards improvement.

Taking proactive steps towards doing the right thing is crucial, as waiting for government will be too late.

Regardless of how competent you think you are or the duration of your study, it is important to refresh your skills and stay up to date with current practices.

Engaging in continuous training and seeking opportunities to expand your knowledge is highly recommended.

This may involve attending CPDs or product-specific training, participating in early engagement meetings, or examining sample boards as a benchmark for compliant installations.

The motivation to improve must come from within yourself.

WHY is it your job to know?

At Quelfire, the question we believe must be encouraged is ‘why?’.

The ultimate reason firestopping needs to be compliant is to save lives.

Should service penetration seals need to fulfil their purpose in case of a fire outbreak, there should be a high level of confidence they will work as they are supposed to.

From a tender perspective, once all parties agree upon and understand the design, the risk is mitigated, providing peace of mind.

Considering service penetration sealing at the early stages will also facilitate work at the installation stage.

It allows more time for parties to utilise the support offered by the manufacturer and prepare installation work by training on-site labour and arranging procurement of the correct firestopping products per the design.

Compliant installations rely on all parties sharing their areas of expertise.

To ensure buildings are safe and comply with relevant regulations, firestopping needs to be designed according to the manufacturer’s tested details.

Suppose firestopping is not considered when decisions are made about the location of compartmentation walls and central routes of M&E services.

In that case, there is no guarantee that the manufacturer will have a tested solution.

If these discrepancies come to light too late in the project, stakeholders can face extra costs and delays due to needing to redesign service penetrations.

WE TEST…

Because evidence matters.

Because it enables us to respond more quickly.

Because offering transparency helps educate our customers.

Because it’s our job to inform best practice.

Because it’s our job to offer guidance.

Because firestopping is complex.

Because results are worth sharing.

Because people matter.

WE SHARE…

BECAUSE IT’S YOUR JOB TO KNOW.

Download our White Paper, ‘Early Engagement in Firestopping’ at quelfire.co.uk/campaign

The sooner, the better.

This article was originally published in the April 2024 issue of International Fire & Safety Journal. To read your FREE digital copy, click here.

Quelfire emphasises responsibility in construction fire safety

In the ever-changing world of construction, staying informed is crucial.

Quelfire has launched a new campaign and white paper aiming to shift the narrative and promote an open conversation about embracing responsibility.

They also focus on the importance of early engagement, collaboration, and education in the construction industry.

Because it’s your job to know.

Since the Grenfell Tower fire and subsequent changes to legislation, fire safety has become a significant industry focus, and the importance of passive fire protection has started to be acknowledged.

The campaign emphasises the industry’s responsibility to recognise the significance of early engagement in firestopping and the selection of suitably tested details.

It also highlights the imperative for manufacturers to operate transparently, providing key information to all parties involved in building projects.

Delving into early engagement

Following the campaign, Quelfire’s white paper delves into early engagement in more detail, exploring best practices that can save lives, reduce damage to a building and its contents in the event of a fire, and minimise construction delays and costs.

Early engagement is about collaborating with the relevant key stakeholders as early as the design stage to retain fire ratings of walls and floors.

This is achieved by appropriately sealing service penetrations with tested firestopping systems.

It is also about cross-party communication, sharing of information and competencies, and understanding a project’s requirements before build commences.

The white paper is a useful guide for anyone designing and managing the installation of service penetration seals, from main contractors to designers and firestopping contractors.

It is an invaluable resource for professionals looking to enhance fire safety in their projects.

Because it’s your job to know.

The path forward

Craig Wells, Sales Director at Quelfire, said, “The construction industry is starting to realise the responsibility it has when it comes to protecting people and property.

“Though it has taken a national tragedy and subsequent legislative changes to create the catalyst for change, change is happening.

“We at Quelfire will continue to test, share, and educate to support this change and, ultimately, create safer spaces.

“It is a pleasure to launch this campaign and white paper, which seeks to provide insight into best practices concerning the passive fire protection of service penetrations. Knowledge is power.”

Find out more about the campaign here.

IFSJ Comment

The proactive steps taken by Quelfire through its campaign and white paper signify a meaningful advancement in the construction industry’s approach to fire safety.

By focusing on the critical aspects of early engagement, collaboration, and education, Quelfire is setting a precedent for industry-wide responsibility and knowledge-sharing.

The emphasis on transparent operations from manufacturers and the collective effort to enhance understanding and implementation of firestopping solutions are key to building safer environments.

As the industry continues to evolve, such initiatives will play a pivotal role in ensuring that the lessons learned from past tragedies translate into lasting improvements in construction practices and fire safety standards.

About Quelfire

Quelfire is a leading manufacturer and supplier of tested firestopping solutions for service penetrations in buildings.

Its mission is to support all parties involved in the design and installation of service penetration seals, including architects, designers, main contractors, firestopping contractors, and other specialist trades from dry-lining contractors to mechanical and electrical contractors.

Alec Purdie, Technical Manager at Quelfire, stresses the importance of standardising fire safety in construction

Fire safety is more than just a box to tick in the construction industry; it’s a moral obligation to ensure the safety of every individual inside a building.

As the construction landscape evolves, the importance of standardising fire safety processes cannot be understated.

We sit down with Alec Purdie, Technical Manager at Quelfire, a frontrunner in providing tested firestopping solutions, to delve deeper into their commitment to building safety, their vision on standardising processes, and their continued presence and influence at London Build.

Who is Quelfire and what is its mission in the fire safety sector?

Quelfire is a leading manufacturer and distributor of passive fire protection products.

At our core, our mission is straightforward: to protect people and property.

We achieve this by supporting all stakeholders—from the design phase at a project’s onset to its conclusion at the build stage.

What sets us apart is our specific emphasis on passive fire protection.

We pride ourselves on being subject matter experts, particularly in the realm of service penetrations.

Our vast library of validated fire test applications continues to expand monthly.

This growth is underpinned by our regular fire testing, grounded in real-world scenarios and feedback from our customers.

We are more than just product sellers: we’ve committed our expertise to educate the industry, emphasising the criticality of early engagement in designing service penetrations in buildings.

Our aim is to shift the mindset towards proactive design, rather than it being an afterthought.

What does “early engagement” mean?

Quelfire has been a proponent of early engagement for years.

By educating companies on its significance, we’ve positioned ourselves as leaders in this domain.

Those who’ve adopted this approach have seen notable improvements in their projects.

Early engagement ensures that applications are compliant.

There are myriad factors to consider, which many might overlook.

For instance, while plasterboard ceilings are prevalent, there isn’t a standard test for service penetrations in such constructions.

Newer materials, like CLT (Cross Laminated Timber) — chosen for their eco-friendliness over concrete or plasterboard — also lack extensive test evidence.

This means architects might inadvertently choose non-compliant constructions.

Service penetration types add another layer of complexity.

The diversity in plastic, metal, and insulation types is vast.

For instance, MLC (multilayer composite pipes) is gaining popularity over traditional materials like copper, but corresponding test evidence is lacking.

Also, fire ratings are often misunderstood.

For service penetrations, fire resistance is not just about preventing fire spread; it’s about halting heat transfer, an aspect often overlooked.

Metal components, such as cable carriers or large pipes, conduct heat efficiently.

Some design solutions don’t factor this in.

Relying solely on guidance documents without understanding their actual implications might lead to non-compliance.

Issues often go unnoticed due to late engagement, and this results in a rush to rectify non-compliances, which can be a costly and cumbersome process.

What does a standardised process for a main contractor involve?

The essential aspect for passive fire protection in service penetrations is timing it appropriately within the building design schedule.

The process involves:

Fire strategy determination: Begin by outlining the building’s fire strategy and identifying all structural components.

Construction type verification: Sometimes, the architect’s preferred supporting construction type isn’t viable.

Recognising this early allows for adaptability.

Understand structural dynamics: Consider aspects like floor and beam deflection and any load-bearing elements.

This helps determine suitable products and installation methods.

Service selection: It’s pivotal to choose service types early on.

For multifunctional areas housing various services like cable trays and pipes, design considerations, including spacing requirements, become paramount.

Detailed information sharing: The design team should provide manufacturers with comprehensive data.

For instance, specifying a 28mm copper pipe with 40mm thick phenolic insulation is far more helpful than merely stating “an insulated pipe.”

Collaboration is key.

This brings together all stakeholders— from the principal designer, who shoulders significant responsibility under the Building Safety Act, to wall manufacturers, MEP representatives, and fire-stopping manufacturers.

This ensures a harmonised approach, considering diverse elements beyond just fire safety.

Ultimately, the essence of a successful process is continuous communication and collaboration among all parties.

The process should promote collective engagement, ensuring thorough checks and validations.

How has the journey towards creating a standardised process evolved?

The evolution towards a standardised process has been substantial.

At Quelfire, as we have worked on an increasing number of projects, we’ve seen project at various stages.

This has granted us a bird’s eye view, allowing us to identify recurring ‘choke points’—areas where issues tend to converge, leading to significant project delays.

These bottlenecks often trace back to poor coordination, an absence of a clear design blueprint, or last-minute planning.

In my early days at Quelfire, I frequently found myself stepping in post-design, when builders had finalised their work, services were already in place, and the fire-stopping professional was onsite, unsure of the next steps.

In such scenarios, the common refrain was, “What should I do now?”.

Due to a series of oversights, many tasks could not proceed as planned.

This led to extensive remedial work—a burden no stakeholder wanted to bear, resulting in a blame game.

We have, however, seen a marked shift recently with our expertise being sought much earlier in the project lifecycle.

This shift, which has accelerated notably this year, might be attributed to a change in industry mindset or perhaps legislative measures like the Building Safety Act.

It seems the message is finally resonating – though there is still a considerable journey ahead.

What are the benefits of implementing standardised processes?

Many leading contractors have already embraced the concept of a standardised process.

They recognised the impending changes and the challenges and have been proactive in integrating these processes.

Those who’ve successfully adopted the process have seen distinct improvements.

Time efficiency: Contrary to the belief of some that designing and then building might slow things down, the opposite has proven true.

With a comprehensive and universally understood design in place, projects are executed within the projected timelines.

Cost-effectiveness: When all parties are privy to the same design, understanding the products to be used and their respective installation timelines, this transparency minimises unforeseen costs and keeps the project within budget.

Peace of mind: A meticulously crafted design, aligned with fire test evidence, guarantees that the safety products will perform as expected, offering peace of mind to all stakeholders.

This ensures the well-being of occupants and provides assurance to those responsible for the project.

What are the challenges of implementing a standardised process?

One of the primary challenges, as highlighted by Dame Judith Hackett, is the need for a significant cultural shift.

Construction methodologies have remained static for years, with many industry professionals set in their ways.

Just because practices have been consistent for decades doesn’t mean they were optimal or appropriate.

Another challenge is ensuring a comprehensive understanding across trades.

Even if a professional isn’t directly using a product like Quelfire’s, their actions can have cascading effects.

Recognising the interconnectedness of actions in construction and understanding the broader implications of individual decisions is essential.

Crucially, the big challenge is ensuring decisions are made by competent individuals.

In the past, some decisions have been made based on misplaced beliefs in expertise or qualifications.

This has sometimes led to the use of inappropriate products.

It’s vital to ensure that those in decision-making roles are both knowledgeable and competent, selecting the right products and applying them correctly.

Why is London Build significant for Quelfire, and why should industry professionals attend?

London Build gathers a diverse range of professionals from across the construction sector, many of whom might not typically attend a dedicated fire show.

The event’s multifaceted nature, with its focus on various construction-related domains, including fire safety, ensures that attendees get exposed to a breadth of knowledge and expertise.

This broad audience means that as professionals wander the event, they often discover insights from fields they hadn’t initially considered.

By interacting with us at our stand, many realise the significant role they play in passive fire protection, a connection they might not have made otherwise.

Can you hint at your theme for London Build this year?

Our panel discussion at the show is set to take place on the second day of London Build.

Our primary aim with these discussions is to resonate deeply with our attendees.

Keeping this in mind, we’re conscious about ensuring that the perspectives shared aren’t just from Quelfire; we want to present views from eminent figures across the industry.

This approach provides a richer tapestry of insights, as attendees hear from professionals who are at the heart of construction and development.

This year, we’ve invited leading representatives from the Passive Fire Knowledge Group (PFKG) to join the panel.

They’ll shed light on their efforts in championing transformative changes in the construction industry.

Topics will span the intricacies of establishing a standardised process, its organisational advantages, and the potential hurdles.

What will attendees see at your stand at this year’s show?

We pride ourselves on evolving and innovating with each passing year.

This year, while our unwavering commitment to assisting every stakeholder remains, we acknowledge that the onus of choosing and crafting the right solution has increasingly fallen on the main contractor, especially in light of the Building Safety Act.

Consequently, our stand will underline this significance.

Expect a visual display with an added focus on in-depth discussions aimed at incorporating processes that will enhance operations.

Beyond London Build, what’s upcoming for Quelfire?

We’re on a continuous trajectory of growth and innovation.

While we’ve made significant strides in our current projects, we believe we’ve only begun to tap into our potential.

Our expanding customer base is testament to the value of our unique technical support.

We’re committed to offering evidence-based guidance rather than opinions.

Historically, our primary focus has been on residential and new build projects.

Having achieved considerable success in that domain, we’re broadening our scope based on the feedback and requests we’ve received.

Simply put, there’s no slowing down for Quelfire.

We have loads of initiatives in the pipeline. So, keep an eye out; there’s always something exciting around the corner with us.

An abbreviated version of this article was originally published in the November 2023 issue of International Fire & Safety Journal. To read your FREE digital copy, click here.